The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-04-03
CONE7ISCA'TION.
SPEECH OF I = { = :
HON. THADDEUS STEVENS,
3F PENNSYLVANIA,

Mr. SPEAKER sam ABOUT 80 uisSuss tho
question of the punishment of beiligerent
traitors by enforcing the contiscation OF their
property to q certain extent, both as u pun
ishment for their crimes and topay the loyal
, men who have been robbed by the Rebels,
and to increase the pensions OF our woundea
soldiers. The punishment OF traitors has
been wholly ignored by heachcrous EXecu-
tive and by q sluggish Congress. wish to
make an issue before the American people
and sec whether they will sanction the per
feet IMMUNITY of murderous bclligcrcnt,
and consent that the loyal men OF this ma
tion. who have been despoilcd of their pro-
perty shall remain without remuneration,
either by the Rebel property or the property
of the nation. To this issue desire to de-
vote the small remnant of my life. | desire
TO make the issue before the people Of my
own. State, and should be glad if the issue
were to extend to other States. / desire the
verdict of the people upon this great ques-
ton. What ask of this House is, to give
square vote upon the direct question by
Yeas and Nays. Ipray you do not evade or
kill It hy side wind. When you have given
such vote, shall he satisfied, whatever may
be the result. I may say in advance that my
remarks will be voiuminous and tedious
ANY gentleman who has any business for the
next hour and u half may we'll attend to 1t;
but pray him to be here to vote. as de-
sire to understand the feelings Of the House
and of the people This bill is important
to several classes of people. 1t is important
to our wounded and MANNED soldiers. 1t Is
important to their bercavcd wives and pa
rents. 1t is important to the loyal men
North and South. 1t is important to 4,090,-
600 of injured, oppressed and helpless men.
1t is also important to the dclinquents, whose
property it takes as a fine. No committee on
party is responsible for this bill. tits charge
able to the President and myself. Whatever
merit it possesses is due to Andrew Johnson.
In the Summer of 1864 he said in public
speech: Let me say now is the time to Sc
cure these fundamental principles, while the
/ land is rent with anarchy and upheayes with
the throes of a mighty revolution While
society is in this disordcrcd state, and We are
seeking security, let US fix the foundation of
the government on the principles of eternal
4 Justice. which will endure for all time. Shall
he who brought this misery upon the State
be permitted to control its eiestinies2 If
this be so, then all this precious blood of our
brave soldiers and officers, so freely poured
H.,
/ the glorious victories won by our noble ar
mics will go for nought, and all the battle
fields which have been s0wn with dead be-
roes during the rebellion will have been
made memorable in vain. Why all this
carnage and devastation? It was that trea-
son might be put down and traitors punish
/ ed l say the traitor has ceased to be citi-
zen, and in joining the rebellion has become
public enemy. Treason must be made
odious and traitors must be punished and
impoverished; their great plantations must
K be seized and divided into small portions,
8 and sold to honest, industrious men. The
i day for protecting the land and negroes of
these authors of rebellion past. 1t is high
time it was. have been most deeply panied
I at some things which have come under my
observation, We get men in command, who.
under the Influence of tlattery, fawning and
caressing grant protection to the traitor,
4 while the poor Uniop-man stands out in the
! cold.n All this was the eloquent language of
Andrew Johnsonas he was" This was the
! text which I took up and elaborated in Il
4 speech to my constituents at Lancaster, in
d September, 1865, and Which has been much
Il criticized by humane sympathizcfs with reb-
a els. Andrew Johnson was theaposte whose
s. preachings l followed. His doctrine per-
F yades and animates this whole bill What
\ ever of justice is in it is due to him. call
II upon his friends to stand by him in this, his
& favoritei policy. If you now desert him, who
can youexpect to defend the much endu-
ring manm at the other end of the avenue
s. Having thus rendered unto Caesar the things
that are Ciesar's, I viii proceed to defend the
course recommended by him, who, above all
81 others, knows what is due to traitors. This
bill, it seems to me- can be condemned only
u BY the criminals and their immediate friends
h and by that unmanly kind of men whose IN
tellectual and moral yigor has melted into
4 fluid weakness which they mistake for mer-
cy, and whichis untempered with single
grain of justice, and to those rcligionists
4 twho mistake meanness for Christianity, and
Fl who forget that the essence Of religion is to
"da unto others What Others have q right to
&. expect from your tits offensive to certain
pretentious doctors of divinity who are
n mawkishiY prating about the Stated calf,
the prodigal son and forgiring fathcr"-
Il They forget that there is no analogy between
the cases.0 The thoughtless youth having re-
& ceived apart of his fathers estate, and pro-
Il badly taking load of corn to market, fell
some vice of drunkenness, and spent the,
IF money inrioting and debauchery and like
all drunkards, made his bed with the swine,
and fed onliusks; but like one case only in
a thousand, he reformed, joined the total alb
4; stinence society, washed himself clean. brush
u ed his clothes, and with repentant steps re-
turned to his fathers house. Well might his
aged parent rejoice; well might he kill the
fatted calf at such u rescue But how We
NAL was. such. offense compared with this
murderous rebellion! When the great an
4 cestorof this bloody race had slain lis broth
4 er, and tremblingly met his Judge and
sought for pardon, what was the an
swer !" The voice of thy brothers blood
crieth unto me from the ground And now
Tart thou cursed from the earth. which hath
openecbher aneuth toFreceiye thy brothers
blood from thy hand. When thou tillcth
the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto
thee her strength, a fugitive and yaga-
fiibond shalt thou be, ins the Garth" When
HECain cried out that his punishment was
more than Ire eoufd bear" the Judge who
Administered Justice in mercy drove him
sIsforth into stern, memorable Hctaught
Il lno forgiveness for such sins. lie prated of
limo "fatted- eaives.niI proceed to consider
L the bill BY the act of 18th of July, 1862,
Il ttreason IS made punishable by death or
& SMALLER punishment, at the discretion Of the
slIcourt. Before punishment can be inflicted
For treason or misprison of treason the party
x must be duly convicted in a court of the
EllUnited States Not so with the balance of
'Al he bill. All the rest of that law cater the
sSirst four sectiorS refers to persons engaged
'n,, tha hail ifrnrauf ar,y,v 0r Officaifv pnnnan