Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-04-25
Preaident IohnsoaI's PoIicy.


Itis IN one sense fortunate that the new
President has been 50 frequently waited
uoon by delegations from various States
and organizations, and has had so much
,spssch-mAkiDg to do in response to their
addresses 1t has at leastgiven him ample
opportunity to express his views upon the
great subjects of reconstruction and the
punishment of treason. And these views
sof his secord go well with the moral sense
of the nation that it will willingly eonfde
The settlement Of the great questions of the
war TO his hands, well assured that there
they are safe.
His first great article of belief, which he
has reiterated again and again in various
speeches, be phrases well by saying that
Gthe American people must be taught that
treason is q crime" They "must uuder-
stand that it is the blackest Of crimes, and
will be surely punished" "Let it be en-
eraved on every hesrt tbst treason is 8
crime, and thst trsitors shall suffer its pen
atty" And, awhile we strain our minds
20 comprehend the enOrmity of this assSs-
sination," we may remember the infnity OF
the guilt which sought to asssssinate the
nation. 81 make this sllusiOn MOTTO excite
the alresdy exasperated feelings of the
public but to point out the principles of
public justice which shOnld govern our
action atthis particular juncture, and which
accord with public moral"
Not as avengers, however, but as judg-
es, must the nation approach the traitors
of the South. Should we attempt ven
geanee our object would be balked. The
life of aI the Southern traitors would be
bat poor equivalent for the crime which
they have committed, for the suffering snd
agony which they have brought upon the
nation. The end of penalties for crime is
the protection of society. That is our OBJ
iect in Furnishing the insurrection. We
have penalties for all minor crimes, and
the greater part OF mankind would be hor-
rifsd at the proposition to abandon them
They would regard it as the dissolution
o. Of society. Can we, then, allow that the
sum Of all crimes thsl be held in our NOR
al code TO be q mere difference of political
opinion? Mr.. johnson argued; "When
we turn to the criminal code we there find
arson laid down as q crime, with its sppro-
pirate penalty we there find theft and
robbery and murder given as crimes and
there, too, we find, last and highest of
crimes, treason"
Our moral code will not allow these
lesser crimes to go unpunishsd; shall we
give the highest of crimes, and the sum OF
them all immunity? He argued further:
"No one can say that if the perpetrstor OF
this fendish deed be arrested, he should
not undergo the extreme penalty the law
koows for crime. None will say that
mercy should interpose But is he alone
guilty?" Shall we sink our thoughts TO
personal vengeance for private murder
and give impunity to the crime of treason
which not only instigated this, but has
COVoT6Q Tie lhuu WIN DAOO0
We have also in his remarks timely
comments on the false msgnsnimity re-
Gently so prevalent, and which has reacted
into ideas of vengeance, which are Just IS
inadequate to the real issue. DisclaimiDg
su bitter Ct revengeful feeling toward any,
lie said:
uIu general terms I would say, that public
mora and public opinion should be estsb-
iished upon the sure and inhexible princi-
ples Of Justice. When the question of ex-
arcisiDg mercy comes before me it will be
considered calmly, judiciously, remember
ing that sm the Executive Of the Nation.
I know men love to have their names
spoken of in connection with acts of mercy
and Low easy it is 10 yield to this impulse,
but we must not forget what may be mercy
to the individual is cruelty to the State.
In the exercise Of mercy there should be
no doubt left that this high prerogative is
not used TO relieve few at the expense of
the many"
But while thus denOuncing woe to the
wicked leaders of the rebellion, he Is ready
TO welcome back their abused and deluded
followers to the Union, making the path
easy for them. He recognizes the fact that
while the ambitious and powerful aristoc-
racy of the South are utterly and ire
claimably corrupt while there Is DO remedy
for their treason but the halter, the poor
whites of the slave States hate the rebel
lion with the fierce hAte which oppression
and wrong inspire and that there is a
latent love fo= the Union among them that
needs only little encouragement to spring
up into a burning fame Of enthusiasm
President johnson is himself one Of these
very people. He understands and symPa-
thizes with them. He perceives that they
must constitute the future constituencies
and rulers of the restored Union. he will
know in what way to give them the power
of government and to encourage them to
use it rightly.
The Presidents FamiIy--.The New
Mistress Of the white House.
L NsA