The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-06-29
The Two DeSerterS.

4 private in the United States army
has recently been shaved, branded and
drummcd ont of the service. His
offence was desertion. He ran away,
very likely, when drunk and is proba-
lily some poor, miserable, ignorant
bounty-iumpcr, with none to respect
OF love HIM Military discipline in
sisted on his punishment; and militia
ry discipline vas right in 50 doing.
There is nothing to be said III extern
uation Of bis baseness and no fault to
be found with penalties visited upon
him. Soldiers must be kept true to
their duty, else the army would not
be worth a straw for efficiency.
Al Fortress Monroe is an individn-
al whom every loyal man, woman and
child, every Official from the highest
to the lowest of the Federal Govern
ment. knows to have been Il deserter,
a traitor a yiolator Of solemn oaths,
the head OF an armeo conspiracy to
destroy tho Union, the voluntary chief
of rebalhous organization that has
cost the lives of hundreds Of th0us-
ands OF freedmen, and perpetrated
atrocities in prison-pons and elsewhere
that would have d!sgraced savage can
nibals These facts arc not denied.
10 pretend TO question their truth,
would be TO Justify instruction, and 20
agow that the national armies were
sent into the ield without warrant or
excuse.
Though charged with The highest
crimes, this individual has not yet
been tlied, or treated with the prompt
Justice and punishment melted out
with lightning swiItness to a low
member of the rank and file IN regi-
mont. More than this, he has been
visited by member Of the Cabinet,
whose sympathy for jeff. Davis IS so
plain that book, describing the pris-
on life of that traitorous leader, Is
dedicated to HIM for that avowed
reason All this takes place, whilst
every day increases the indications
that at Washington there is 30 firm
and decided purpose to ntiict upon
this representative malefactor Of the
greatest aud the bloodicst of offences
any severe Judgment that shall
make of him an example and warm
ing.
Why is this? Not because the
great body of the people have changed
IN their principles or feelings; but be-
cause patriotism has been put in abey-
ance by politics and politicians. That
treason should be made odious, not
from any vindiciiye or bloodthirsty
motives, but to secure the safety of the
republic, is and has been the clearest
of necessities since the surrender OF
Lee. And yet, except in powerless
words, this necessity has not been
confessed by the authorities. or this
negligence-th recreancy to duty
there is but one explanation. some
body wishes to conciliate the South, to
obtain the help Of the South III Presi-
dent making Policy. management,
diplomacy refuses to meet the duty Of
the hour, which is first of all and
more than all, to make treason odious,
SO that treason shall not again threat
en- the safety OF the nation, and to vim
dictate the right action of those who
gave life and treasure TO crush rebel
lion. ii the obligations resting upon
the Government to punish insurgents
seeking its overthrow is not met and
fulfilled, more will be done 90 weaken
the nation and expose it to future
troubles than was accomplished by all
the efforts of the Richmond Confeder-
acy. Beating that Coniederacy in
the field viii be Of little worth unless it
is pronounced for all time, by the pun
ishment Of The leaders, to have been a
crime of the darkest and deepest hue.
49, Boston Transcript