Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-12
oompuscr1oSs OF eERRIrr SMITH,

C0MPUNCTIONS Ur uEhhliA onAA 49,
An old, broken-down Abolitionist, with
inst enough of sense left from the wreck
of a naturally vigorous intellect to ena
BILE him 10 quote the law, is out in pub
LEGATION on the subject Of the DAVIS trial
The old driveller, repenting, perhaps, The
ruin he contributed so much to bring
upon the country, now turns TO make
some little atonement by pointing out to
his fellow fanatics the wrong of trying
DAVIS for the crime of treason agalns
the United States. The old driveller to
whom we allude, is the once-celebra'ed
GERR1rr SMITH of the Smith family.
His life was dedicated to the cause OF
abolition, and if any fame shall rescue
him from oblivion, it will exist In the
desolation, sor..vw, and anguish which
were the legitimate fruit of his teachings
The best that may be said in his favor
is. that he was less revolutionist, less
traitor to the principles of the Constitu
ton less desolator and murderer THAI
some others. Even SEWARD has found
cause TO react, to some extent, on The
irrepressible conflict Neither of these
Abolitionists can well be charged with
an intention TO usher in the present mil
lenium Of color--anarchy, physical,
moral and Intellectual They were led
by the blind, and being themselves blind,
fell into the ditch. SMITH deserves no
credit for proving by VArrEL and other
that the late struggle between the Nortl
and the South, escaping from the crime Of
treason, rose to the dignity of war Thu
labor Of his life was a rebellion against d
integrity of The Government iii teach
inus did not stir up u negro rebellion.
they brought on a white one, and thus re
bellion begat rebellion. Rebellion against
the Constitution by the Abolitionists
drove the STAKEHOLDER to arms 10 vindi
cate his property; and thus we had, IL
use the phrase Of GREELEY, the slave.
holders rebellion" VATTEL says;
But when a nation becomes divided
into parties absolutely independent, and
no longer acknowledges common supe-
rior. the State is dissolved, and the wa,
between the two stands on the samt
ground, in every respect, as a public wal
between two different nations They de
eide their qusrrels by arms, as two dill
ferent nations would do The obligation
10 observe the common laws of war TO
ward each other is therefore absolute, in.
dispensibly binding on both parties, and
the same which the laws OF nations i'm
nose on all nations in transactions be-
tween State and Stale
If Mr. SMITH Of the SMITH family
knew twenty FIVE years ago the doctrine
laid down by VArTEI., he ought to hav'
known that crusade against the prop
erty OF the South would have produced
something more than individual treason
He should have known that war of the
sections would result, and that the South
would then be entitled to belligerenI
rights. II Mr.. SMITH, of the SMITH fam
ily, possessed this knowledge, did MOI
Mr.. SMIrr, of the SMITH family, "wi!
fully and knowingly" spend his life in
bringing about the late civil WARP Il
VATTEL, whom he quotes, was not Their
familiar to him, perhaps WELcEER was.
This writer says
His The leader's) followers are also
more or less punishable as aiders and
abettors, as long as their number has moi
grown 50 large that sincere belief ex-
Isis that he or they act with the consent
of the nation, or that division of the
nation has taken place into two hostile
camps. In the latter case the rebellion
becomes civil war; the right has become
doubtful and is left, MS in the wars be-
tween several states, 10 the decision o.
an Almighty judgment. (Gottesgricht
Under such presumption every citzer
is bound 10 declare himself for one or The
other parry, according TO the wise law
ofSaloS he is bound to do ito 60 ethei
right or left J and then neither blame MOI
punishment can reach him, whatever thu
result of the battle may be. Then Their,
are only viciors and vanquished-not 10y
alists and criminals. And although il j
difficult to state the precise moment VIII
REBELLION ceases and civil war commences
there nevertheless exists an essential dii
ference between them, and when the INC
ment has arrived, it is then for the vietC
rious party TO extend clemency, and eve
no punishment &sll-for prudence an
humanity would dictate such u course,
Now Mr.. SMITH, of the SMITH family,
you do not plead ignorance of interns
iional law at the time you pushed on tn
ball of abolition, you must confess tha
yourself and your brother Abolitionisi
are responsible for all the blood that wa
shed during the late civil war. You sa
now that DAVIS should be protected fror
punishment by the law Of nations b.
the law Of nations cannot restore Ii
young men who fell in resisting your II
fernal war upon the property of II
Sourh. Before the bar Of eternal justiC
you and your brother Abolitionisis vi
be held guilty Of all the crimes COMM
ted. and all the ruin that has bee
wrought during four years Of carnage.
NV runa2