The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-01-01
EXTRACT.

/
precedent
EXTRACT.
Let me, at first correct a mistake into
which YOU with others have fallen. that
am identified with policy which -prolongs
indefinitely the prescription and disfran-
chlsement of a large portion of the men of
the south for their part in the late rebel
, lion" Not so. 1 would not prolong an
hour the acknowledgements Of any man who
has fully repenteG of the part lac took in the
rebellion. and who hereafter intends to re-
main good and patriotic citizen of this
country. You as others do, seem TO assume
that because for party purposes lhaye been
the object of vituperative attack. SANDER.
and calumny on the part of some Southern
men, therefore l must, of necessity, retaliate
that wrong upon the communities which
they disgrace. BY no means.
As early as the Sd of of April, 1868, in the
Academy of Music, upon full consideration,
at the request of the merchants of New York.
gave to the country my views upon the
gu stion OF restoration of the rebellious
states. | quote from memory, but doubt
not substantially. then said. as to the re-
turn of the southern States and our recep-
ton OF them. all Governmental action to-
ward committees must be put Epon the ba-
sis that communities the people erred or
were led asfray that upon communities as
such, for any rebellion or crime against the
Government no punishment could be in :
fiicted; that when again received as poT-
tons ofthe parent country only such safe
guards should be thrown around their re-
ception as were consistent with future pub
lie safety. L stated then-and / think now
that the leaders who misled their commu-
mites, and brought war. with all its attend
ant evils. upon the country, should be pun
ished, as examnles to deter others in like
case of offending. l have seen nothing since
t. change my opinion. either as to the pro-
priety of policy of such course of action to-
ward the leading rebels of the South. And
think now that, had an example been
made of some half dozen. more or less, of the
leading traitors of the South. especially
those who, educated at the military school
of the United States, and trusted with COM
mands in our armies. resigned their trust to
take command in the armies of the rebellion,
and those who. being trusted with places in
Congress or Cabinet, used their places to
hatch treason. foment insurrection, and
maintain rebellion to destroy their Govern
ment. ought to have been signally punish
ed ; and If that punishment had been award
ed which every other Government in like
case has meted out-except, perhaps. in the
chronic rebellions of the Spanish American
Republics-at this day all matters in the re-
bel States which now disturb public peace
would have been settled, and quiet, com
mercial prosperity, agricultural industry,
emigration of labor and capital, and q reYiv-
ificaticn of every benefcent enterprise
would have filled the Southern country :;
and every insurgent State would have long
ere this been RENTED into the Union, the
scars and wounds upon society caused by
the war would have healed over and been
forgotten. and the country been more unit
ed in sentiment than ever before, and legn
since renewed that career of prosperity and
glory to which it is destined.
But it is too late to make operative such
opinions now. While whether they were
right or wrong can easily be ascertained
yet whether sound policy and good states
manship can never be eXperimentally and
practically determined, because IN the alb
sence of this mode OF ending rebellion, diff
ferent state of things has arisen; and all
idea of punishment either as retributive
justice for crime upon the individual offend
er or example to deter Others from
like treasons and felones. went out when he
who when the war began, cried lOudest ION
to RichmOnd.'' to crush the rebellion, to the
sacrifice of the lives of thousands of his fell
low-citizens ere peace was had and the grass
had grown green over their graves. became
sponsor and mainpriZe for the arch traitor
of Richmond. who to sustain the rebellion
starved to murderous death other thousands
of his fellow -citizens in the prison-penS of
Belle Isle and Andersonville.
All that remains now to the statesman is
to see to it that every safeguard is given TO
the loyal and true men of the South, white
and black, who stood by their flag and their
v.
so that protection of person and property
and equality of political rights shall be as
Sured Therefore in any action | may take
in Congress or elsewhere / shall have this
end only in view. II in any of the insurree-
tionary States there mas come upon the peo-
pie true feeling of accepting the situation :
of acknowledgements of the superiority of
the wrong and sin of rebellion, so that love
of the lost cause is not superior to love of
country that hatred of the negro does not
overcome the humanities of their religion.
that proper constitutional provisions to car
nv out the true principle of equality of all
men before the law have been enacted and
will be preserved, l am ready to welcome
that State into the Union, and take by the
hand in political and personal friendship.
with the full assurance that ''bygOnes shall
| be by gones," any man however strongly he
NAV have warred against the Union, who
| has brought himself and aided in bringing
| his fellnw-citiZens back to this state of feel
| ing toward the country rnd this acknowl-
edgment Of the rights of all. And there are
| hundreds of brave officers and men of the
| Confederate armv whom / have thus met.
and can thus welcome. To use your own
| words il is not the "eX-rebel' to whom |
am opposed. but the present rebel, who is
| only restrained by the strong arm of the
| Government from showing the intensity OF
| his hate and the bitterness of his-malignity
| toward the Union. nd it is but just to say
| that | have found but few such in the Con-
federate army. 1t has been among thu
| .-bomb-proofs'' who found safe and soft
| places at home in the Confectionery. and es-
! pecially the newspaper editors of the South
! in whom find such hatred of all that il
| lOval and patriotic-men who seem to fee
themselves obliged to make up for Their
want of activity during the war by the ex-
hibition of their malignity since the war
| precisely as in the North some of the same
class seem in like manner endeavoring tc
| atone for the bitterness with which thew re-
quired the war to be prosecuted by urging
| universal amnesty" since.