Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-04-09
.UTnltlnr treason Odioua.,'

record avowals during the progress OF the
War that he was In favor of "maklng trea-
son odious." They now claim that he Is
doing the reverse OF this-that instead of
doing this, he is making treason honora-
BILE, and that, therefore, not only 'the slow
unmoving finger of scorn should bepointed
at him." but that ne should be driven in
dishonor from the Presidential chair. The
editors and politicians whose utterances are
begotten of such spirit seem to think
that the only way 'treasoh" can be made
odious Is by a general execution and expa-
\ triation of the men who were prominent
active participants in the late struggle to
take the Southern States out of the Union.
/ Crushing, vlndictive punishment has in no
/ age and in no country made ''treason
|, odious," any more than has the FIRE and
water punishments inflicted upon the
world by the Almighty rendered sin
'iodious." iAo .ot
1t remains to be proven by "the logic OF
events whether President JOHNSON has
abandoned his purpose to render "treason
odious.'' That he has resolved not to send
his administration down through the
annals of history to be cited by after gen.
eratiOns as infamous beyond parallel is
becoming more clear every day. That he
would have saved his party from an in
famous notoriety is likewise growing clear.
Suppose the President were to urge the
infiction OF death and expatriatlon upon
the influential participants in the late war
to take the Southern States out of the
Union, in what manner would that make
treason odious What is it to make
"treason odious ?"-what is its object
Is it not to render it so offensive that all
will be deferred from again engaging in
it? No pretense will be set up, we think,
that the Southern people have not suffered
overwhelmingly in their struggle. Many OF
their best and their bravest men have
been offered up as sacrifice upon
the field of battle; their wealth has
been swept away; desolation has cut
broad swath throughout their linn
its-stricken, desolate and impoverish-
/ to crown all, utter failure attended their
enterprise. Can corporeal punishment be
devised whereby one degree may be added
to make what we are won't to denomi-
nate their treason "more odious?" From
Its contemplation they must in time, if
left to themselves, shrink with horror and
disgust; and how would you transmit this
feeling of loathing and disgust to the child
rem that shall hereafter grow to manhood
and womanhood? Would you do it by
hunting down, as you would ferocious
beast their parents with harsh and vim
dictive punishment? Is not such the con-
stituent elements of human nature, that
such course of treatment will sow in the
breasts of those children the seeds OF re-
sentiment, which in time would grow into
another bloody harvest of insurrection?-
The odiousness of treason" would become
completely overgrown and be then rem
dered imperceptible to the parties upon
whom we are solicitous salutary and per-
manent effect should be produced. If
nothing short of an exterminating policy
for the Southern leaders will suffice, it
would be well to let that policy be as far
embracing as was the policy of an Indian
fighter, who Drained the infants, on the
ground that if they were allowed to live
they too would have to be fought at sub
sequent day.
How much better, by the exercise of an |
clemency and christian mag
to convince those people and their
descendants that it was not only the wild
est Quixotism, but the most reprehensible |
that caused the Southern peo-
pie to attempt to withdraw from the Union.
When they shall fully realize that the ad-
herring States did in reality wage war sole
ly for the purpose of maintaining the Union
and perpetuating our Republican form of
GOvernment-that we were not actuated |
by vengeance, or malice, or by desire
to confiscate their lands and money to our
own use-many of the ugly scars the war
made will heal over. Resent
ment will be banished. The rising genera
tion will not feel that they have wrongs to
avenge, and hence we shall have no bloody
Instructions growing out of that cause.
1t is in this way that President JOHNSON
Is "making treason odious," and if the peo-
pie will only back him up in these patriotic
abors, they will find that never before, and
10 history will pronounce, was treason"
made so "odious" as under his administra-
ion. And as the world now gives us credit
with having put down the greatestrebellion
ever known, so will after time point to Pres
Ident JOHNSON, If he shall resolutely 90
forward in his great work, as the most per-
feet paciticator that the world has ever
known. The difference between President
JOHNSON and the Radicals in Congress is
simply this: He would make, and will make,
# sustained in his policy, "treason odlous;"
while they, If they shall be sustained in
heir vindictiye and fanatical legislation,
will make the people of the adhering States
in all time to come.
'|The Board of Educa tlOn.'
Under this caption the following article
appears as communication in the Journal h
lf SATURDAY. InorninO.