Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1859-11-11
LET US HAVE THE TRUTH.

~ 1AAv - -
1t appears 10 be the intention to pros
ecute Cook. the contrere OF Brown 10
Tho District Court OF the United States.
We sincerely hope that this course may
be adopted, if it will result in bringing
~;,nesses TO the stand whose testimony
will clear away any doubts as 10 the
completely OF the prominent Republican
leaders in the Harper's Ferry outrage, or
cxculpate them entirely from the char
ges that have been preferred against
them. II these suspected pcrsonages
are innocent, and have been slandered
by the Democratic press, they will most
eagerly embrace this opportunity of
disabusing the public mind, and throw
ing the odium attached to the propaga-
ton Of u calumny upon the party that
has made the accusation.
When the suggestion was first made
to remove the trial of Cook TO the Uni
ted States court, the jurisdiction OF
which extends beyond the limits OF
Virginia, SO that witnesses may be sub
prnaed from any portion Of the Union,
We supposed the Republican press would
accept the PROPOSITION with cagerncss.
An honorable man who has been wrong
fully accused Of crime would not only
accept proifcr to yindicatc his charac.
ter by human testimony, bat would
demand it as a matter OF right. If Cook
be tried in the District Court OF the
United States, and any one of the wit
ncsscs, whose presence may be required,
refuses to obey the mandate of the
courts, such refusal will amount to
positive proof of the guilt of the person
against whom the prosecution expects
him to testify. We repeat, that we
would be pleased to have all doubts re.
moved, so that even the rank aud file
of the Republicans, with all their deep
rooted prejudices and incredibly, can
have no grounds for quibbllng. A clear
case has been made out against Seward,
but there arc others supposed to be as
deeply implicated, and the public safety
demands that they should be equally
exposed.
1t is amusing TO witness the course
pursued by the Republican organs, with
the view to destroy the crcditablli,y of the
testimony Of those who have turned
States evidence against them. Col.
Forbes, prior to the emeute, was in good
standing in the Republican ranks, but
since he has "told the truth and shamed
the devil" he is, according to the Repub-
lican press, ga liar and scoundrel, and
the truth is not in him." Such is Re
publican ethics.
We see 1.-THE shadow OF shade" of a
determination to adopt similar means
for discrediting any exposure which
Cook may make, inculpating the leaders
Of the Republican party. We are told
that he is the brother in-law of the Dem
ocratic Governor Of Indiana, and it is
limited that the Governors presence at
Charestown hasI in view tampering
with the prisoner, to induce him to make
disclosures against his accomplices. If
Cook does come out and make the only
PREPARATION that he can make for his
guilty rebellion, we will find the Repub.
lican press denouncing him as they now
denonnce Forbes. On the first appear
ance of the Forbes disclosures, we pre-
dicted the ruse which would be adopted
by our Republican contemporaries. We
are perfectly safe in making like pre-
diction in reference to any revelation
that Cook may make.