Wilmington daily gazette., 1872-07-12
Mr.. CreeIey's Record on Amnesty.

1t was just little before on the 10th OF
May, 1860, when the news came TO New York thai
Gen. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Tn.
whole city was wild with excitement The rebel
lion had been conquered the war was at an end
Flags were waved, guns fred, heaths drunk, and
hands shaken In the midst of the joyful tumuit
Horace Greeley-who, as hen. johnson said ol
Tiberius, had "a thought further than another
man's'-wsked meditatively down Broadway.
crossed the Park AMID congraiulahng hundreds oI
his fellow citizens who saIuted him as he passed.
and entering the Tribune Office locked the door
OF his second-stOry sanctum, and III an hours time
wrote and handed to the printer and published IN
his next mornings paper an article which then
and there, unconsclously TO the writer predestine
him to the presidency OF the United States 1t as
called "Magnanmt, i'll Triumph" Its opening
words were these
We hadhoprd 10 print he,epiM the PRESIDENTS
Proclamation OF amnesty and obIlr.on TO the pay.
fisans Of the ba6qed rebsl.on
That was Horace Greeleys first thought. Many
another man came to this Ms IL second though bt but
it sprang into Mr. Greeleys mind, and lie ped to
utterance from his pen, and flashed before the
country through his journal. us the primal impulse
and chief sentiment which he wished to harbor IN
his mind and heart on the day and at the hour of
the nations victory over the rebellion Not to be
misundarstood. he drew out, IN that same article,
h's idea OF Amnesty with great p.nrticuarity and
enforced 1t with warm appeal. He SAID
We hear men say-"Yes, forgive the great mas
'ot those who have been mslsd into rebellion but
"pui ish the leaders they deserve" But who can
accurately draw the line between leaders al fol.
Low err in the premiesr Is, what test shall th,y
he discrlm'haf.d! Where ,s your touch.
stone Of leadership We know none
Nor can We agree with thos. Who would punish
the original plotttrs Of Secession. yet spare the,r
ultimate and scarcely willing converts On the
contrary, while we would revive or infame re.
sentiment against none Of them, We feel far less
ant'pathy to the original uphoders OF ..rhe Reso.
"luiions OF 96'-tO the disciples of Calhoun and
McDufiie to the Nulhhers OF 1882 and the estate
Rights" men of 1850 than to the John Bells
Humphrey Marshalls, aud Alex. H H Stuarts
who were srhooled in the Natisnal faith, and who
in becoming Disunionsts and Rebels, trampled OF,
the professions OF lifetime aud spurned the logic
wherewith they had often unansweraby dem
onstrsted that Secession was treason.
We consider Jefferson Davis this DAY less cul.
pablo traitor than John Bell.
But We cannot believe it wise or well to take the
life Of any man who shall have submitted to the
National authority. The execution Of even one
such would be felt ~ q personal stigma ny ezery
one who had ever aided the Rebel cause Each
would any to himself. II am as culpap g as h.; We
differ only IN that am deemed Of com pnrati We.
" little cons. qu-nce" single Confederate led out
10 execution would be evermore emshrined in a
million hearts rs u conspicuous hero and martyr.
We cannot resIixe that It would be Wholesome or
safe we are sure it wonld not b. N ,gunnmous -
to give the oyer powered disloynlty of the South
such shrine. Would the throne Of tie House Of
Hanover stand moro firmly had Charles Edward
been caught and executed after CullodsnP Il Aus