The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-03-28

they punished Not by anything which the
law calls Punishment.
Being defeated in war is net punishment
except in the language OF the pugiliSt
whose antagonist Is said 10 be punished %
when be Is knocked down. | do not agree
with the gentlemen who sympathze so
deeply with the rebels. that they have
been punished as a community was never
before punished for treason" Search the
whole records OF crime. from the rebellion
OF the angels and the first tranSgression OF
man 20 the present day. and YOU can lind
nowhere so great "a crime so inadeQuately
punished A rebellion only less guilty than
that Ol the devillsh angels, was waged with
nendish cruelty against the best govern
ment on earth until IL cost that govern
ment az least four billion dollars. and al
most half 4 million OF brave men. while thev
suffered but little more than half as much
IN either; and then when their arms were
torn from them, they claim 10 be our
Lowing brethren" and always ain the
Union And the claim is allowed What
punishment has followed. All the masses
were released By one sweeping decree; and
almost ever since the President has been
employed, il is said with several clerks and
machinery. in preparing pardOns for rich
rebels. All who made special application
must have been worth more than twenty
thousand dollars While our loyal men
who have hai their property stolen robbed
aud burned by these very men, they have
had their property restored to them. even
after cOndscatiOn; and the loyal tenants.
who were placed on il by Government.
have been turned out 10 starve. Did any
respectable government ever before allow
such high criminals to escape with such
shameful impuntyy Who has been Dun-
lshed for this wholesale murder and plum
der. one poor, Insignificant. foreigner
(Wirzl has been tried ana executed for
acts Tor which his superiOrs, not he. ought
To be held responsible; unless, indeed. this
was 4 war OF individuals and not OF bellig-
erents, Is learned gentlemen contend.
Thea every confederate soldier was 4 mur
der; aud the high officials were innocent.
As they dealt no blows. and theirs was not
government
ll this Congress has any respect fOr its
own prerOgatives, and for the rights Of the
people the punishment which 50 distresses
the gentleman from New York Mr. Ray
mOnd) Will not stop here | have never
desired bloody punishments 10 any great
extent, even for the sake of example. But
there are punlshments quite "a appalling
aud longer remembered than death. They
are more advisable, because they
would reach a greater number. Strip u
proud nobility of their hlOated estates, re
duce them 10 level with plain republicans ;
send them forth 10 labor, and teach their
children 10 enter the workshops or handle
the plow, and You will thus humble the
proud traitors. Teach his pOsterlty 10 res
pect labor and eschew treason. COnspir-
aces are bred among the rich and the vain
the ambitious arlstOcrats. | trust vet 10
see our cOntscatiOn laws fully executed /;
and then the malefactOrs Will learn that
what Congress has seized enemyS prop
erty and Invested in the United States can
not be dvested aud returned TO the con-
quered belligerent by the mere voice of the
Executive. | hope 10 see the property OF
the subdued enemy pay the damages done
TO loyal men, North and South, and help 10
support the helpless, armless, mutllated
soldiers who have been made wreched by this
unhOly war. / do not believe the action OF
the President is worth farthing in releas-
ing the property OonquOrod from the enemy
from the appropriation made Of il by Con
gress. No, sir; they have not been punish
eli as they deserve. They have exchanged
forgiveness with the President. and been
sent on their way rejoicing Why say that
our doctrine screens them from the punish
ment OftreasOn Need gentlemen be taught
the hOrn-bOOk law, that in civil wars the
parent Government may exercise both be
ligerent and sovereign rights | trust gen
tlemen Will not mislcad the people who
have not the books al hand.
Still another extraordinary proposition
have TO notice. The gentleman says that
il the confederate States were belig
erent, and have been conquered by th'
! United States, that We became liable 10
/ the confederate debts by the law of inheri
tance. Will the gentleman excuse me FOL
asking him in what book he finds any sucl
startling doctrines Who before ever con
ceived such an idea The gentleman ha
cOniOunded il with a usurper, who de
thrones the reigning monarch and resigns
in his stead. There the Government is thl
same; the nation is the same; the ruler onl,
! Is changed. The debts OF the nation ar
not repudated, but the property and liabil
tiles OF the crown attach 10 the eXistin.
Government. But when one nation con
quers another, il imposes snch terms as
deems beneficial to itself Assuming tn
belligerent debts is not among those bene
fits. When belligerent Europe cOnQuere
( France, the allies did not assume the debt
OF the French nation. When belligeren
America overcome the mother country an
established her independence she did no
inherit or assume the debts Of Great Brit
ain. When England suppressed the grea
mutlny, have not heard that she assume
OF paid the debts of the court OF Delhi.
DID the gentleman from New York adOp
this idea from 4 suggestion OF the learne
gentleman from Ohio. II so, beg tha
gentleman to be more cautious how
drops such heterOdOXies, as he sees int
what painful position be leads cOnfidin
young men.
was anxious that there should be q
collision between the different branches
Government, no controversy as to II
rghtful jurisdiction Of either. Hence
construed the Presidents message. (af('
having stated his views, 10 refer the who
J question OF reconstruction 10 Congress,
d whom II 50 evidently belongs. | regret
p ind the gentleman from New York, m
r Raymond, ! who with the gentleman fro
ONO. Mr.. FInck, are evidently on con
= Dental terms With the President, very muC
impairs my hope Of harmony when he say
e nIcann1t assent TO the iniimation thrown out
e c0nCurred in the views he had expressed or fsds
had kInf,d ne Ulolc subject Of p9csfyIn9 tAs Sta
idtely re5elli0s dad q res.0riHg tke Stdtes 70
pTIcio0I szerelse Of tAesr fae,t0AI Faesbers q
Uni0n 70 tx kdads q C0Hgress
regret extremely that this authOritati
declaration Of the position and determin
3 ton Ofthe Executive has placed him in
attitude 10 which, it seems to me, that Co
: gress cannot submit without the most
! initiating surrender OF its rights and Dig
: II. | cannot believe the legislative pow
q ofthis great Republic, holding their sov'
= eighty in trust tor the whole people, vi
. while it IS in session and capable Of actin
. permit any other branch OF the Cover
a ment 10 ix or dictate any ofthe terms up
, which the conquered States shall be
vested with the rights OF citizenship.
! trust the President has been misunderstO
= an1 that he vii. a. once disclaim the pO
. ton.
. Let us distinctly understand each oth'
. in order that the different parties in u
House. a. well as every other departme
; Of the Government may know precis'
+, what position the other assumes. Let
: ask a few plain questions; ani should
glad ifthe gentlemen would give exDli
= answers
: Do Vo1 wish tho Constitution Of