Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-03-18
John Davis and bis Justidcation,

The diSting uiShed Senator from Massachusetts who
defeated the Peace Bill at the last session. has, in his
recent Speech undertaken justification of that act
as we cannot spare for his remarks full length,
upon this point, adopt the synopsis of them, fur
nished by his political friend and admrer the CORES
pondent of the u. S. Gazette:
"The bill had been brought into the Senate from
the House only about twenty minutes before the hour
OF adjournment and motion made TO strike cut the
Wllmot provlso; he rose to oppose that; il was an
important motion, and he was not disposed TO remain
silent upon it. But if he had not said word and
the vote had been taken by yeas and nays tie biz
amended and sent back the House, it would not
have reached the other branch before it had adjourned
so that it was impossible for the bill 10 have become
law at any rate. 1t was known that il would not
pass the Senate with the Wilnot pfoviso, and there
was not time left to strike it out and obtain vote
upon concurrence in the House" -
In addition TO this, the usually accurate reporter Of
the New York Herald makes him to say, that he
frequently urged by Senators, upon that occasion, 10
" go on and that If he had not killed the bill, by
speech against time, other Senator troud hGUs
done so.
And this is the justification which this man offers
for the commission of an act that the whole country
has regarded highly criminal, and which has re-
suited in most serious consequences. And pray what
is 1t! Simply that If the bill had been amended, and
passed the Senate it could moi have reached and pass
ed the House. Yet Mr.. ID. says, there were twenty
minutes OF time. There was: more but he admits
that much;-and allowing eight minutes for the df-
ference between the clocks of the houses, there
were twelve minutes in which tc transmit the bill from
one end of the Capitol to the other; distance that
the venerable Secretary would have travelled in enc
tenth part of the time. - $50
But giving 10 Mr.. DAVIS the whole benefit Of his
Justification, how far does il 60 to his acquitta!
What would jury Of sensible men say " one who,
under an indictment for murder, should set up as a
defepce;-true took the life of my fellow man FL
iGiBrued my hands in his blood IL cut his heart
and hung it up by The way side;-and did it Of cool
and deliberate malice but if ] had not done the
deed somebody else would or the would Lave
died any how, In the courseof nature!I Would they
be apt to find it ju;Ifabe komicidel Very far from
it. On the contrary, they would consign The to
the scaffod and the halter Yet this is the position
which Mr.. DAVIS occupies before the country He
stands accused Of an act by which the war has been
procrastinated through nine months of timely
which millions of treasure have been expended, and
far worse, hundreds, if not thousands Of human lives
been sacrfced;-and his only plea is that If he had
not done it, sumo other Senator would ;-or it would
have faer out In the natural course of events
Such Justification. for such act, take nothing
from the enormiy of the crime; and most certainly,
will not serve to mitigate that deep public indignation.
which, unfortunately, constitute its only punish
ment.-C Cincinnati Enquirer.