The Portland daily press., 1873-12-10
Amnesty.

-1sy The fact that Mr., Maynard Of Tennessee,
the author of the famous "iron clad oath
for Congressman and other officials, on Mon
day, reported and ADVOCATED bill to abolish
that humiliating reminder Of political
20 crimes and 10 grant full amnesty to the few
prominent instigators of the Rebellion
hitherto shut out, is a remarkable
Illustration of the fact that in this
4. brief space, so far as the North is concerned,
the bitterness and resentments resultin g
from the four years war have already died out
and that good will and Christian charity have
taken their place. 1t also shows the falsity
of the oft-repeated declaration of the Demo-
cratic press that the Republican party is
striving to keep alive the old resentment and
hate by denying the chiefs of the war, that
brought ruin to the South and immense debt
1 to the nation, all the rights of citizenship.
q Now that a Republican House, having ma
jority larger than the entire opposition in that
branch has passed a bill removing the last
yestige of political disability, none but the
b most reckless partizan journal which has no
reputation to risk, will make this charge
controlled the destinies of the country the
past twelve years. .r.
Doubtless there is class of intensely pat
riotic men who still insist that treason is a
crime to be severely punished, who will not
look upon the full restoration of the
leaders of the Rebellion to all the rights
of citizenship with any degree of favor. This
q class embraces many worthy men who, when
they fully recognize with Mr.. Maynard that
nothing but evil can result from policy which
keeps alive the resentments of the past among
people who have one destiny, will soon
come to see that reconciliation is wiser than
revenge. If the future of the leaders only we've
ly consulted, a policy more in accordance
with their deserts might be pursued. But
this is not the case. If they are made mar
tyrs, the people of the South would espouse
their cause, and thus the bitterness of the
present, would be handed down 30 future gen.
erations to be obstacles to national unity.
The masses of the South will appreciate the
spirit of the action Of Congress, and, seeing
how false the charges made against their late
enemies in the North are, will soon begin
to look with dstrust upon the few men and
journals that in the South strive to keep
alive the strifes of the past.
If the principal object of the punishment
OF crime is to prevent its repetition, GER
tainly the terrible punishment that the South
has suffered and is still suffering as the re-
suit Of treason is a warning so appalling that
the execution of few leaders or their ex-
patriation can give it no additional force.
Then the fact that the abolition of the iron
clad oath will relieve the country of the ex-
ample of oft-repeated and conspicuous per-
jury by men of the North who gave aid and
comfort TO the rebellion, is an additional
reason for doing away with it. 1t is quite
possible that at his stage in political life it
will not callous the conscience or injure the
chances of future happiness. of the Demo
cratic candidate for Speaker of the national
House to commit perjury. Indeed if this
were the only case it would make little differ
ence, but there are so many Democratic lead
ers similarly situated, who have to take oaths
OF Office, that the example Of such wholesale
perjury could but have pernicious effect
sls -yourrs rffen or country.