Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-01-19

Offensive theories. and the epidemic of
/ treason shall have permanently abated.
! How we shall deal with the authors
, of the late rebellion, is also question
which profoundly interests the loyal
masses of oar country, who so patiently
endured the burdens and perils OF the
/ war, and whose vet mourning and des-
olate hearthstoncs too plainly tell Of its
caiamitics. 4" 1T is manifest that trca-
son. says the President in his late
/ Message, "mosC iagrant IN character
| has been committed. Persons who are
charged with its commission should
! have fair and impartial trials in the
highest civil tribunals ina the country,
in order that the Constitution and the
laws may be fully vindicatcd; the truth
clearly established aud affirmed, that
/ traitors should be punished, and the
oiltnSc made inlamous.h
/ In this sentiment fully concur. TO
excuse these men from megited punish
meut upon the plea that the atrorious
crime Of treason has been merged in the
graudcr drama of revolution, il to rem
der crime respectable in proportion to
its cnormity and magnitude. Ii four
deluded Wretchcs, acting upon the vie
iOus pripCiplcs imhibcd from the leaders
ofthe rebellion, can be hung for taking
the life Of our chief magistrate, why
/ cannot the hempcn moose bc rs ueScrv-
edly spIung around the neckS Of these
guilty men OF higher preteusions, who
deliberately sacrificed million of prcc-
/ ious lives upon the altar of their mad
ambition? If an ignorant foreigner, u
mere subordinate of jeff. Davis, can be
condemned and executed fort barbar-
isms of AndcrsOnvillc, should this arch
conspirator, now Hospitality quartered
hp Ia IL, off ~ 4 i,aI I-l hNr
whose iiendish connivaucc fifty thous-
and Northern soldiers were slaughtered
in Southern prison pens, be allowed to
escape the Just demands of our violated
laws?
The success which the American peo-
pie have attained since the rebellion be-
gan, in the adoption Of an enlightened
and humane policy toward the African
race, SO long oppressed, may be regard
ed rs II moral triumph highly creditable
to our national character. The abolition
of slavery, in spite Of all efforts to avoid
or postpone 1t, finally became, in the
candid Judgment of our Intelligent
statesmen, Il measure Of absolute. ncccs-
sity to the preservation Of the Union. .~--
BY this act. the validity of which all
parties are now disposed to concede, re-
sponsibilitics have dcvolved upon the
Government rs novel as they are imper-
ative.
The magnauimOus conduct of this
immense population Of bondmen, has
cOntradictcd the observation and cXpe-
rlcnce of other nations, and must excite
in their behalf the admiration of poster
ity. Under no pcrceivnble obligation
to assist in the maintenance of q gov
ernmcnt from which they have never
received either Justice or mercy, and
whose arm for generations had oKly
sustained their oppressors, they never
theless became, both in spirit and con-
duct, not merely the trucst friends of
the Union in the South, bat the only
Nrends from whose cooperation the
National cause derived material aid in
the entire region of the rebel Statcs.--
Nor was their alliance to our cause by
any means an inconsidcrable accession
to the disposahle power of the Union. -
In various ways their physical efforts
always chc2r,ully rclderci, and Tia eir
knowledge of the country and It's iu-
habitants, assisted ia a large degree in
overcoming the serious difficulties W hich
, 40 often inteTposcd themselves to the
= advance of our armies through the in.
= surgcnt States. While on many field
of conflict for the Union, their dusky
- blttaiOns have displayed q steadine59,
a devotion and courage excellcd only by
the tried veterans of the Northern
armies.
Nor is this all. Pass by the outlines
which present this war in ita horrid
form of carnage and blood, 70 those in
ncr scenes which unfold the sublime
spectacle of these black agents of mercy
lowering upon the verge Of battle fields
within range of bursting shells, hearing
food aud water to nourish the bleeding
soldiers of the Union. Invoke the crate
full memory of the many thousands who
have been rescued from the dead lines
Of Andersonvilic and Libby, 10 find
sympathy and protection in the rude
cabin Of Tie slave. Appeal to the faith
crs and mothers all over this broad land
whose sad hearts have been relieved by
the return of sons long aourncd as
among the hapless victims Of rebel cru
city!
By these numerous acts OF valuable
service their unwavering fidelity to the
Union, these people have placed the
! Government In Il position towards them
| which should engage the Gravcst con-
sideration. The act of emancipation
compelled them to occupy AN essential
! ly new and responsible relation to the
country. While in the condition Of slu-
very, they neither claimed nor received
any political recognition, and, beyond
! their amcnability to the criminal code,
the will of their masters was their only
! law. But transformed from slaves TO
freemen, they have become invested
with duties and rights which in their
very nature necessarily create political
relations between them and the Gov
ernmeEt
! Their emancipation was an emphatic
assertion Of Federal jurisdiction and
authority over them, carrying with it
/ by unavoidable implication the power
to guaranty all the rights and incidents
which result legitimately from it. Al
though, in form, q military measure,
yet its validity tydidnOttermiuate with the
war. Independent Of the constitution
al amendment, we insisted upon free
dom in the Southern States as eOudi-
J ton of their return to the Union. This
demand could not have been legally
made anterior to the rebellion, but the
power to do it now is clearly deduciblc
/ from the position of the Government ~
the Injured and prevailing party in the
! late war; exercising the right to require
conditions Of security from yanquish-
ed belligcrent. To maintain that we
! now lack the constitutional authority
/ 90 secure this freed people in the enjoy
/ mcnt Of all the rights incident to their
new condition, invoves the inevitable
| conclusion that, on the part of the Fed
eral Government, compulsory emanci-
patton itself was Il usurpatiOn of power.
No large and distinct class of citizens
in any community can long or success
fully maintain their rights, deprived of
the means 10 protect them against the
/ gradual entertainments Of power in the
hands Of others. While suffrage may
not be regarded "a an Inherent right,
| yet, under a popular form Of govern
mcnt, it becomes a political right, com-
mon to all classes from whom the du-
ties Of citizenship are required. This is
! the essential and manifest theory Of our
Republican system. We invite the for
eigper TO our shores, rendering him the
inducement Of home and protection
under the flag. At the end of live years,
| if he chooses to avail himself OF the
privilege, we confer upon him the full
! stature of an American citizen. No
1 people Of any recognized nationality on
the globe are excluded from the bcnc-
4 iit. of nIIP NOT N In I.uy. t,i a.,