Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-03-26
From the National InteIH eneer of Wednesday.
G0NFISGATION.
Speech Of Fhaddeua Stevens.

NOT having room Tor the entire speech of
] Mr.. Thaddeus Stevens, of Pennsylvania
made in the House of Representatives yes
terday, in support of his eonfscaticn bill, we
make extracts enough to show its animus-
After some preliminary remarks, he an
nouneed his purpose as follows:
The punishment of traitors has been Who'll
~ ignored by treaeherons Executive and
oy sluggish Congress wish to make an
issue before the American people aud see
punlty of murderous belligerent and con-
sent that the loya! men of this nation. who
have been despoiled of.their property, shall
remain without remuneration. either by the
rebel property or the property of the nation.
10 this issue l desire to devote the small
remnant of my life. l desire to make the
issue before the people of my own State.apd
should be glad if the issue were to extend to
other States. desire the verdict of the peo
pie upon this great question.
He thus discourses on the right:
But viii briefly review some of the argu-
ments in favor of the right. We are t1eutinc
the betiigerents simply as enemies, and their
property as enemies property now in the pos
session and power of the conqueror. By the
law q nations in It's most stringent provisions
all the property, liberty and lives OF con-
quered enemy who has waged au unjust war
are at the disposal of the victor. Modern
civilization will seldom Justify the exercise
OF the extreme right. The lives, the liberty.
and, in most cases, the real property Of the
vanquished are left untouched. The prop>
erty, however, OF the vauquishcd is held in
some shape liable to pay the expenses and
damages sustained by the injured party. If
peace be brought about by treaty. it is usual
ly stipulated that the expenses and DAMAGES
shall be paid by the defeated belliserent. AS
such remuneration must be levied as taxes on
the subjects, it does subject all their prop>
erty to this burden. Where there is no oov-
ernment capable of making terms of peace,
the law making power of the conqueror must
fix the terms. This gives them sufficient
right to take just such properly as thew may
doom proper. Where the subdued belli",
erent is composed OF traitors, their personal
crimes aggraVate their belfrserent offence and
justify se"ercr treatment, just as a tribe of
savages are treated with more rigor than civ
ilized foes * x =
We might make the property of the enemy
pay the 81, 1000 100000 which we have OK
pended, as we'll as the damages inflicted on
loyal men by coniscation and invasion, which
might reach $1,000, 100000 more. This
bill is mercitul, asking less than onc-tenth of
our just claims.
We could be further justified in infictipg
severe penalties upon this whole hostile peo-
pie as "a fierce and savage people," as IAN
obstinate enemy" whom it is u duty TO tame
and punish. Our future safety requires stern
justice.
What more ''savage or fierce people" than
they who deliberately starved to death sixty
thousand prisoners of war who shot or re-
duccd to bondage all captive soldiers of the
colored race; who sought to burn our cities
through secret agents, who sent infected
materials into our most populuus towns to
destoy non combatants, old men, women and
children, by the most oathsolne and fatal dis,
cases; and who c0nsumnated their burburisn
by tHC assassination Of the midest of rulcTS
aud the best Of men If this be not Il fierce
and savage enemy" whom we have u right to
reduce to absolute submission aud dcpcud-
ence, point mc out one tn which the language
OF Hattcl will apply, You would do great
injustice to those mid suvaacs who owed us
10 allegiance by pointing to those who per-
petrd;cd the massacre of Wyoming or to the
Camanches or the wild Indians OF the West,
or the fierce tribes of the OrOnoco-and vet
you seize their lands and cxpel them from
their native country.
But it matters not what yeu may think of
the efficiency OF the act of July II, 1867
The laws OF war authorize us to take this
property by our sovereign power by law
now to be passed. We have a subdued enc.
my in our power; we have all their proucrtv
aud lives at our disposal No peace has been
formed. No terms of peace or Of rcconcilia-
ton have been yet proclaimed unless the
proclamation of the President can make peace
and war. The Constitution denies him any
power in either cI.c. Then IInles Andrew
johnson be king, tho terms of peace are vet
to be proclaimed. Among those terms. as
we have shown, we have right to ippose
cOnfscation Of all their proPerty-to i'm
pOveriIh" them, as andrew johnson has told
us; to ::'divIdc their large farms, and sell
them to industrious men" This is strict law
and good common sense. Now, then, with.
out reference to any former act we have
right to seize the property named in this bill,
and ten times more. You behold at your
feet conquered foe, an atrocious eneny.-
Tell him on what terms lie may arise and de,
part or remain loyal. But DO not embrace
him too hastily. BE sure first that there is
no dagger in his gird!e.
He thus treats of the treatment of the ne
gro:
Withhold from them all their rights. and
leave them destitute OF the means Of earning
livelit God, the victims of the hatred or GU
PiditY of the rebels whom they helped to
conquer, and it seems probable that the war
of races might ensue which the President
feared would arise from kind treatment and
the restoration of their rights | doubt not
that hundreds of thousands would annually
be deposited in secret. unknown graves
Such Is already the course of their rebel muir
dercrs; and it is done with immunity
We question whether modern literature
can furnish passage rivaIiing the following ::
Have they not right to it? 1 do not
sneak of their fidelity and sarrinns in LII.