Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-11-07
The Punishment of Traitors.

The Punishment of Traitors.
Whilst President johnson is in the main
performing his high and responsible duties
to the satisfaction of every Conservative and
true Union man in the country, and is re-
ceiving the commentator and support of a
large majority of the American people,
there is yet one thing which many are Of
the opinion he ought to do The penalties
incurred by the leading traitors of the South
are still hanging over them, and may be en-
forced by the proper authorities at any time.
These operate as restraints upon the South
ern traitors and guarantee their good beha-
vior. But the traitors at the other end Of
the hne''-such men as John w. Forney,
Wendell Phillips, William ID. Kelley, and
Benjamin f. Butler-being under no bonds
to preserve true faith and allegiance to the
Government, are doing their utmost to get
up another civil war, and again involve the
country in bloodshed and devastation. 1t is
the opinion of many Of the President sup
porters- especially those of them who voted
for Mr.. Lincoln and sustained his admins
tration-tiat he ought to arrest the traitors
and dtsa,iontsts abore named, and their
leading aiders and abettors all over the
country. The persons who take this view
of the case do not advocate the hanging of
these miscrcants, however richly they may
deserve the gallows but they maintain that
they ought to be shut up in Fort Lafayette
or sent to the Dry Tortugas, where they
could no longer disturb the peace of the
country. They argue that so long as these
vindictive, corrupt, plundering agitators and
traitors are permitted to utter their incen-
diary and reasonable language, so long will
the country be kept in an unsettled condi-
ton, and the restoration of the Union be
moral impossibility.
We arc not much inclined to favor the
exercise of doubtful powers by executive
officers, but it must be admitted that step
of this kind on the part of President John
son would have in it at least the merit of
an act of retributive justice. 1t would only
be giving these scoundrels taste of the
specific for ''disloyalty" that they were so
free in administering to Democrats during
Lincoln Presidency, for venturing to ques-
ton the wisdom of some of the measures
of his administration. Any argument that
could be made in favor of the Incarceration
of Democrat in Fort Lafayette, or his
transportation to the Dry Tortugas, at any
period of Lincoln's administration, would
make in favor of the immediate arrest and
close imprisonment Of such cowardly incen-
diaries as Forney, Butler, Phillips and their
coadjutors, who are straining every nerve
to convulse the country with civil war
which would be vastly more destructive, and
in every respect infinitely worse, than the
one from which We have just emerged.
The rawlings and threats of Beast Butler
and John W. Forney against the President
have been read by everybody. No frantic
rebel ever denounced and threatened Presi-
dent Lincoln as 6ercely during the hottest
period of the late war as these vulgar and
envenomed partizans now denounce and
threaten President johnson. Wendell Phil
lips has lately added his denunciations and
threats to theirs. In his late address on the
PERL of the Hour, at Boston, after reit-
Grating Buffers demand for the impeach-
ment and removal of the President, and de-
nouncing Gen. Grant, who, he said, ''occu-
pied the most humiliating position of any
man on this continent, Phillips proceeded
to declare that his theory was that there Is
no President. He is deserter. The legis-
lative power is the only power left. Our
James III. has abdicated, and Parliament |
rules the nation. He 10dRtcd Congress to |
commence its Rert session as q perpetual one. |
lie aCould haze the nert Congress enact that |
they should re-assens6le IN March, 1867, and
be Themselves the GeveInnaeRt.
Upon what ground would those who de- |
Tended the arbitrary arrest, by Abraham Lin
coin, of men who questioned the wisdom of |
his acts as President, condemn Andrew |
Johnsonfor arresting man who publicly de- |
clares that ''there is no President" and calls |
upon Congress to ignore the Executive and |
usurp his functions. If ever there was cause |
for the arrest of personsfor the use of ''trea-
sonable language, there is cause for it now.
hatelligencer.
PAYING A BET.-The Philadelphia A9e |
says: An amusing scene was witnessed by a |
large number of citizens yesterday, on Ches-
nut Street from Thirteenth to Sixth. A |
push-cart, having in it a feather-bed cover
ed with decorations of ribbons, &C.; man
lay in side smoking acigar, with his feetoyer
each side of the cart IN the easiest man
ner imaginable. The paying party pushed
the cart vigorously along the street, with a
face on about yard long. On the front of
the cart was placard with the words Pay
ing bet" The cart was drawn up on.
Sixth street below Chesnut. Its appearanceH
.,,,sed the greatest merriment and attracts e
ed a great crnS,d of I;asanle.