The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-04

Geo. w. Jones and his bantiings and
imitators who have been released from
imprisonment as traitors, seek to make
the people believe that they arc limo
cent because they are released without
trial. Such ere 10. the facts of the case,
nor is such the position in which they
stand. These men were arrested not for
taking up arms against the government
and in favor of the southern confederacy,
but for rendering them aid and comfort
in various ways, pledging them their
friendship, discouraging enlistments, and
obstructing the efforts of the government
to put down the rebellion.
Jones held reasonable correspondence
With JEFF. Davis, and Jones' ehums and
followers, by communications to southern
newspapers, and by articles in northern
papers advocated the independence of the
southern coBfederaey, encouraged the
rebels in their treason by justifying their
conduct and casting reproach upon the
government for asserting the supremacy
of the laws and Constitution, and finally
by earnest efforts TO discourage enlist
menis for the support Of the government.
Dubuque county which shows deficit of
over 100, furnishes palpable evidence Of
the disioyal character Of their teachings
as well as the bsnefui effects.
Having been arrested in lime of war,
when the Constitution authorizes the sus.
pension of the habeas corpus, these pri-
soners protested to have been anxious for
trial, but failing to obtain it as speedily
AS they desired, they make an arrange
III ent to be discharged without trial. On
their part they agree heneeforth to b
loyal to the government, and they take
an oath binding themselves thereto. And
that their release without trial and con-
victon may not be used as evidence
against the officers who arrested them on
trial for false Imprisonment, these pri.
soners bind themselves not to sue for
false imprisonment, and having made
these stipulations on their part, the gov
eminent therenpon discharges them from
custody.
Now this transaction does not furnish
the remotest presumption of the inno-
cence OF the prisoners. 1t simply implies
that the government in its tender mercy
Is disposed to ignore their past miscon-
duct and take renewed pledge in
solemn oath Of allegiance for their future
good behavior.
Take the case of Geo w. Jones for in
stance. whose letters to jeff. Davis were
published, and who doubts that he was
traitor at heart, and was anxious to fulfill
his pledge to do all in his power for the
Southern cause, in which his sons we're
lighting. Does Jones' discharge in view
OF the revelations of those reasonable let
ters amount to governmental certificate
that he was an innocent and injured man >
We can't think that any candid man will
so regard it,. Yet let it be remembered
that it was months after his discharge
that his letters convicting him of treason
to the government were made public
Mahony, Steward. Hill and scores of
other prisoners from the North and the
South were discharged just as Jones was,
on thssr own earnest supplications backed
by tina. Of their friends with pledges Of
future good behavior, and under coudi-
tons not to use their discharge in evidence
OF false imprisonment. Neither the pris-
oners nor the government admit or DENY
the guilt or innocence of the parties By
such transaction as this.