Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1866-05-17
Gen. Scofield's Dissertation on
MagnanimitY to the South.

General Glenni W. Scofeld, who dis
tinguished himself on the field during
The war, is now Representative in Con-
g-ess from PENNSYLVANIA. In recent
speesh he thns trssts on the appeals for
insgnanimity TO the South:
Again, ma9nanimitY is invoked as a
shield of desertion. A great nation. it
is said, can afford to be magnanimous.
OF course it can; but let US see how this
Is. For four years these people made
war upon US, without cause or even
plausible excuse. Before they began
tive begged them, in great humility.
to withhold from the country this ter
rible desolation. In tears We warned
il1sm OF the punishment that must fol-
ba- Our eHlrsaties and warnings were
rsceived in the Rebel Capital, so their
telegraph informed Us, with peals of
l4pghter" " They fred upon us while
I'VE were yet upon our knees begging
Tor peace and union. The contest once
begun, was conducted on our part with
great forbearance and within the strict
est military law. We even returned
fsrsa while their fugitive slaves. On
hsirs part it MAS conducted not only
uitb.the condemned system OF cruel
sacfiila and piratical warfare. but with
ire, poison, yellow fever and assassina-
.lof. The estates of Union men within
'hsf power were conf5cated, and have
never vet been restored, and Union men
were hung for treason TO their pretend
Cd Government.
You tell us they have suffered. So
have We. Peace has come at last; bu-
siness prosperity will return; the insig-
pia of mourning will be laid aside; but
I; n she heart Of every family there is an
hnsPoken sorrow that will sadden life
: eyen 10 the grave. Now, we are ad-
nsoilished to be magnanimous to the
authors of all this suffering. 1 accept
The admonition, but submit that we
are 50 already. The law condemned
them 10 death. and we have pardoned
the-n. Their estates were forfeited, and
- hsre restored them. Not traitor
Faa been hung; not one convicted; not
ton< srsd; not a dozen arrested; but
insnv have been h0nored az rulers in
sssass.zf hey oniy4ailed to ruin. The
high sounding eloquence of the gentle
man from New York (Mr. Raymond) J,
calling upon us to admire the courage
and devotion" with which these bad
men prosecuted a cruel war against our
kindred, our homes, and our country
for four years, has scarcely subsidized
when our tears are invoked over their
self-inficted sufferings Thus at this
end of the avenue we are alternately
called upon to admire and pity them.
while at the other the green seal is kept
hot with its work of clemency-clem-
ency often unsolicited, sometimes con-
temned. We have even ordered his
toric Inscriptions to be erased from cap
tared cannon at West Point. that the
boys educated at the expense Of a Gov
lernment their fathers could not quite
destroy, might not be irritated. What
more can we do? What more can gem
tlemen ask in the name of fmagnanimity ?
j"Give to this one-seventh Of your pop
nlation more than one-third of your po-
litical power?" Is that what you ask,
and call 1t only magnanimity to the
false men of the country? Call it
rather treachery to the faithful; or, If
that sounds harsh, call it submission,
surrender, what you like, but, for the
sake of truth, let no one call betrayal
of country and friends magnanimity to
enemies.