Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-03-06

has transpired since his day We remember
what he said in 1888 When treason, snd
treachery and infdelity to the Government and
the Constitution Of the United States stalked
forth, it was his power and influence that went
forth and crushed it in its incipieney. 1t was
then stopped. But it was only stopped for a
time, and the spirit continued There We're
men disaffectcd towards the Government In
both the North and South. There were pecu-
liar institutions in the country to which some
were adverse and others attached. We find
that one portion of our country advocated an
institution in the South which othels; opposed
in the North. This resulted in two extremes,
That in the South reached a point at which the
people there were disposed to dissolve the 60
vernment Of the United States, and they sought
to preserve their peculiar institutions hat
| say on this occasion | want to be understood
There was portion Of our countrymen opposed
to this, and they went to that extreme that they
were wiling to break up the Government to
destroy this peculiar institution of the South
L assume nothing here to-day but the citizen
-one OF you-who has been pleading for his
country and the preservation Of the Constitu-
ton. Cheers. These two parties have been
you as L did In the Senate of the United States
IN 1860. | denounced there those who wanted
to disrupt the Government and [ portrayed
their true character [ told them that those
who were engaged in the effort to break up the
Government were traitors. have not ceased
to repeat that, and as far as endeayar could ac-
complish, it to carry out the sentiment-
[Cheers remarked, though, that there were
two parties. One would destroy the Govern
ment to preserve slavery; the other would break
up the Government to destroy slaverv.-
Cheers The objects to be accomplished were
dlfferent it is true, so far as slavery was con-
cerned, but they agreed in one thins-the de-
structlon OF the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS what [
was always opposed to and whether the dis
unionists came from the South or from the
North, [ stand now where did then, vindicat-
ing the union of these States and the Constitu-
ton Of our country. [Great cheering. The
rebellion manifested itself in the South. stood
by the Government [ said [ was for the Union
without slavery. In either alternative [ was
for the Government and the Constitution The
Government has stretched forth its strong arm,
and with it's physical power it has put down
treason in the field. That is, the section of
country that a1rayed itself against the Govern
ment has been conquered by the force of the
Government itself Now, what had we said to
those people? We said: ''No compromise
we can settle this question with the South in
eight and forty hours. .
[ have said it again and again, and I repeat
it now, 'Dsband your armies, acknowledge the
supremacy Of the Constitution of the United
States give obedience to the law, and the whole
question is settled" Cheers
What has been done since? Their armies
have been disbanded. They come now to meet
us in spirit of naagnanimity, and say, eve
were mistaken we made the effort to carry out
the doctrine of secession and dissolve this Union,
and having traced this thing to it's logical and
physical results, we now acknowledge the flag
of our country and promise obedience to the
IONS thn If tbn 10
[Cheers.
| say, then, when you comply with the Con
stitution, when you yield to the law, when you
acknowledge allegiance to the Government, [
say let the door Of the Union be opened and the
relation be restored to those that had erred and
had strayed from the fold Of our fathers
[Cheers.
Who have suffered more than I have? Task
the question. shall not recount the wrongs
and the sufferings inflicted upon me. It is not
the course to deal with whole people in
spirit of revenge. | know there has been a
great deal said about the exercise Of the pardon
power, as regards the Executive and there is
no one who has labored harder than [ to have
the principals, the intelligent and conscious of
Tenders, brought to Justice, and have the prin-
ciple yindicated that treason is crime, .
[Cheers.
But, while conscious and intelligent traitors
are to be punished, should whole communities
and States be made to submit to the penalty of
death L have quite as much asperity, and
perhaps as much resentment as man ought to
have; but we must reason, regarding man as he
IS, and must conform our action and our con-
duct to the example Of Him who founded our
holy religion.
| came into power under the Constitution of
the country, and with the appreciation of the
people, and what did [ find? [ found eight
millions ofpeople who were convicted, condemn
ed under the law, and the penalty was death
they all to be annihilated? Oh! may I not ex-
claim, how different would this be from the ex-
ample set by the founder Of our holy religion,
whose divine arch rests its extremities on the
horizon, while It's span embraces the universe
Yes, He that founded this great scheme came
into the world and saw man condemned under
the law, and the sentence was death. What
was His example? Instead of putting the
world or a nation to death, He went forth on
the cross and testified with His wounds that He
would die and let the world live Let them re-
pent; let them acknowledge their rashness; let
them become loyal, and let them be supporters
of our glorious stripes and stars, and the Con-
stltution OF our country. | say let the leaders,
the conscious, Intelligent traitors, meet the pen
altles of the law. But as for the great mass
who has been forced into the rebelion-misled
in other instances there be clemency and
kindness, and a trust and confidence in them.
But, my countlymen, after having passed thro
this rebellion, and having given as much evi-
dence of enmity to it as some who croak great
deal about the matter cheers when | look
back over the battlefield and see many of fthose
brave men in whose company [ was, in locali-
ties Of the rebellion where the contest was most
difficult and doubtful, and who yet were pa
tlent; when | look back over these fields, and
where the smoke has scarcely passed away !;
where the blood that has been shed has scarcely
been absorbed before their bodies have passed
through the stage Of decomposition do /
find? The rebellion is put down by the strong
arm OF the Government in the field. But IS
this the only way in which we can have rebel
lions? This was q struggle against a change
and revolution Of the Government, and before
we fully got from the battle-felds- when our
brave men have scarcely returned to their homes
and renewed the ties of affection and love to
their wives and tbnir childran-wa arc now al