Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-04-19


innocent of ever having seen or heard that
name but there is history behind il
which might furnish api ocJund lesson to the
would-be statesmen who are refusing AMI
ncSty to the Southern people and pilng I'D
hostile and irritating legislation against
them. Twenty-thrcc years ago a rebellion
broke out in Hungary, which, after lasting
eleven months, during which three magni-
ficcnt though bloody campaigns were
fought, was finally crushed through the in
tervention Of Russia and the treaclierv Of
the Hungarian General, Gorgey. The
Archduchess Sophia, mother Of the present
Emperor Of Austria, relentless and un-
merciltll despot, undertook to ''make trca-
son odiOus," and her cXecutioncrs drenched
Hungary in blood. The prayers and tears
of even the loyal relatives Of the victims for
mercy were not heard. Eleven Of tie most
prominent generals and statesmen Of Hun
gary persisted by the hangman's hands, be-
sides hundreds Of others. Count AndIasSy.
then kossuth'S agent at COnstantincplc, in
common with many others who did lot
fall into the hands of Austria. was SEN
fenced to death and a price fixed on his
head. Time wore or, and the Nemesis Of
history drew nearer and nearer, not only
to the personal fortunes Of the Archduch-
ess, but to those of her dynasty. She
lived TO see the Woful day when all her
prayers and tears pleaded in vain for the
life of her favOritc son, Macmillan. The
SOlfcrinO campaign cost Austria the splend-
id province of LOmbardy with the fearful
defeat Of SadOwa went the last of her Ital-
ian possessions, and then was forced the
concession to Hungary not only Of amnesty,
restoration Of cOnfiscated property, AMI
that political liberty for which she had
fought, but Austria herself had to descend
-
cracy to the level OF constitutional soyer-
eighty and representative government in
which IIungarians have potent voice.
While Andrassy, the sentenced rebel, the
exile on whose head price was fixed, is
the president Of the Austrian cabinet and
the trusted friend and counselor of Francis
Joseph. The distinguished Senator might
have strengthened lis illustration by citing
the case of the Ncndeans, who, after de-
feating the prOudest armies Of Europe with
clubs and fowling-picccs under the lead Of
young La Rochejaqueljn Of glorious mem
DRY, and who, after suffering butchery al
which humanity turned pale, were made
the very bulwaIk of France 10y the wise
policy Of Cancellation which Napoleon the
Great inauguratc1 toward them as soon rs
he graSped the rCinS Of power. lie nigh.
have stillfuTther enforced the illustration by
calling attention to the effects Of a rppfessivc
policy upon the people Of ireland. Eng
land put down reyolts in Scotland
and Wales, but with their sup re5sion she
ceased all hostile legislation, and the result
has been that the people Of those two coun-
tries are to-day, and have long been, the
most loyal and faithful Of british subjcc s.
Toward Ireland, on the contrary, there has
been for two hundred years all establlsht Il
system OF refined cruelty, and the fruits OF
it have appeared in the kukluXism Of that
unhappy country under the names Of
White Boys " Rapparees." " Kibion
Men," -" Molle McGuires," Peep O'!Gay
Boys" "Hocllites," &c. The more comsid-
crate treatment Of late years las partially
aIlaycd the evil, but to-day Ireland is the
weak spot in the British amor, through
which, if at all, She Will receive her death
blow.
What a lesson there is too, in the course
Of Charles II, touching the "act Of obIiy
iOn,'' in 1860, and what a striking similar
ity there is between the conduct of the two
branches OF his Parliament Oh tidt subject
and that OF the two Houses Of Congress in
regard to amnesty. "This act Of oblivion.
says the author Of the debates in the House
OF Lords, :" the COmAOnS, after having
been qllickGucd by message from the
King, made shoit work Of, and sent up 10
the Lords, W here il met with si.. cral OBJ
structions and delays. The Commons had
excepted only Il few 90 the most notorious
rcgicides, whereas the Lords were for Civ
ing their resentment Il much larger scope.
This severity Of theirs not suiting, however,
with the policy OF the times, his Majesty
came to the house (July 20. and from the
throne expressed himself a. follows:
- My lords. when ! came first hither TO You.
which was within Two or three days alter came
to Whitehall, Gid, with as much carn"stncss
as could, both by myself ANA the chancellor.
recommend to you and the House of Commons
the speedy dispatch OF the act Of indemnity as a
necessary foundation OF ulat security ali pray
Tor. did since, by n particular message to the
House OF Commons, again press to hasten tia
important work, ami did likewise, by "A prvcE =
nation. publish TO all the Kingdom that did
with Impotence expect that that act would be
presented to me for my assent The most rca
S0nable ana solid foundation of that pcGc 4.
happiness and security hope and pray for to
myself and all my dOminions. ! will not deny
IL to you that ] thought the House Of Commons
too long about that work. ana therefore, now il
il come up to you, would not have you guilty of
the same delay
The chancellor subsequently called their
especial attention to the provisions Of the
act prohibiting the calling Of "names or
other words Of rcprOach any way leading
to revive the memory Of the late differences
or the occasion thereof" and appealed %
them "tO learn the excellent AIT Of forget
fulncSs.' Cannot Americans in the nine
tcenth century learn that excellent ant
practiced by Stuart two hundred wears
ago?
Now, willie admitting neither the wis
dom nor justice Of such course on tbs.
part OF tits Government, | an persuaded
that il would have been more merciful 10
the Southern people TO have hanged or shot
is many Of us as would have glutted the
vengeance Of The politicians Immediately
after tie war, than 10 have kept up for
purely party purposes the system of rob
berry, fraud. and oppression which has,
since the war ended, been unrplcntingiy
exercised over thcm. That system las bat
illustrated the truth Of " hat the blessed St.
Augustine said concerning such >satn ut
peace as we enjoy:
lilac iacta stunt in pace post bcllum. ra>
lud cnim ptUetravit arnatos, istur uI.dato-
Bcllmn crat, ut qui lcrebatur, ii po>Sst, lor irc
pax autcm non ut qui cvaSCrat Siyrrrt = d nj
MOI lcIIS non repuGnaret.'
our peace has surpassed war III CTiIeli Y
OH have struck down the helpless ana
naked, and now, when the armor has beer
stripped from your former antagonists,
yOlr policy seems TO DC not only that thev
shall not live, but HAT even in dying they
shall not defend themselves. 1t Is not too
late now to repair your error and 20 make
the Southern people your Fl lends. Try il,
but not III the way recommended 10y the
majority Of this committee. DO not az
company an act Of grace, as you term it.
with renewed system Of oppression and
outrage. Ii you do, where will be yoril
claim to gratitude? It is radical error to
suppose that the men who are prohibited
by the fourteenth amendment from hold
ing Office arc consumed with a passion to
taste Of the flcsh-pots Of this Egypt. There
are some things dearer to them than office,
and the fear that they will again return IL
plague the modern opponents Of American .
ism may be dismissed. have never con-
sidered this amnesty business the only ono