American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-02-09
FORCE VS.. CLEMENcY

Senate, upon the bill to repeal tn
provision in the act of July II, 1867
in respect to an amnesty, used tn
following language in respect to tn
people of the South:
Toward such citizens is the mer,
power Of conqueror to be used
Arc their past services to be who'll,
forgotten, their willing obedience tC
be contumeliously overlooked, al
political rights to be denied them,
and as long us their conquerors please
are they TO be the mere serfs and
slaves of brethren whose equals they
are by decent, manhood, and intelli-
gence9 If peace and prosperity be
of value, (and who can doubt it p
this is not the mode to attain them.
If it is, all history will be reversed.
If it is, men now are not what they
have been from the first of their po-
litical associations. The dullness
brought about by despotism it's au-
thors have at times tanced to be
peace but in the end they discovered
the fatal mistake. Man chained is a
man still. The moment opportunity
offers (and Providence sooner or later
is sure to offer it, he will cast off his
letters and assert the rights which
nature gives him and be free.
And such a policy is at variance
with our own history. In the civil
connections which have heretofore
occurred, the opposite policy has
been pursued, and with the happiest
results. In the unprovok ed rebellion
in Massachusetts in 1856, after its
actual suppression by force, clemency
toward the offenders was shown, and
all soon became peace, and the gov
eminent, because of its clemency,
was placed upon tirmer foundation
than it had before. At the tcrmina-
ton of the revolutionary war, while
the land was filled with many disSat-
isfed spirits, and state laws Of Strin-
gent character had been passed by
most of the States, laws OF contiSca- |
ton, etc, Congress, i'll January, 1854,
passed resolve earnestly recon-
mending to the several States to re-
consider and revise all their acts and |
laws so as to render them "perfcct-
ly consistent not only with justice and |
but with that spirit of con
citation which, OH the return of the |
blessings fpeace, should universally |
prevail" The same policy was pur-
sued by Washington in the instance
of the whisky instruction with the
like consequence. Not an offender
was executed few only were tried,
and none seriously punished.
The history of the European world
even still more striking ex.
amples of the impolicy Of mere force
of power, and of the policy of kind,
ness and cancellation. The Neither,
lands, i'll the sixteenth century, were
lost to Philip ii. by the tcrocious
conduct of Alva; and in that land,
under him, the historian tells us that
- the axe, the stake, the rack, the
dungeon knew no rest" His boast
was that he had executed eighteen
thousand six hundred persons. But
-hcSc executions, his council of blood,
lis devastation of the lard, ended,
IS in the Judgment Of God such con
!uct has ever ended, in defeat The
INVADER was driven off, and the coun-
ry lost to the inLuman Philip.
Poland, because of policy nearly
Is inhuman, is now but an expense
o Russia. She breads instructions;
he has vainIy cndeavored to prevent
II guard against them by force.
cancellation, mercy, would
Ong since have achieved there what
hey would hive never failed to
chieve everywhere.
Austria, because of a like stern
'ollcy, has lost her German posses
ions, and is soon, unless her treat
lent of Hungary is changed, to lose
hat country, which light be made
he source OF wealth and power. {
All the examples should lead us to a
policy OF kindness, to proclama t
on of peace and amnesty, to cheer r
IL reception into our political home
tead of the brethren who, having
-rayed from it, are anxious to re-
i'm. This dOne-and the sooner it
done the better-the desolations
he war has caused will be removed,
nd the power of the country be
realty enhanced, its property ell
rged, and its ability to meet the c,
,penseS he war has entailed upon
placed beyond all doubt; its credit
be put upon as high if
1t higher footing than that of any
her nation in the world, and we be
,ain what God, | trust, designs us
be, brethren forever, having but
lc flag, "the glorious old stars and NJ
ripes," to fight for. fl
SHABBY.-Mr. Milton, not the au. -