Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-15

the Voice Of History We plead for restoration OF tn
Union. against policy which would ahord motAenta
~ qualification the cost OF years OF perlous hate an'
We have borne FOR % quarter Of century the unjust
mputation of hating tue south, when We hated an.
sought 10 subyert only s.aTer the scourge ahe Oh Soul
and North and the O cause OF discord between them
Ne have done what We could-ot course, not always
wsely-to battle I, ccunscribe, aud ultimately TO over
tirovy the slave Power. At length through a success
sion OF events which human being could nave devised
or foeseen, the end which sincerely hope9 out hard-
~ expected to Is plainly before US american Save
| nv is yisiby in the aconies oil dssonuoh IL we lVe
wear longer we shall almost certainly see u au III the
grave. anG whenever abolished here, its expulsion from
the last rood OF ChriseudOm that II now curses cannot
he poponed five wears Let take care that no vim
dicve impulse shall be suffered to imperi this glorious
! cOnsummaian. =, GO, II -.
! richly deserved condgn punishment Whoever l. re-
sponsibe Tor the butcllery OF our bacH soderS van
onsb.l in fight or the still more atroclous murder OF
captivcs by wanton exposure ana prlvatoh IN prison.
earns stands in this category. But the immediate issue
not the dspeusaton of justice TO individuals
but the pacifcation of vast republic lie VINO iances
that All the exhibitions of cruelty or perdy have been
the work OF Rebels has but SUPERFICIAL knowledge oil
our current history.
! Those who invoke military execution Tor the van
finished or cycn for their lesdes We suspect will not
generally he found among few who have long been eX
1osed TO unjust edium hatcrs OF the South because
they aborred Slayery And to the long oppressed
and DEGRADED blacks lately the slaves destined still
"a lac the neirhb al trust at no distant day the
fellow itzens southern whites we are sure their
voice could it be Juthentca. uttered would ring out
I'decidedy, generously, ol tie side OF Ciemency-hu
manity rt.,.t
|TiTPFt CEOU ESTION-CENERAL GRANTS TERMS
or SURRENDER THE POLICY FOR PRESIDENT
LINCOLN.
lanai ion from Prc,dca gcolp 10 the people of the
sle'.gs State which wiz Lrnc them 20 the saving al
tentative Of submission and 70 TIC good work OF the
restoration OF Tho Union. W. cannot doubt that the
generous terms Of surrender acCoEied TO Cen Lee 10y
Cen Grant were the result Of previous understanding
Win the President We are sure that better basis for
! a ronCiliatory proclamation could be adopted and We
rist therefore that in liberal amnesty, and in Sa-
erna spirit Mr Lincoln will enlarge upon the good eN-
ample Of his sagacious and patriotic GeneaIln-Chel
We are told, however that the laws OF Congress, and
their mains and penaltes Of treason DEATH imprisonment
on exile and the conscation a tie property OF the par
a roecrbed With the forfeiture Of their political rights.
are The mpediments which stand in the way of broad
and general amnesty From the bills landed
aboat between the two houses Of Congress during the
lat three years We Know that various provisions reach
tla penates Indicted although we find It difficult 10
CA " the a. actually in force It is sufficient for our
ent purpose that they do not debar the President in
H. vercise of his military discretion from extending to
,sdsa 70 General Lee We believe, too that Mr.. Lin
coin IN C. aeW amnesty procan alton widening the scope
Of that Of December 1863 70 include the leaders OF
fsa ratclon in is benefits, can without further
igodshed secure the csptulaon and dispersion Of all
TIE remaining fragments Of tie retel armies from Virgil
ne confusion worse confcuaded resulting from the
va-fols Executive and Congressional experiments OF
1rsgcaton and reconstruction can be remcied only by
res itself and 90 this end tie occasion suggests not
The epe d.ency, but tie necessity Of an extra Sos
sion of Congress This necessity expect, will be re-
,rYizad bY the Pres dent in his forthcoming pTocamG
G, AS for the Southern institution OF slavery II is
dead and may be quietly left 60 the burial provided IL
the constitutional Amendment uEou the subject. wlIct
now rcguires the ratification cf only seven State
% make Il part and parcel Of the supreme law Of the
The debt Of the SPECIALIZED Confederate States sim
riy out OF the lUeston Were there positive and b.
sutq declaration O. Congress against t. there would
,oca be very positive and absolute protest from The
cya states against any recognition of this thing in any
shame whatever This national debt of Jeh Dayi.
must share the fate Of Lis coniederacy. gigantic
armed conspiracy striking for the destruction Of the
| government NAV be pardOned when tbrashed TO the
roint Of submissions but the payment Of its expenses
! would be q new thing under the In casting hi,
Confederate bonds by the caroad into the streets Of
Richmond with his evacuation of the city, the followers
Of Jeff Davis recognized them at their true value
PAYABLE upon their face by the rebel treasury year
three wears or five ten years after treat OF peace
between the Confederate States and the United states
America" so let them stand Let the present insurgen
generation of the rebellous States bear the burden
their so.called Confederate States debt for the mex
! generation will owe them nothing.
But as immediate peace-adoptirg the powetIu! Ian
cuaoe OF General Gpnt-will be the saving Of Thou
sands OF lives and of hundreds Of millions of property
not vet destroyed" cannot doubt that in their pre-
situation the masses OF the Southern people includ
ing their soldiers still in arms Will iavoably respond
q marnanimous peace proclamation from President Lin
coin No fears need be entertained that by giving tht
rebel leaders chance for their lives they will remain il
the South 10 trouble us hereafter The fearful wrOrg
which they have committed among their deluded follow
egs viii bring their own punishment in fearful reaction
of Southern public opinion. That is the tribunal q
which the leaders Of this mad rebellion may 81
most wisely turned over by President Lincoln.
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