The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1871-12-21

act rfssUfers as ktrsaiilss - matiu-
~ ihe civilized sWl4 a. iEpfcatlau
sufafofaNis g. tie pfsssai gor,rnmsni
y Fnurs Il il not thai they have
been trecuted uilh9at fair trial 81
Asi. as Eeaerai isei tAsy e. sat g.
serve the fais 10 -hilh ttpy are tegfaed
Bot i i u tie fret place the consider,
sita that tbey sts political offenders
ssd that their elimes n.oasirous Al
they - we're 10 accordance with q
phueL idea, Aal wefs shared also by
sboassnd, q persons who we're devoted
T. tie same political idea This can
a1i br SID eIacily 70 palliate the cnor
atty u the ontrages wiieh they per
pei-Alod 10 taking - many lives and
"a destroying - much property 10 Pan.
during ihe reign q the Comm ne. Eui
IN some strange way the association O
scrime vith political movement is
veyy sore Il Ii,est Il 10 10 slilbt De
give. 10 the minds Of men. Of the
motive q personal malice. aud 10 i'm.
part g. il something o. the character Of
apablic Of bcllssrent transaction.
IL addition % this. il has been found
frum experience 10 all countries that
the capital punishment Of political
crimes especially those perpetrated in
ibe tine ~ revolution. has been utterly
peweiless 10 prevent their occurrence,
The history Of both France aud Eng.
land is ftll u examples Of such punish.
meut, bot il nowhere affords the slight.
est II ce Of any good effect which they
have ever produced in giving greater
security 10 the institutions Of govern.
ment I he punishment for such crimes
which are most deeply felt as general
rule, are most salutary in their effects,
consist 10 the moral condemnation and
adherence Of a whole people. or in
compe hing offender 10 be the daily
spectator q the growing strength and
prosperity Of the civil institutions
which his mad ambition and political
infatnatiun have urged him TO destroy
J, ~oald however not be judicious or
even safe to make il no longer a crime,
OF 90 take from the state the power Of
Furnishing with the utmost severity,
those who have made the attempt 10
dertro It's life. The crime ia one
which should be reprobated to the ut
most both Ia the laws and in the pub.
lie sentiment Of every people But
the power 20 visit with extreme penal.
ties is one which, nevertheless. had
best he exercised only with the great.
est care Punishment by death be.
comes rcpuP nant TO the feelings of civ
ilizcd men. when il is visited upon
large numbers Of culprits II il re.
garded with approval in cases Of politi.
cal crimes only when il is inflicted
upon few who have boen preeminent
IN guilt and the leaders Of others in the
crimes which they have committed. II
10 TO be presumed that the French gov
eminent has aimed 10 make this discri
lninatipn IN the case Of ihe communists
fiom whose atrocities France has sufT.
cred 50 much both Of agony and Of
humiliation III fact, however, that
the penalti which il is now inflicting,
Awakens nothing but adherence in 9th.
er civilized lands, affords a striking
illustration Of the risk Of going too
isr.
Few facts pertaining TO our own
civil war have reflected greater credit
on the american government and PEG.
pie than their total abstinence from
anything like revengeful punishment
II those who were engaged IN the re.
tellinn which WAS as causeless and un I
astihablc as any ia history. aud tie
woes which It brought TO the people oi
the country were as deep and as hard
Il endure aud yet not drop Of blood
has been spilled tot punishment Of
any kind has been Indicted since tie
last rebel army laid down their arms
and became prisoners Of war All the
leading chiefs o. the rebellion have
been within reach 81 the government,
ard they might have been seized and
brought 70 punishment Nor was there
wanting AZ one time loud popular
calmor for such proceeding But the
sober second thought the sound good
sense and the inl olu humsaity Of the
American people, triumph over eve
passion and every revengefnl impulse.
Ard there was but one feeling and
that Of general approval when the
rebel President who was A. cdious a.
= man could be, Was set free from Gus.
to-day, and told to 60 and sin no more.
! bis act taken ia al its circumstance
and relations, wss tho nobles, NANTES.
'aiion q national clcmency ever made.
be mai himself has bcea punished by
this free gii, q his forfeited life more
han he cuald have been by hundred
aangirgs The government and pee.
pie Of the United States. on tie con.