ith;thetndiyidLwhor assas­

sinated the Chief Magistrate of the nation he is

but a man one man, after all; but if asked Jwhat

f-hould be dbne with the assassin, what should be

the penalty, the forfeit exacted? I know what r­

nonse dwells in every bosom. It is that he should

ay the forfeit with his life. ' Arid hence we; see

there are limes whiea mercy jand clemency, without

; justice, become a crime. The one should temper the

; other, and bring about a proper tncan. - And jf we

would say this when the ease was the simple mur

der A one man by his fellow man, what should we I

: say woen as&ea wo at suaii oe.uone wun mm or

them or those who have jraised : impious- hands to

' take away the life of a riation composed , of thirty

millions of people ? ; What would-be the reply to

that question r But while in mercy we remember

justice, in the language that has been-iittered, X say

justice towards, the leaders, the conscious. leadprs

but I also say amnesty, conciliation,, clemencyland

"mercy to the thousands of our countrymen whom

jou and 1 know have been deceived or driven Jinto

this infernal rebellion!.' -u And bo I return to where I

started from and again repeat, ; that it is time: our

. people were taught t4 know that treason is a crime,

not a mere political difference, hot a mere contest

between two -partie'pBvwhlchf1 bne-'"'steedec.

the other has simply failed. "They must know it is

treason ; for if they had succeeded ih Iifc of the

nation would, have been reft frpmvttbe . Union

would have been , destroyed. ; Surely ihe Icons tita

tion sufficiently defines treasonj It consists in levy­

ing war against the United States, and in - jgiyipg

their enemies aid and comfort. With this definition

it requires the exercise of; no great acumen to ascertain-

who are" traitors. lit requires no great 'per­

ception to teil us ;wbo: have levied war against! the

bmted btates : nor doesit reqmreany great stretch

of reasoning to ascertain who has. given aid to the

fenemies of the United States and when tba gov­

ernment of the United States,' does ascertain;' who

are th,c conscious and intelligent traitors, the penal­

ty and the forfeit should be paid; . (Applause.) I

Know how to appreciate! the condition of t being

driven from one's home, j I can aympathize ! with

him whose all has been taken froin him with him

who has been denied the place that gavehis children

birth: But let us, witbaCj injthe restoration o( true

government, proceed itempeijately and dispassion­

ately, xind hope and pray that the time will come,,

as I believe, when all : can retura and remaan at

our homas,. and treason .and tjraitors be driven' frpm­

our land(applause)whenragaih-law and border

shall reign, and the banner ojf ur country bib un­

furled over every inch of territory within theji area

-of the'Unitf'd States. (Applause.) r In conclusion,

let me thank you, most prpfoundly for this encour­

agement and manifestation of your regard aqd re­

spect, arid assure you that I?can give no gireaUr

assurance regarding the settlement of this question

than that I intend to discbarge my duty, and io that

way which shall, in the earliest possible hour, hnng

back Deace to our distracted country. - And Fhope

the time is sot far distant when our peoDle can all

return to their homes and firesides and resume-their

various avocations.

SECRETARY STANTOlf TO GENERAL SIX.

f '! War Department, ' ij

Washington, April 24, 1865.

Maipr