Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-06-29

In q civil war 10 the LAM Of treason. There
will probably be many moro civil wars. The
great majority Of than win originals In the
interests Of freedom. Some Of thcm--per-
baps many of them---will result ADVERSELY 70
her. when they do, shall The conquerine
tyrants be abls 10 plead the example Of
America--of Republican America--of free
dom-loying America-for hanging the van
quished Washingtons aud Franklins7 God
forbidi But II will be claimed that the
washiugtous and Franklins, having q just
cause. should mot be hung; and that the Da-
vises and Ices should be, because their caise
" unjust. Unavailing distinction For the
couqueror would have but TO hold, land for
this his own bare word would he sufficient
authority that his own cause 10 Just and his
encmys unjust--and thsn his way would be
clear to 60 straight to hang the wsshingtons
and Franklins.
On the other hand, there is not In all
Christendum one enlightened friend Of hu-
man rights, who would not rejoice on the in
fuence of tho cause Of human rights Of your
refusing to recognize the crime Of treason in
a popular rising, aRef Il has reached the
stage of civil war. For there is not one
such, who would fail to zee IN the refusal a
proper respect and Difference to pumbers or
who void fail 10 see In Il the making Of rev.
luton more easy; and what 10 far better, the
making Of governments more studious Of
justice In order 70 prevent revolution. BY
The wsy, there ere some who deny the right
Of revolution In Q republic especially In .
republic where suffrage ID e extended q In
our own and hence do they deny that the
revelutionists In republic are entitled 70 the
humanities OF the law of war. But there
may be a. unendurable oppression In q re-
public There have been In our own) a. uu.
der monarchy or oliprchy. II h not where
the oppression b, bat how great Il a. which
Affects the question Of the right Of revolution.
Humenity d, on the whole, constantly
making progress ID almost every age Il
takes some marked and wide sep upward
and 0nwad. Such one win IL take IN this
age II Christendom shall declare herself
against the recognition Of treason IN q civil
war. VIII she thus declare hersslf2 A mighty
impulse toward II would she feel from you
inviting her to declare II. "And who know
eth" my old, and honorable, and beloved
friend, ''whether thou art come to the king
dom for such q time as this" Beautiful
and glorious for yourself, your country and
mankind, will be your chief; ;justiceship, II
God shall incline you TO thus illustrate it,
And not little would be done toward gain
ing rs the heart of the South, should you
from your high place say that she ought not
TO be put on trial for treason. For TO try
jefferson Davis for 1t would be to try herself
for 1t and q wrong to him would be felt by
each Of her aggrieysd people to be wrong
to himself
How sad that the North should in this,
the great trial-bour Of her wisdom and Ia
tegrity, Be found % mistaken 10 regard to
her needs and dutiss She denounccs the
South for bringing on the war. Nay, in the
light Of the fact that her temptations TO be-
nay freedom and justice were 30 much weak.
er than those which assailed the South, hel
share ofthe common responsibility for the wal
Is tar the greater. She clamors for the pun
ishment Of the South under the Constitution,
But she should feel that the South hos been
punished very severely already. She com.
plains that the South has still bard heart
But Il is not harder than her own. The
heart that can refuse gratitude to the brave
forgiving and mag unanimous black saviors O
our country, and that by denying them suf
faga can throw them again under the fee
oftheir old oppressors Is heart that need no
look abroad for Q worse one. The Nortl
calls on the South to repent But she need
70 humble herself by the side Of the South II
a common repentance for common sins.
| The North has desolated and estranged th,
South. Whether all this was or was no
necessary, It is, nevertheless clear that be
present work is to win and comfort and bles
the South. Great as is this work, II can
however, be done. II is true, that the Presi
dent has, by his unwise policy, sadly demor
allied the South. For that policy, by tn
way, he is not 10 be too severely judged. I
grew almost necessarily out Of his unavoida
bic pro-slavery education. II Is true that
though he found the South humil;ated ant
sober, and In state 10 respond to the claim
Of truth aud reason he has by the perniciou
expectations which he has excited in her
turned her quite away from listening 10 thos
claims, and turned her back again TO her oil,
habits OF arrogance and tyranny. Neverthe
less, Congress could have recovered her, b,
promptly announcing lis unalterabls policl
Of impartial Justice TO all her classes. Thel
would the South have respected Congress
Now she despises It, Then would Congress
have converted the South. Now the Soutl
is converting Congress. No "Civil Right
Law" and no other substitute for entire Jus
tice, can save the South. No promise o
protection to that portion of her people, sh
whom, 1t leaves stripped of their own powe
aud natural right 10 protect themselves, csI
save her. Without equal justice In all thing
TO her people, she will 60 straight on
greater horrors than those which she emcrg
ed from-even 10 the horrors Of war o
races. The absurd position of tie Presiden
aud of one member Of the Cabinet after an
other, and Of Une member of Congress ate
another, that the conquerors, though ac
knowledged to have the entire control o
cry thing else In the conquered States, hav,
only partial control Of suffrage in them
viii rot suffice 10 cheat the blacks Of th,
South, and least Of all their great avenger.
| have said that we must deal with th,
South In the spirit Of impartial justice. WI
must also deal with her In the spirit Of grea
generosity and great love. We must claim
no Indemnity for the past. We must exac
no unnecessary security for the future. W,
must eubject her to no changes and no disa
bilities which are not indispensable. II th,
breaking up of her large landed sseates h
parcel them out to her white and black poo
ts not demanded by her people, We must no
insist upon L. II BY putting The ballot n
the hands Of her blacks. 1t viii NOT bs necss
sary, In order to save her, 10 Withhold Il for {
season from her whites who were Involves
In the guilt of war, then are there stronl
reasons why we should not insist upon TN
lproba,ion. One thing more. The South
poor, the North is still rich. Would II b
too large an expression Of frsterual love 4
save the South for some five or ten year
from the imposition Of direct national Ascs
With great regard your friend.
l GERRfT SMITH.