New-York tribune., 1871-04-11

that on which we printed tne news OF Uen'
Lees surrender and tho actual collapse OF
the Rebelion-we addressed our exulting
and III part vindctive cOmpatriots in an article
which we now reprint rerbdtiml-as follows
From The Daily Tribune, April H. 1865
MAGNANrIITY IN TRIUMPH.
We had hoped to print herewith tho Presidents
Proclamation OF Amnesty and oblivion to the parti-
sans OF the bafed Rebellion, and we do not yet de-
spair Of receiving 1t before go to press, though no
portion Of It has yet been received. We are apprised
however by telegraph from Washington that its tenor
was publicly debated In that city yesterday while our
State Senate was agitated by kindred discussion We
cannot shut eyes to the fact that strenuous efforts are
being made to the President from the course TO
which his Judgment and his feelings alike incline him by
stg1natzng il rs involving inhdey to Principle or 10
Party Others will be heard on this point, though we
were TO keep silence: we claim, therefore, our equa
right to set forth vews that they be accorded such
weight as they shall be deemed 70 deserve.
We hear men sayYes forgive the great mass OF those
who have been med into rebellion, but punish the lead
ers as they deserve" But who can accurately draw the
line between leaders and followers in the prcmsesl BY
what test shall they be dscrmaedi Some OF the arch
poters Of Dsunion have never taken up arms In It's sup
port nor have theyheld any important post in its civil
service Where is your touchstone OF leadershipi We
know none.
Nor can we agree with those who would punish the
original pOtters Of Secession, yet spare their ultimate
and scarcely willing converts on the contrary, While
we would revive iname resentment against none OF
them we feel far less antpaby to the original uphOers
Of the Resolutions OF 93 to the disciples OF Calhoun
and McDunie-to tine Nuiaers OF 1852 and the Estate
Right" men Of 1s5Othan TO the John Bells, Humphrey
Marshalls ard Alex H. H. Stuars, who were schooled III
the National faith, and who, in becoming Disunionsts
and Rebels tramped the professions of lifetime ana
spurned tho logic wherewith they had 50 often unan
of.d t1,at W Treason.
whether they weakly yielded 10 the madness Of the hour
hoping that so they might ultimately "de the whrwind
and direct the storm" to some idened but Denencent
purpose surrendered their judgment and theiroyaty
10 that nposture Of sate Sovereignty" which they had
always held in Just contempt were driven by sheer
cOwarlce and fear OF bodily violence into course con-
dened by all their better impulses, we protest against
any discrimination whereby this class shall be screened
or favored We consider Jefferson Davis this day less
culpabe traitor than John Bel.
But we cannot believe it wise well to take the life Of
any man who shall have submitted to the National au
thorty The execution of even one such would be fe as
personal stigma by every who had ever aided the
Rebel cause Each would say TO himself 81 am as cu-
pabe as he; we differ only in that am deemed OF compaf
atve little consequence" single Confederate LED out
TO execution would be oyermOre enshrined In million
hc arts as conspicuous hero and martyr We cannot re-
alze that would be wholesome or safe-wo are sure IL
would not DO magnanimOus-tO give the oyerpowercd
dj,loyalty of the South such shrine Would the throne
OF the of Hanover stand more firmly had ChaIes
Edward been caught and executed after Culouent Is
Austrian domination in Hungary the more stable to-day
for the hanging Macy Sander and his twelve comla
trot Generals after the surrender OF Viagosi
We plead against passions certain at this moment to be
Aerce and intoleran but side the Ages and
the voice of History. We plead for restoration Of the
Union against policy which would afford momentary
qualification at the cost Of years OF perious hate ana bit
ternoss
We have borne for quarter Of century the unjust
imputation of hating the South, when we hated and
sought to subvert only Slavery, the scourge alike of
South and North and the sole Of dscord between
them We have done what could-of course not al
WAYS wisely-to battle, to crcumscrbe and ultimately to
overthrow the Slave Power At length through sue
cesson OF events which human being could have de-
ysed or forcseen the end which we sincerely hoped but
hardly expected to see, is plainly before us. American
Slavery ia vsby in the agones of dissolution; If we 1.-Two
year longer We shall almost certainly see 1t laid In the
gave and whenever abolished here It's expulsion from
the last rood Of Chrstendom that cannot be
postponed years. Let us take care that no Vndcye
impulse shall be suffered TO mperl this glorious colsu
nation.
Unquestionaby, there men in the South who have
richly deserved cOndign punishment Whoever Is re-
sponeble for the butchery Of our Black soldiers van
ousbed in fight or the sti more atrocious murder OF
captiyes by wanton exposure and priyaton in prison
CAMPS stands in this category But the immediate issue
concerns not the dispensaton OF Justice to INDIVIDUALS
but the pacifcaon OF vast republic He who fanees
that all the exhibitions Of cruelty or perfdy have been
the work of Rebels, has but superficial knowledge Of
our current history.
Those who invoke Military execution for the van
ouisled or even for their leaders, suspect will not
generally found among few who have long been ex-
posed to unjust odum haters Of the South because
they abhorred slavery And as to the long and
degraded Blacks lately the slaves destined stil TO be
the neigbos and trust at no distant day the fellow
citizens of the Southern Whites sure their voice
could it be auhenlcnly utterod would ring ont decld
edy sonorously, on the side Of GepepcyOf Humanity
Addendd in 1871.
Having waited patiently if not passively for
six full years, we now ask the Republican ma
jority in both Houses of Congress to consider
the foregoing in the light of present exigencies
and present duties. Is it not high tlmef
That very sweeping Amnesty ought now
to be accorded, we presume few intelligent
persons can doubt. We presume Congress will
not adjourn without enactiDg it. Is it wise
and well to make exceptions We judge not.
Our reasons are mainly indicated in our article
of six years since. Shall they not be fairly
weigheda
Those who talk Of Universal Amnesty as
screening the authors of Ku-klux outrages-
even murderers-are simply wild. They ought
to know better, but we must charitably pre-
sumo that they do not. An Amnesty for a
rebellion that was crushed six years ago would
no more exempt man from punishment fOr
crimes subsequently committed than 1t would
exempt Union soldier from punishment for
like Offenses. But we. are confident that "a