American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-06-26
DRIFTING.

1t is Que Of the evils of strife, that an q,
tagouism Of itself, warps the judgment
In the heat of contest even a candid man
is tempted to hurl whatever missile may
be handiest, though in so doiag he only y
occupies his adversary for the moment,
and cuts his own hand in the pct The
Shareholders rebellion has not alone di-
vided the nation, in its two phases of
eruption and subsidenee into two exhaus,
tive parties which, irmly in each stage
conteuded, or are now contending for the
m se'y hut first as well as last it led
good men astray, inducrg them to follow
at first the faint vestiges of sympathy or
histy and crude opinion, and leading
them at length into firmly settled, even
acrimonious opposition to the natural die.
tates Of their hon st judgments Thus
at the outset patriotic men ut the South,
as ardent lovers of their land in the alb
stract as lived under the flag, were won
away through Il systematic regard for
State and neighbor, and ill considered
assent to glittcring abstraclions,to the en-
thusiastic uphoiding Of treason and mur-
der. Democrats. pure and true men in
the North, by force OF party drill and
enticed by hopes Of party advantage, were
restrained from stepping forth from the
ranks from he host which so long boa ted
itself, aud in truth was. the Governnp
class of the land. even though they mt,
have felt IntuitivcIy that their alias were
in the wrong and their local leaders were
actuated by cupiaity nervcrsion follow.
ed sitting, and vacilhtng voters soon
became app auders Of Me yilest apologi-ts
of treason.
The saddest exhibition which the wr
afforded was, undoubtedly, the growtfo 7
treason in the North and the transform
atiUh of good citizens 10 rebels Lees
surrender did not come moment to-
early Another year Of blood an strife,
and the "COw boys wuul1 linve mhde
the "neut'al 8iairct" more dangerous
than the Platte Valley or the Smokey
Hill route; and tories would have mn e,
tip cd in Pennsylvaiiia Until ham4n life
would have / ecomc he drug vt waslin
the mountains Of the 'ca~clnls an N
Tennessee. Victory = overwhelinnr
crushing, suljuIation-silenced ciamor,
and drove the trader upon human weaE =
ness to seek the cover of quictude for a
season but rs the rcciprrcdl thrills Of
joy and fear have been Gained in men ;
breasts, and revolving years have put the
triumph aud the defeat in the distance,
new crop Of iu!hcies las arisen implant
ed by emerging domagngues and fostered
in their growth. ofte ntimes. by well mean
Ing but disputatious and impulsive pat,
riots
The problems Of reconstruction are
indeel many and their fit solution vita /;
but they are not new, as many urge; nor
their results ,if rightly investigated doubt
ful.
Rebellion against constituted authori
ty is not without precedent -pacfcation,
after re epression. is illustrated in every
conceivable mode in history. Rebels
have been trembfngly dealt with by
those who had the power, who wished to
wound and were yet afraid to strike, and
treason survived only to break forth in
better times and With more horrid front.
Traitors have often been pursued with
nnrelenting severity until the peace of
deso!ation gave security to the avenger.
"A daring clemency. uphesitatingly,
promptly given, has disarmed every foe,
purged every distemperad soul and con )
verted hostile subjects to jealous friends
Whether to vacillate from extreamest
rigor to fitful gentleness,, t. crush with
mailed hand every muttering of discon,
tent or regret, or by prompt, great souled
fearless forgiveness to convert, has been
our study for two years. In despair al
the hardship of choice between the last
two we have iallen on, the first, We
have hung Wirz and deposed Mayors
but bailed him who assumed the honors
and the guilt Of the war. While DO one
pities the miserable Swiss who deserved
the rack and impalement as well ,as the
cord, few loyalists can be found whothink
that his execution should stand simply
as a precedent. Hemp, certainly, has
grown for others But If it must BE tha;