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Show 218 HOEBUCK. "Far frorn jt. For rn:-tny reasons the puhlic welfare ' in m~y .J 'ndcrn1cnt ' require~ the r ebc11ion to be. np-prC's. 0<1. ]i""or that pnrposo I have· n~c<l1ny S\Yon1 ~m el rit3kc 1 1ny lifo. Bnt our govcnnncnL is not now dcalino- ·with n. rabble of rioters o-r a mob of desperate and wicked insurgents. Alren.Ciy for a ·whole year it has been carrying on a vnst 'var against groat con1mnnitics, constitnting powerful States and etnbracing mo:--t of tho 'vorth and wisdo1n of the Sonth. The. e· cotnmnnities have acted in the cxcrci.~c of a right which they have been educated to believe is inherent in their States. They act through their ancient StaLe govcrnn10nts and throngh a new government formally orgnnizccl. They carry on regular 'var wiLh large arn11 os. If we treat this as a c:t..;c of . in1plc rcbcUlon we Hhal1 fall into a fatal fallacy. It is 'vfn·-ci \' il war. All hi. ·Lory prove:-; that in Finch " rars it is eqnally unwise nnd unjn. t for one parLy to trc~t the other a:; crin1jnal . Civil 'Yars nsnally divide a nation and spring fron1 political qncRtions about 'vhich hone t citizeus honestly differ. They arc so doubtful that a large portion of the nation i found on the one sicle nnd on the other. F :railty, passion or error of one party or of both, brings thorn to blows. Ench believes its conduct to be patriotic. \Vithout critninal pnrpose how can there be crime? It is a ca o of -war which conrts c-annot adjudicate an<.l for " rhich lavvs cannot pro Yitle. ~I:'hcre is no arbiter between the pnrties to a war but tl1r ~wor 1. The sworc1 j::; sen ole. s and <looides no qnesti m of right. It <letcnnineB 01lly the prepon<.lcrnnee of force. It iB ab ·nrJ then for either party to accuse the other of crime." "At all cvcntR, colonc1, yon nn1st ~cltnit the propriety of tal iug li·01u the rcbelB the ll1C~n1s of supporting the rebellion." • ROEllUCI(. 219 "Let n1e answer you in the lancrnacre aLtribnted by a tho 1nost rcno,vned author in our laucruagc to hi. f.1.vor-ite l1cro. vVe give cxprr. charge th:tt, in our n1:1r ·hcs thron o·h the country, there be nothing com1)elled fro:n the villages, nothing taken bnt paid for, none of the French upbraided or abused in disclainfnl language; for 'vhen lenity and crnelty play for a kingdon1 ... the gentler g:uncster is the soonest 'vinner." "Accor ling to your icle.1s, nobody should be punished for this r ebellion after it is suppressed." "'V nr should end in pc:-tce, not punish1ncnt. Pnnislunent then j , the revenge of victors upon the vnnqni:' liCc1, of the po,verfnl upon the clefencelo s. A~ we shorten war by nutking snbtnis ·ion safe 've shall confirm peace hy 1naking it honorable. A civil war, being bct\vccn brethren, , honld, if possible, end like the qnarrel of Bruins and Ca. sins on tho stage, in a rivalry or lovjng pcnitancc. But, since 've cannot ·expect such a ron1antic revul ion of the passions of war, 've 1nay at least remember that, if Rnbn1i. ~ ion is the duty of the conquered, n1agnanin1ity is the virtue of conquerors. The oHcncc i ' the offence of a community; war and <lcfcat arc the punis1unents of a co1nn1unity. Among 1nillion. of people engaged in r e.·istance, human jnclgn1cnt cannot eli 'Criminate and as. ign to en ·h hi.· pcuuliar shan! of bb1nc. '\Ve Inu:;t deal wi Lh the C01111Ullllity." 'i It is ca ·y to discrin1i nate between the lcaclor~ an<.l the rest." "If that were trne, 'vhy should ·we take vengeance on the best, the cho~on 1ncn of :1. people, and let tho~e who have cho~cn thCtn o·o free?'' b "I cannot inw.ginc, colonel, how you propose Lo nssert the , nprc1uaoy of the govcnuuent and diRpose of the rebels.,, |