The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-06-01
REBELS JUSTIFIED Bv THE N. Y
TRIBUNE.

It will be remembered that the erratic
Greeley has been accused of justifyip9 the
right of rebellion at the very beginning Of
the war. The Tribune seems to have re-
turnsdtothat position, now thsty the war j.
over. In an editorial of the Daily Tribune,
Of Monday last, it is argued that the rebels
who levy war against the country IN such for
midsble force as to secure the concession OF
bellgerent rights, are not after the rebellion
is crushed, amensble to the Constitution and
laws foFyheiS crimes. Andthstthe Guyssn-
ment has no right to treat the conquered reb-
els as in any sense amenable to the laws or
.,the authority of Government, for any acts
committed in conspiring to incite rebellion,
or in waging war against the country.
"fgnoranee and passion p the editor Of the
Tribune says, readily takes the opposite po>
sition. The public need not be astounded,
!. for the Tribune has not made as complete
asomersault as President johnson did, in
! whose footsteps Greeley is trying to follow.
j Nor, indeed, has Greeley fallen halfso 81 q
Senstpr Doolittle, nor from any higher plAi'
. form of patriotism than the Senator occu-
+ pied.
a After the news of the death of President
&Lincoln reached Wisconsin, Doolittle made 9
speech at Racine, in which he expressed for
himself, and quoted from the speeches of
president Johnson, thoss views of Gig
norsnce and passion which the Tri
btne sees fit to stigmatize. We quote
from Senator Doolittes speech then, for il
gives his own opinions and the recorded
opinions Of President johnson, and the uni>
versal sentiment Of the loyal citizens and
soldiers by whose efforts the rebellion had
been crushed:
But what course will he pursue toward the
traitorsy We can only judge by his record. Ear
ly in the rebellion, during the last days Of Bucha
nah administration. on the I'd Of Nsrth, 1891,
in epeech in reply to Lane, Of Oregon, ifeakiDg
Of the firing upon the "Star Of the West, and
the seizure of our docks, forts, and navy yards
he used this memorable language "Show me
who has been engaged in these cOnspiraeies, who
has fred upon our flag, who has given instructions
20 take forts, and custom houses and arsenals
and dock-yards and ! will show you a traitor"
Applause in the galleries. When order was res
tored be continued: "Hsre ! President of the
United States, / would do as Thomas Jefferson
did 10 1905, with Aaron Burr. l would have
them arrested, and if convicted, within the mean
ing and scope of the Constitution, BY the Eternal
Ged would execute them"
In hit spesch upen the fall of Richmond aud
Deeb surrender while most OTHERS In the defirium
Of JOY anu exultation over success and Of the
approach Of peace, spoke of amnesty, he alone did
not forget the stern demands of justice-for che
is made Of sterner stu H. Upon this subject he
said: "The halter to influential traitors; to the
honest boy, the deluded man, who has been de-
ceived into the rebel ranks, would extend len
iency; would say, renew your support to the
Government, and become good citizen, but the
leaders l would hang"
And now, after the elimination OF all the sick
edness of rebellion in the assassination Of the
President and Secretary Of State-as be lifts his
hand by the dead body of the President to re-
peat the solemn oath administered by the Chief
Justice, see nothing to change his convictions
When be uttered those words. 1.-THE duties are
mine, I will perform them, trusting in God" ]
think see the same patriotic indignation beam
ing from those deep, black eyes, and lighting up
that ir0n mce, which l saw four years ago, When
he uttered Ia the Senate those words-nor 20 tar
rible TO traitors-'By the Eternal God / would
execute them
And all this Doolttle vouched for and en-
dorsed. But after that after passion had
timc 10 cool, President Johnson, in his speech
to delegations that called upon him from va
xions States, repeated over and over again
the duty and the determination of the Gov.
eminent to punish traitors.
In his response to the Illinois delegation,
headed by Governor Oglesby, President
johnson went into this matter somewhat
fully, as follows: M $685.
The American people must be taught-if they
do "a al~ H. 81 49, l.
must be punished; [applause;l that the Govern
ment will not always bear with its enemies; that
Ii is strong, not only TO protect, but to punish.
IApplsuse.l When We turn to the criminal code
and examine the catalogue of crimes, we there
find arson laid down as q crime, with its sppro-
pirate penalty; md there then and n urd 81 and
robbery given as crimes; and there too, We Ind
the last and highest of crimes-treason. Zap
plsuse.l With other and inferior ofenses our
people are familiar. But in our peaceful history
treason has been almost unknown. The people
must understand that it ia the blackest Of crimes
and viii be surely punished. [Applause / make
this aiusion not 70 excite the already exasperated
fssiags Of the public, bat to point out the princi
pies OF public justice which should guide
ton OF this particular juncture, and which accord
with sound public morals. Let it be engrsven on
every heart that treason Ia o crime, and traitors
shall suffer its penalty. rAppiause). while We
are appalled, overwhelmed at the fall Of one man
In onr midst by the hand of n traitor, shall we
=
'tsmpt the life Of the State With impanityY While
strain our minds TO comprehend the enormity
OF tae assassination, shall we allow the State to
be ss-ip sd'- tAPplAnss-l speak in no spirit
sfunkin 'ness- 'eaSethe events OF the future to
be dispose they arise, regarding myself as
the humble instrument Of the American people.
In this, ~ in all things, justice and judgment
shAll be determined by them. do not harbor
bitter or revengeful feelings towards any. In
general terms would say that public morals and
.rhf xtDtn sha H..
surs and in6sxible principles of justice. ZAP
plansA) Whsnthe qnestion Of exercising mercy
comes before me ID will be considered calmly,
judiciAlly-rsmembering that am the Executive
off the nation know men love to have theE
names spoken of In connection with acts of mercy,
and how easy 1t Ia to yield to this impulse. But
~ must not forget that what may be mercy 10 the
individual il cruelty 10 the Stats. tAppi.ase. }
lnTthe exercise of mercy there should be no doubt
len that thi. high preros.tivs is not used to re-
sured shAsSI hall never forget that am not to
sOGnfFoth. whole people
Neither'fhen, nor fer months after, did we
hear amongst the loyal hosts of the country,
aword of dissent to these views; nor il there
nov amongst the grsas MAS ofloysl millions,
Who may not be stigmstised as Ignorant, },
With any show Of justice, nor as controlled
BY passion at this late DAY
They plsntthemselves upon the Constitu.
lm q Aeif country, and they End ip tha,
! Andameptal charter Of their rights and liz.
4 erties, and Tie power Of the Government 70
.sinlsin them, The following provision.
oPep ageiast ~ Vrissd Etalss shall
Pnly.i6 kvying war against them, or
- thsir, enemies, giving them
r'-and Congress shall have
tie Psai1tnsst offe,sou."