The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-01

violation of tho principles laid down by all
those great jurists whose authority is respected
by the most arbitrary kings and kaisers. If
there ba any Of our readers who forget this
their memory will perhaps be as fully refreshed
by word or two from some OF the
jurists alluded to as they would be by
quotations from the reconstruction speeches
of Mr.. Sumner. Thus Grotius tells
us in his third book, chapter four, that
''however absolute and despotic may be the
power acquired over the conquered 1t is neces-
sary to treat them gently and in such man.
with those Of their conqueror." Vattel says,
in referring to precisely such precepts and re-
concentrations as formed the burden of the
reconstruction speeches of the faction Of which
Mr.. Sumner was the shining light, "But let
us not dispute the poiSt; let the man who
holds such principles of Jurisprudence keep
them for his own use and benefit he well de-
serves to be subject to such q law" If Mr..
Sumner has experienced practical ilustra-
ton of this he has hardly any right to COM
plain. If he did not make himself acquainted
in time with the third book of vattel, 1t is bet
ter late than never for in the same book the
following remark occurs, Immediately follow
ing that already quoted: s'But men of spirit,
to whom life is nothing unless sweetened
by liberty, will always conceive themselves at
war with that oppressor. though actual hos
tilities are suspended on their part through
want of ability" Had this precept received
due attention in time there would probably
have been no need to-day for a new recon-
struction law for the ''Ku Klux" or any other
''klans." In short, Mr.. Sumner might have
learned much more humanity from the pagans
of Greece and Rome than either himself or
General Grant was willing to show the con-
quered Southerners. Nor need he have gone
beyond Seneca, in the second book of whose
s'De Ira" he would find remark or two which
may be translated as follows :-"What would
our empire have been to-day had not the con-
quered been permitted to mingle with the con-
querors as the result Of q salutary policy2
Romulus, our founder, showed wisdom in
pursuing this policy to such an extent that he
made citizens of his enemies the same day that
he conquered them"
If the application Of this sort Of policy did
not suit New England, especially the modern
Athens, SO that very different lessons had to
be given to General Grant, why should the
President be so much blamed now, only for
having proved, in one aspect at least, a toler-
ably apt pupil? His chief sin, according to
Mr.. Sumner, has been, not that he has not
evinced abundant willingness to Cypress and
overawe by means of the bayonet and the can
non, but that, instead of combining his opera
tions in that line to the whites of the South,
but extending them to those of the North at
election time, he has attempted to disturb the
peace and tranquility of the free and enlight-
ened blacks of st. Domingo. Most readily do
we admit that it is wrong and reprehensible
to frighten the negroes of st. Domingo by
means of United States iron-clads and other
warlike contrivances but it would take much
more rhetoric than we have yet seen to con-
vince us that it is not equally wrong and
reprehensible to overawe and Cypress the
Caucasans of our Southern States by similar
means.