Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-02-09
The +" Natiou'' on Jer. Davis.


and purposes Democratic paper, and
the strongest one of all as captious fault
finder OF everything done or proposed by
the Republican party. In a late issue it
devotes its leader to the Amnesty question,
and comes to the conclusion that jeff.
Davis ought not to be politically rehabili-
tated. We extract from the article:
We, for our part, should be inclined to
exclude him from the benefits Of the pro-
posed amnesty even if he had done every.
thing in his power TO secure proper treat
ment for Federal prisoners, and even IL the
treatment Of the Confederate prisoners had
been all that ii is said on the NoIhern side
to have been--for reasons which we pro-
duccd, in great part, after his capture in
1860, and which, us it seems to us, have lost
none of their force.
II 1t be asked, why select him for punish
ment any more than any other man at the
South? the answer is, that 1t is the Southern
people who selected him. They made him
the President Of the Confederacy because he
was the most prominent man in the move
mcnt which led to the Confederacy. He bore
leading part in organizing and directing it,
and WAS the foremost representative of its
temper and aims. In short, the selection OF
him was strong but careful recognition OF
his claims to be considered, more than any
other man, responsible for the Rebellion,
and he did his best during the war to justify
the selection by his acts and language. He
never once, during his Administration, sug
gested In the remotest way = possibility OF
peace or re Cancellation, and he spoke in pub
lie speeches OF the Northern people in terms
which probably no leading officer Of bellig-
erent power has, even in modern times, en-
ployed toward civilized enemy. Down to
the last kick in the last ditch he did what he
could to prevent tho arrangement OF any
modns pipendi between North and South. In
short, II anyone ought to suffer for the war
by special legislative designation, heis 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 Jetfer-
son Davis again competent to hold office,
for this is all that his inclusion in the am
nesty would amount to. His present disa-
bilities in no way damage him in body or
estate He holds property can sue and be
sued, come and go like other men. II he
suffers at all for taking his share in the re-
bcllion he suffers only in mind, and that he
suffers in mind there Is no good reason for
believing. IL he were amnestied, however,
there can be little doubt than an early OPP
portunity would be taken to send him back
10 the House or the Senate; and the question
now is whether the North can really, even
by fair minded Southerners, be expected to
expose itself to a contingency Of this kind,
and whether ii would be well for 1t to do SO.
The South can, after compile tc defeat in war
and such war!-hardly call on the vic
tors for the suppression OF every species OF
susceptibility and the etiacement OF every
trace Of ordinary human pride. There are
some signs Of indignation over the past
which people who have won, after lighting
hard and losing half a million OF men, may
surely be 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, too, the
position the North took during the war,
and has taken since its close in its relations
to foreign opinion, must not Ge forgotten.
1t distinguished The late rebellion from
all other previous rebellions on two
grounds--tha its object was the preserve
ton and perpetuation OF slavery, and that IT
had broken out under Constitution which
gave perfectly free play to all peaceful CT
forts to effect constitutional changes. On
these grounds II called for the sympathy of
the best men It other countries in terms
such as no State before when engaged in
civil war has felt justified In using, and on
these grounds, too, il described the moral
guilt Of the promoters Of the insurrcction in
terms OF unprecedented vehemcncc. Now,
it will not do to act US II this talk was all
buncombc, as If all the moral heat and wrath
OF that period were due to the passions Of
the battle field, and had no root in cold and
settled principle. II will not do, after de-
scribing Jefferson Davis as all our moralsts
as well as politicians described him, to treat
him as II he were simply mistaken politi-
elan who had outliYcd his errors. A decent
regard for, the opinion OF mankind, even II
we are not hurdened with sclf-respect, re-
uuires us to exclude him at least from par
ticipation in the councils of the nation he
tried to destroy. There is a point In legisia-
ton, as in social intercourse, at which char
ity and mercy become vices dangerousto the
sociul order We owe II to our
selves, in short, to say that there was at
| least one man whose political career was
closed by his share in g the greatest rebellion
the world ever saw"
tEThe attention Of those who believe
| the Democrats in Congress seriously in
tend to retrench is respectfully directed to
few of their measures of reform which
| we print in cur Washington dispatches,
| Elk Confederate Postmaster-General Rea.
gan comes forward with two very inter
Of oh of