Nebraska advertiser., 1868-01-30
G?BJIse&llaue0Ms.
Speech on Reconstruction

Delivered in a debate at the cIOsing
exhibition of the Winter Term Of the
State Normal School at Peru, by Henry
Roberts:
In discussing the question of Recon,
slruOtiOn l shall take the ground that we
are dealing with criminals and not with a
people having a right to demand any.
thing fromus. The people of the south,
having rebelled against the laws of the
United States, and having in a certain
sense placed themselves beyond the pale
of law, have forfeited their rights as
American citizens. II remains for US, as
poaple, to make such provisions for the
future welfare of the country as 10 pre-
vent a repetition of the scenes of the
past six years for all time. Then how can
we best secure this result! Shall the fu-
lure peace of the country be best guarn-
teed by adopting policy Of conservatism,
by receiving these men back into the
counsels of our government, there to plot
another rebellion, when they shall think
there is better chance of success OF
shall we, remembering the past and pro.
fling by the fearful warnings we have
had, insist upon the adoption of firm
and unyielding policy, that shall let trait
Ors know that the laws of the United
States are not to be trampled on with
impuni.y. We are establishing a prec-
edent for future times. Il is for US to
decide whether the laws shall be faithfully
executed, or whether, by ignoring the
laws against one of the gravest crimes
recorded on our statutes, make Them a
dead letter that had better be bloued out.
But there are some that say: we can nev.
er SECURE peace by . Radical policy; we
must conciliate the south, because they
are to proud spirited 10 bear the penalty
of outraged justice. This was the cry of
conservatism before and during the war.
and we kept giving until they almost
hurled our Union to Obstruction. Il is
urged by some that they have repented
of their sins and Il we allow them the
right of citizenship on taking the oath
they will promise to do better. To such
/ would say have heard to many of
their promises, and if you had been
among them as ] have, had helped 10 car
ry your neighbors to their graves murd
cred by men with half dozen oaihs reg.
isiered against them, you would, perhaps,
learn to regard the oath of a perjured
man as Of little value; and az to the
repentance, the riots of New Orleans
and MenShis / consider as a fair sample.
The spirit which animated the rebellion
is living to day rhs same as when the
war was raging and is only kept down
by military power, to which the State
of Kentucky is proof, having never openly
rebelled il was not thought necessary To
apply the military bill there. but no
sooner had the heel Of military despoiism
(as some are pleased 20 callT) been taken
from their necks than this chivalrous
people began to exhibit their repentance
by series of outrages against loyal men
Unly equalled in atrOcity bY some Of the
transactions Of the war, and there is not
to, day, State sheltered under the stars
and stripes in vhicn che lives and prop
eriy Of American citizens are less secure
Do we wish this TO be the condition Of all
the southern slHtes? We have only 20 let
them have the power and We shall have
evoked q spirit of anarchy and ruin which
''will not down al our biding," and we
may yet have to repent Of our folly over
the ruins of once happy cOvn.ry. Con
seEyatism is our weakness. We are "a
spt to grant WhatevermAy &c asked of us
trusting in our fancIed strength, because
some one has said We we're iDEincible
Without inguiring EhsGheE the bonds oi
! Union ere Iobe strengthened 9r severed