The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-01-26
rho I. Nation" on JcG. Davis.

The New York Nation Is not u kepuD-
lican newspaper. In fact it is much
gwen to criticism OF the men and meas
ures Of the Republican party. There is
therefore all the more Importance TO be
attached to the following remarks in it
in regard to the Amnesty bill before Con.
grcss. In its last issue 1t devotcs its
leader TO the Amnesty question, and
comes to the conclusion that jeff. Davis
ought not to be politically rehabilitated.
We make the extracts from the article:
We, for our part, should be inclined to
exclude him from the benefits Of the pro-
posed amnesty, even il he had done every
thing in his power to secure proper treat
ment for Federal prisoners, and even ii
tho treatment Of the Confederate prison
cry had been all that it Is said on the
Northern side to have been-for rea-
sons which we produced, in great part,
after his capture in 1865, and which, as
it seems to US, have lost none Of their
force.
II it be asked, why select him for pun
ishment any more than any other man
at the South !? the answer is, that it is the
Southern people who selected him. They
made him President OF the Confederacy
because he was tho most prominent man
in the movement which led to the Con-
federacy. He bore leading part in or
ganizing and directing it, and was the
foremost representative OF its temper and
aims. In short, the selection OF him was
II strong but careful recognition OF his
claims to be considered, more than any
other man, responsible fer the rebellion,
and he did his best during the war TO JUS
tify the selection by his acts and Ian
guage. He never once, during his adj
minlstration, suggested in the renotest
way a possibility Of peace or reconcilia.
ton, and he spoke in published speeches
Of the Northern people in terms which
probably no leading officer Of belliger-
ent power has, even in modern times, en-
ployed towards civilized enemy. Down
10 the last kick in the last ditch, he did
what he could to prevent the arrange
ment OF any moduS vipendi between North
and South. In short, If any one ought to
suffer for the war by special legislative
designation, he is, by the choice OF his
own associates, the very man.
But, then, there is no practical end that
We know Of to be served by making JET.
ierson Davis again competent to hold
office, for this is all that his inclusion in
the amnesty would amount to. His pres
sent disabilities in no way damage him in
body or estate. He holds property, can
sue and 10 sued, come and go, like other
men. If he suffers ut all for taking his
share in the rebellion, he suffers only in
mind, and that he suffers in mind there is
no good reason for believing. 1.-The were
amnestied, however, there can be little
doubt that an early opportunity would
be taken to send him back to the House
or the Senate; and the question now is
whether the North can really, even by
fair.minded Southerncrs, be expected to
expose itself to n contingency OF this
kind, and whether it would be well for it
to do SO. The South can, after complete
defeat in war-and such war hardly
call on the yictors for the suppression Of
every species Of susceptibility and the eff
facement Of every trace OF ordinary hu.
man pride. There arc some signs Of in
dignation over the past, which people
who have won, after fighting hard and
losing half a million of men, may surely
DO allowed to display, and there could
hardly be smaller or milder sign than
tho RELOCATION Of Mr.. Jefferson Davis to
private life for the rest Of his days. Then,
loo, the position the North took during
the war, and has taken since its close,
in It's relations to foreign opinion,
must not be forgotten. II distin-
guished the late rebellion from all
other previous rebellions on two
grounds, that its object was tho preser.
walton and perpetuation Of slavery, and
that 1t had broken out under ConStitu.
ton which gave perfectly free play to all
peaceful efforts to effect constitutional
changes. On these grounds 1t called for
the sympathy Of the best men Of other
in terms such as no State before |
when engaged in civil war has felt justi-
fed in using, and on these grounds, too, 1t !