New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-09-24
Punish Treason.

If treason is a crime, why should 1t go I'M
,,nn;shede The traitors of the rebellion have
been pardoned for their treason. Ihey nave
kent the South in uproar, turmoil, strife, and
made of il a pande monium ever since they
have been amnestied. Reunions 'of rebel
leaders have been held, and through them
the Southern heart OF rebellion has been
fired. Secret oath-bound associations have
been organized for the purpose OF numbering
the loyal men, women, and children in the
South. Pardoned treason has kept up the
conflict against the Union by assassinatlons
cruel and cowardly. Office holders who are
,oval to the Government of the United States
have. because of that loyalty, been driven
from their positions by pardoned repeis
Every unpublished act Of hostility to the Gov
eminent of the United States gives new au-
dacity to the pardoned traitors. Treason has
not been made odious. The white youth OF
the South feels that he is hero when he
shoots down Union man or Tires schooi
house, The deeds of treason are glorfled
all over the South. The names OF rebel
Generals are spoken with reverence. Songs
are written and sung to the glory OF General
Lee, Beauregard, Stonewall jackson, and
others. Everything is done to show that the
Southern rebel feels that his treason is honor
able, as well as his disrespect for the laws me-
cessitated by the rebellion. Defiant speeches,
threatening death and destruction to the
Union men in the South who have gone there
from Northern States are cheered to the
echo nv the mob of unpublished rebels who
Gather around such malignant traitors rs eX-
Governor Watts, of Alabama. We take
from the Washington Daily Chronicle the fol-
lowing, which shows the state OF feeling in
Alabama among the amnested wretches who
attempted the overthrow of the nation AT
a public meeting in Selma, Alabama, few
davs AGO. Ex-Governor Watts was one of the
principal speakers, and in his address, after
detailing the story Of how at one time before
the war he owned two hundred negroes, and
how he had cared for and protected them,
and how he loved dear old Aunt Matilda,
who had nursed him, he said: don't want
to hurt her or her race; its these carpet-bag-
gers and scalawags who we will put down; at
New Orleans they picked out and killed these
rhite rascals who lead the poor black dupes,
AND so WE WILL DO HERE'-which senti-
ment was received by the loyal audience with
tremendous cheers He further said: white
men, you must wake up. We cannot and
will not take everything. I like the negro.
He is not to blame; it is the white ours that
lead him. here announce to the negroes
(for see some presently that at New Orleans
not one of them were killed, and we will not
hurt you here; Jm Ihen sce do commence, let
each one of as pick ont one rhae Radical ana
slay him-'draw a bead on his cravat.' we
can't stand everything Towhich the meet
ing gave long and deafening cheers"
In any Northern town. or city such speech
as Governor Watts INDUCED in would have
led the authorities to dispense the crowd and
to arrest the ringlcader in attempting to in
cite the people to riot. Any man from the
South can live in the North without fear OF
molestation on the score Of his treason.
He NAV deuounce the Government TO his
hearts content, and no one would disturb
him. We have in the city of Washington q
number Of men who were in the rebel army,
and whose hatred Of the Government has
known no abatement since rebellion, and
whose sympathics are with the murlcroas
Ku.Klux of the South. Though the District
oe Columbia is overwhelmingly loyal, and
the defenders of Ku-Kluxism are in bad odor,
any public demonstration melting the loyal
people TO deeds Of violence against the enc
mics of the Union would be Immediately sup