The Great North-Western Conspiracy in All Its Startling DetailsAyer, I. Winslow
History
The Great North-Western Conspiracy in All Its Startling Details
Ayer, I. Winslow
Knights of the Golden Circle; Northwestern Conspiracy, 1864
As we review the events which have transpired during this war, we are
strikingly impressed with the magnanimity, the forbearance, the humanity
of the loyal States in their relations to the rebels in arms, and we
are also impressed with the great lack of the exhibition of these
qualities--the most ennobling in national character--on the part of the
so-called Southern Confederacy. From the hour of firing upon Fort Sumter
to the present moment, the war has not been waged by the rebels as if
in defense of the great principles of truth and justice, but with the
malignity, the cruelty and barbarity which would, in many instances, put
to blush the savages upon our western borders. In our dealing with them,
the honor, integrity, fidelity and dignity of the nation have never been
forgotten; and the policy of the noble President, laid low by the hand
of the assassin, was never to give blows when words would answer,--never
to exact by force what might be attained by reasoning,--and never, under
any circumstances, to forget those qualities which make a nation truly
great, the first and chief of which is charity. How has our enemy failed
to appreciate this? The manner in which the warfare has been waged by
the South will be mentioned by historians as cruel, dishonorable and
disgraceful to people of a Christian nation. Failing of success upon
the field, we find the Davis Government countenancing guerrilla warfare,
burning bridges, murdering unarmed citizens, and desolating the homes
of unoffending people, and committing piracy upon the high seas. Still
failing of success and losing ground daily, but driven to desperation
by the apparent hopelessness of their cause, they sink to the depth of
infamy by establishing among us secret orders, the aim of which is to
educate men of base passions to deeds of dark dishonor and unmeasured
infamy; men who receiving such instruction will concoct schemes for the
burning of cities, for the liberation of their prisoners; and, lastly,
they have sunk so low in the mire of dishonor, impelled by savage
ferocity and hate, that it would appear folly, if not downright
criminality to longer deal with them on the principles of liberality
and gentleness, which has marked our conduct hitherto. It was our
generosity, our mildness, our spirit of conciliation that moved the
hand of the demon who slew the country's truest friend. Let it be so no
longer! Let rebels feel that we are terribly in earnest. Let heavy blows
be struck, and struck without delay, and let there be no exhibition of
concession or conciliation, till the enemy sue for peace upon the terms
the country proclaims. As well make Copperheads Christians or honest
men, as to attempt by gentleness longer to subdue rebels, whose weapons
are firebrands and assassins' daggers. It is futile; try it no longer.
Said the great French advocate of justice, when he was charged with
being sanguinary, because he so frequently punished murder with death,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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