North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-06-07
From the N. 7. Nsws.l
Death, Banishment, ConllscatiOn.

dent, with its seventeen excepted classes,
does not, in the opinion OF the Times, pro-
vide for enough of blood and horror. "If
there be deficiency in the EXCEPTIONS" the
Times considers that defect to consist in
there not being two other classes delivered
over to condign punishment; namely the
editors and the clergymen of the South
The former, il seems, "did the most in paw.
ing the way for the secession movement."-
The latter "gave treason precisely what it
most needed with the. Southern people
moral credentials" There is no punish
ment t 90 severe for them according to the
verdict of the Times.
But there is still another class, which it is
surprising that the Times did not add-the
women. According to all accounts from the
South. the women from that country were
| from first to last the most vehement seces-
.ionists; they drove their husbands and
brothers to the field from them the laggard
in war found no grace, no peace no countes
nance but for them the war would have
ended in three months, or, would never have
begun. Now, if this class of persons, with
the editors and clergyman, were added to
the President Q seventeen classes, it would
make the round score, and would look more
like complete thing, and "poetical justice"
and all that.
| So when the thunders Of open war are
hushed, opens in full cry the baying of the
sleuth hounds of vengeance The soldiers
drop their arms weared with Staying, and
content that the armed resistance to Federal
authority is crushed but when they are
satisfied and surfeited with blood, then the
civilians begin to think it is their turn. 1t
is not enough for them that those clergymen
are beegarsd in the beggary of their 6ocks
that those journalists are ruined in the sup-
preston Of their papers and destruction Of
their property; that those women are left
mourning widows or desolate paupers. The
wide spread misery and devastation of fair
land sitting is ashes and ruins. though sooth
ing to their souls does not yet satisfy their
stern sense ofjustice. The Times indeed
praises the amnesty proclamation on the
whole; says the President has done his
work WELL and gloats over the fact that in
so many cases, '.justice and sound policy
will be satisfied BY death, banishment. con-
fscatian and disfranchisement ;"-only it
would have wis he'd for q few tho1esnd more
examples to drink a deeper draught Of
blood, TO grasp mighti@r mass of plunder.
to revel in more feast Of vengeance. Can
this really be the desire Of the country, or
! the design Of the Administration Then
let US set up steam guillotne at once.
By the terms Of this proclamation, if they
are not notified, not only the principal citi-
zens Of the whole Southern country, but oil
the chief officers of their late army, are de
voted to judicial puni.hments Of various
kinds, ranging from hanging to confscati on
of property ; yet the army, BY its capi'ula
tion with Geperal Grant was to 60, each
man to his home, and there to remain with
out molestation." If you hang man. or
banish him, or deprive him Of the home that
shelters him, there is degree of molestation
in it. General Lee, We may be sure, did not
know, that i'll surrendering himself and hts
army as belligerents, he was placing them in
the category Of felons. II is true he must
have known that his capi,ulation could not
exempt him or any Of his soldiers, from
the legal penalties of any real crime. He
knew that If he bad committed bigamy o.
larceny, or any act not committed in war
ano according to the laws Of war, no would
still be amsnable 70 justice for that. But he
was belliGerent, carrying on open war for
four years; recognized as q belligerent;-
treated with as q general commanding troops
and believed himself to be surrendering in
the regular military sense. If General Grant
understood that he was receiving the surren-
dsrs, not of a general and an army. but Of @
gang of felons with their ringleader, he sho'J
have said so at the time.
For the honor Of the country, it may be
trusted that the government will not stain its
triumph by gratifying this mean era wing for
revenge, by plunging US into the bloody or sna
of political prescriptions.
There Is one individual in especial that the
Times wonders should be fered to live
and to 60 at large. SIT may be hard" says
the Times, to see such man as John Mi tch
ell pursuing his congenial work i'm the Office
Of the Daily Ncps in this city" Now, it
may also be that the individual in ques, ion
feels it hard 10 see such a man as the editor
ofthe Times going about aud playing his
congenial little tricks in this city; but il he
does feel it hard, he says nothing abou, it !;
he lets the said editor alone. We suggest
that the editor do as much to him.
| Enu., prnu.a