The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-23
How about Horace Gree

Mr.. Robinson. How ABOUT horace aree-
ley2 -
is Jeff.'s friend you may prove, but where IS
the evidence he is Grantss
| trust that the apparent egotism OF an al
fusion now that is somewhat necessary to
myself will be pardoned. I am branded by
political and sectional partisans with such
epithets as bloodthirsty," "unforgiving,"
"unrelenting," &C., &c. How this has been
ascertained is inexplicable to me- Who has
sought my forgiveness that have refused to
forgive? Forgiveness is taught in the Lords
PRAYER. but we are not therein instructed to
thrust forgiveness upon the unrepentant and
the defiant Forgiveness is not so cheap a
virtue that it may be prodigally wasted I'M
asked upon the idle and Indifferent. The
forgiveness that anticipates repentance will
multiply crimes fater than it will reform
criminals When the rebels of the South be-
gin properly to repent and find moral cour-
age enough to make before the world a man
ly wledgment of it, then and not until
then will take into consideration the ques-
ton of their forgiveness at all. l have no
premium to offer in the shape of forgiveness
to the insolence of an obstinacy that designs
not to ask for that forgiveness. l would
open a gulf between treason and Loyalty
wide enough to make the jewellers on its OPP
posite shores strangers, and deep enough 10
swallow legions in arms. I would I'LL 1t
with waves of fire through which no unre-
pentant living thing could swim, and over
which no soaring philanthropy could fly and
survive. Sickly sentimentalism is great
crime breeder. Impunity for one crime pro-
vokes the preparation of many. Men are but
grown-up children when you spare the rod
you will spoil the child, whether the child
be a Young child or an old child. l am not
one of those who would hesitate to try, con-
Wet, condemn, and execute a traitor for trea-
son.
Mr.. Niblack. Will the gentleman allow
me to ask him question?
Mr.. Logan Yes, if it is not very long
one.
Mr. Niback 1 would ask the gentleman
whether in the summer OF 1861 after the war
broke out, he did not vote as a member OF
this House against the expulsion of General
John B. Clarke, of Missuri, who had joined
the rebellion
Mr.. Logan The journals of this House
show all my votes, and the gentleman might
have found all the information 1 can give
him there I am not in the habit of voting
in this House to make unsupported rumors
history A charge here may have been filed
here against General Clarke, and when the
testimony to sustain it was adduced 1t may
have utterly failed, as in his case, according
to my recollection, it did. The disposition,
however, to make verdict thus consclen-
tiously rendered by me, in defense of an abb
sent and unconvicted member of their own
party, rebound now to my prejudice, furnish
es another beautiful illustration of Demo-
cratic magnanimity and justice. When
cast that vote l voted with the Democratic
party; now it is thrown into my teeth by
member Of that party as reproach. 1t may
have been a reckless thing in me then to
doubt the natural strong probability that
| Democrat was a rebel, and for it perhaps l
deserve to be publicly twitted and sharply
rebuked; but will endeavor to see to it for
the future that I shall merit never another
such a Just reprimand for such graceless
reason from such an ungrateful source
! Laughter.
The unrelenting war waeed against me by
the Democracy is liable to be misunderstood
| if looked at specifically. 1t is not because,
as has been suspected by some, was DEM
ocrat and am one no longer. Dying out as
! it has been, slowly but painfully, for the last
eight years with the dry rot, that party have
become too much accustomed to see men OF
sense withdraw their allegiance from it to
make my instance source of serious irrita-
ton. The true reason which explains the
malevolence with which they pursue me Will
be found in the fact that while the recent
war was raging, the honorable distinction
was awarded to me of having put to the
sword my full share of their party, who fell
fighting in front of my command under the
spotted flag of treason to support their SEN
timents and principles. Loud applause
from the floor of the House.
My attention having been specially called
to Horace Greeley, am free to say totally
disapprove of his sympathy for jeff and his
peculiar manner of manitesting that sympa-
thy Had l captured Jefferson Davis and
his disposal have been committed to my
hands, would have organized an able court
martial and have given him Il fair trial, just
sentence, and prompt execution.
Some people are morbidly sensitive about
jeff Davis They seem to think that when
the name of Cassius honors corruption, chas-
tisement ought therefore to hide its head -
They belong to that sickly class of tempori-
zers who would make the enormity of
crime and the rank of the criminal good
pleas in bar against their conviction. If
Jefferson Davis and his cabinet are crimi-
nails, as they are they ought to be tried, if
tried convicted, if convicted executed, like
all other telons convicted of capital crimes.
If they were tried and convicted, as they
ought to be, and were the Chief Magistrate
Of this Republic, no appeal for clemency in
their cases could ever reach me. Iwould let
him and them swing till they would pass the
point of plotting treason, and smaller trail
| tors might profit by the example OF their ig
nominious fate. Until traitor or two is tried,
convicted, and executed, the people of the
United States may confidently expect an an
nual crop of armed traitors to spring from
the tenderness with which traitors are treat
ed in this land. So mild has been our mer
cy that Toombs, the fugitive of yesterday, is
back again the swaggerer of to-day. En-
boldened by impunity he grows defiant, and
seems determined to test the measure of his
Importance in a last desperate effort to draw
toward him the attention of the Government
and down upon his crimes the vengeance of
the law.
| But what has he to fear in a Governm ent
where rebels are pardoned before they are
| tried and where no traitor has ever graced
the gallows2 John Brown was tried, con-
victed, and executed but that was for trea
son, not against our national Government,
but the State of Virginia. When a northern
man trespasses upon southern soil and COM
mits treason he has the crime to expatiate