The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-09-07
Rebels Debating Terms.-The II osecral
Lee COrrespoadence

Grams and the Rebel leaders, published in our
dispatches Saturday morning, would furnish
it.
The extraordinary impudence of the docu-
ment signed by Lee and his associates must
prove more exasperating to the Northern peo-
pie than even the openly rebellious utterances
ofToombs, Cobb, Forrest. Semmes, Pike, wise,
Vance and Hill The men last mentioned are
the Hotspurs of the South and make no claim
to prudence, discretion or decency, but Lee
and Alexander III. Stephens are supposed to
represent the craftsmanship, the prudence and
candor of that section of the country. Yet
Lee and Stephens in their letter to Rosecrans
only disguise the frankly reasonable express
sions OF the more unguarded and undipomatic
Southerners in euphuistic phrases.
Too much attention cannot be given to this
remarkable document 1t ought to be placed
in the bands of every voter in the Northern
States for the sake of making sure of such an
overwhelming defeat to the Democracy at
the coming election should bury it forever
out of sight as a relic Of barbarism and a de-
funct abomination.
In the first place, Robert L. Lee, Alexander
III. Stephens & Co.. Rebels whose lives and es.
tates are forfeit to long suffering and COM
passionate government, are graciously pleased
TO acknowledge that slavery and secession are
dead. So far, SO good, reserving the right to
question the sincerity and good faith even on
those points of men who once before took a
solemn oath to support the constitution of the
United States, and afterwards engaged in re-
bellion against it,
In the secord place these gentleman combat
the prevalent impression that the old slave
holders are hostile to the negroes and would
willingly Cypress them. They declare that if
the State governments were once more restor-
ed to Rebel hands the negro would receive the
kindest and most cDnsdeIate attention. SELF
interest" they say" seven if there were no
higher motive, would prompt the whites of the
South to extend TO the negroes care and pro-
lection"
Now the fact is these specious rascals have
had two excellent opportunities ito extend care
and protection to the negroes" when :" the
promptings of seifinterest" were precisely tine
same as now The first time "the promptings
of self interest" led them to reduce the
the negroes to slavery, buy them, seourge them,
kill them, separate children from their moth
ers and make concubines of the females of the
race. The second opportunity was after the
war, when they were allowed to reconstruct
on the johnson plan. Then 'the promptings
of self interest" constrained them to enact va
grant and apprentice laws which virtually re-
establish slavery. The humane and generous
spirit of the chvalry was also manifest in most
unrightt GUS determinations against the blacks
in the State criminal codes. The provisions
for the punishment of crime in the old slave
codes were formally extended to freedmen so
that negroes suffered more severe penalties for
the commission of my offence than the whites.
We published few days ago some extracts
from theMissssippi constitution framed under
the johnson government, it being a represen-
tative of all the others. We reprint few ex-
tracts.
Article So, Sec. 81, Revised code of Missis-
sipp, makes it punishable with death for a ne
gro to murder, commit rape, burn houses,
commit robbery, or attempt to commit such
crimes. White persons did not suffer the death
penalty for the commission of most OF these
crimes and never for an attempt to commit
them.
Article 45 provides that slave shall receive
twenty ashes, if he be found away from the
place OF his employment, without pass. Re
enacted for the freedmen.
Art. As awards thirty-nine lashes to the
slave for buying or selling without written
permission Re-enacted for the freedmen.
Art. Al allows civil officers and others to APP
propriate to their own use, any article slave
may be seeking to SELL Re enacted for the
freedmen.
Art. 81 makes it punishable for negroes to
assemble, or hold schools. Re-enGcted for the
freedmen.
Art. 60. Both ears are to be cut off for bear
ing false witness. Re-enacted for the freedmen
White ears are secure.
So much for the condition of the negro left
to the tender mercy of the old slave master.
But the consummate flower OF all we have
yet seen of Rebel arrogance and impudence is
the following extract from Lees letter:a
They (u4e Rebels) ask a restoration of their
rights under the Constitution; they desire re-
lief from oppressive msrule; above all they
would appeal to their countrymen for the re-
esjablishmentin the Southern States of that
which has justly been regarded as the birth
right of every American the right of self-gov-
eminent; ESTABLISH THOSE ON A FIRM
BASIS, and We can safely promise on behalf
of the Southern people that they will faithful
ly obey the Constitution and laws of the Uni
ted States, treat the negro with kindness and
humanity, and fulfil every duty incumbent on
peaceful citizens, loyal to the Constitution
of their country.
Here we have Messrs. Lee and Beauregard,
whose garments are red with the blood of
murdered patriots, who only live by the suffer
ance OF merciful people, DEMANDING AS A
CONDITION OF PEACEFUL SUBMISSION TO THE
GOVERNMENT AND LAWS A RESTORATION OF
REBELS TO SUPREME POWER AND THE Ex-
CLUsIoN OF THE LOYAL MEN FROM ANY PAR
TIcIPATIoN IN THE GOVERNMENT. They only
promise submission upon a CONDITION, and
that WICKED and IMPOSSIBLE one.
1t is condition that would exclude nearly
too thirds of the voters of South Carolina from
the ballot-box and give the residue as many
Representatives as Maine, MAKING THE VOTE
OF ONE SOUTH CAROLINA REBEL EQUAL TO
THE VOTES OF TWO UNION MEN IN MAINE.
1t is condition that would place the South
in the best possible condition to demand the
endorsement of its pet scheme the PAYMENT
OF THE REBEL DEBT.
1t is condition the acceptance of which
would give Wise, Vance, Toombs, Cobb and
all the fire-eaters who are not committed even
to the document signed by Lee, an opportuni-
ty TO try again to make SECESSION, which they
say is NOT DEAD. a success.
Read carefully again this sulphur Springs
document, drawn out by the intrigues of a
man inspired by personal hostility to Grant.
That document says. 1--WE the Rebels do not
and will not accept your terms, but you must
accept ours" 1t says, "give into our hands
these loyal freedmen and we will be good citi
zens, but You MUST ABANDON YOUR SCHEME
OF RECONSTRUCTION AND ACCEPT OURS OR WE
WILL NOT BE ANswERABLE EoR THE PREsER-
WALTON OF PEACE"
This is a reversal of the decision at Apo
mattox. 1t is a triumph of the Rebellion. 1t
is Lee, Beauregard and Hampton triumphant
over Grant, Sherman, Sheridan and Thomas,
who with the loyal people of the North, have
another scheme of reconstruction.
Another Ku-KIux Outrage.
At Maryland Ridge, Wells, on Thursday
evening" while j. w. Bear and M. L. Stevens
were speaking, some Democratic scoundrels
not content with disturbing the meeting with