Nebraska advertiser., 1866-10-18
THOSE CONDITIONS.

States for ratification, II has been as
sailed by The copperjohnson opposition
with all kinds os so called Arguments
Al frat they are styled unconstitutional +;
aud when that il exploded, they were
iyronieal and oppressive. This did not
pay before a loyal people ; and The last
ress-tof a %cornered foe IS that Congress
will not stand by these conditions, even
il they are adopted by the South, des.
pite tie president set by The admission
Of The Tennessee delegation upon It's
ratification Ly the Tennessee Legisla-
ture!
Bat in this connection former offers
made by the General Government TO the
rebels 10 lay down their arms, are
brought up as proof that Congress will
go tack" on, What the opposition styles,
us pledges - aLd much honest 81 cop.
psrhead Indignation is manifested al The
perhidy Of the Radical General Govern.
ment and Congress.
The condition first oTe red the rebels
was in 1861 2, by which the General
Government offered to protect slavery
forever, if the rebels would return to
their allegiance. What response did
ihis meet with from rebels and Copper
headsl IL anything, it was increased
insolence from ths latter, and a "lilhe
more grape" from the former. This was
then claimed a sign of weakness on the
part Of loyalty; and treason, instead of
accepting the proposition, refused and
taught the harder.
Ia 1863 the Government and loyal
people, desiring peace, made overtures
70 accomplish that object gradual eman-
cipatiOn and compensation for slaves
might have been obtained by the rebels.
How was this met? All who remember
the history Of the times, know that it
only brought forth more glarIngly the
desire Of rebels for victory or nothing.
Ia 1864 peace was offered them upon
q condnion-aboliti0n Of slavery =
Save ;his none Of their privileges as
States were to be abridged, and no reb-
els were % be punished all were to
have comSsackWna forgive and for
get" was TO be the motto Of loyal con.
duct toward treason. Did rebels accept
this offer The many fields of blood and
carnage which followed tell the tale =
Every offer on The part of the loyal
North, was construed as a sign of weak
ness; and the only p%erceplible effect on
rebels and their sympathizers was to
make them more jubilant.
These were the conditions offered by
loyalty to treason, and by the latter
srurned and yet there lack not men who
have The %efTrOntery TO charge the loyal
North with broken pledges!
II is rue that when the rebels found
their strength broken aud their cause
hopeless, they summoned a commission
10 treat for peace, and in the Hampton
roads conference fair terms were Of
fered yet, the rebels, after three years
Of bloody war bad interviewed, demanded
the first terms offered them !
War was resumed, and a complete vim
dica,ion Of the supremacy Of the General
over the State Governments was es,ab.
iished. Congress was not in session
when Lee surrendered nor did Presi-
dent johnson think the emergency sufi.
cient TO convene il; but took upon him.
self, as the executive Of the laws made by
Congress. the duty Of attending TO mat
ters 10 contrOal which no laws were on
the statute book. This worked well until
the Legislative department met, when
they, Of all powers alone empowered to,
framed terms for permanent peace, and
they tre embodied in the Constitutional
Amendment.
Will the late rebel States accept these
amendments? This is now the all alb
sorbing question. The loyal North has
shown ITS determination 90 sustain the
demand. and the Congress which made
It. In this case il is The same as in the
other terms offered, and as apply ex-
pressed by a late Richmond paper
Northern cOpperheads demand more con-
cession TO treason Than the late rebels
ask!
Would il not be the part of wisdom for
all who oppose them TO study the history
Of the past; there i; viii be seen that the
loyal element Of country never has "gone
back" on a pledge, or upon the eternal
principles Of justice and right. AS one
condition after another was spurned, did
The next become lighter Did an out
ragged people make any concession to
treason that brought rebels nearer their
Object7 These questions il would be
well for every rebel sympalhiser TO study.
Bot a few weeks since the chances
were that the last offer would be reject
ed to-day q united North proves that it
win no longer be tampered with, and