The Richmond palladium., 1862-02-08
added to treason the MANY OF ingratnude.
To him this letter was addressed.

l.
How are the mighty Elleni
Since he miscaled The morning STAR
or man nor fiend hath fallen SO far. !"
To him. of all others. this letter was ad
dres sed-to him, the arch Oh prizes. IF re
beilion. who has Systematically, for the las
twenty years, sought Ito IRE the southerr
heart" to this very point treason Gentle
men say. in explanation. 1t is mere ordna
/ ry letter Of introduction. II may be so =
J They say that il was a mere inadvsrtence--
that the writer thought nothing OF it. or $,
little that he had even forgotten that he
had ever written the letter. This may
b. so. IF so. it was fatal and ter
rible mistake. under the circumstances
to write any such letter. What is the con-
troversy to o,day that agita,es the whole
country Whether secession is constitu
tional right: whether Davis is the Presden,
of constitutional government? Both these
facts seem to be taken for granted and ad-
mitted 10 the letter now in evidence before
the S-nate. grant you that the address oi
letter is very often mere matter OF form;
still he is addressed as the President of the
Confederate States--the very title that he
assumes; the very title that we resist. The
whole controversy is yielded the very mo-
possibility, be the Presiden, of the Confed-
crate States, as claimed by him. There is
the first circum -tance. | make nothing out
Of the fact that Mr.. LiLcoln, the man in
whose behalf the letter was written, has sub
sequently turned out to be traitor, and is
now indicted for treason. / make no point
upon that, because | know that politicians
are liable sometimes to make unreliable.
dangerous friends. and to be deceived by
them. Tne fact that he is indicated for trea-
son only shows this. that the writing OF the
letter was not only mistake, but that the
man IN whose behalf the letter was written
was wholly unworthy Of credit and conf
dencr; if my colleag ie believed that he was
innocent and loyal and patriotic, he must
have been most cruelty deceived.
Mr. President. what other circumstances
do we meet in our further progress in this
letter? What were the Obj cts for which
Thomas B. Lincoln sought an interview with
Jefferson Davis Surprising that my col
league nigh have innocenily written let
te Indifferent subject to DAVIS. and
might have given him his honorary title. and
still be gully OF no dislovalty to the Gov
ernment. when wa look ~ the object sought
to be accomplish by this letter. | cannot
doubt that disioyalty must have entered IN
10 the mind of my cotlrague. Was it 10
dispose OF any valuable i'm provem-nt in arts
Or mechanics! Was il t. dispose of pat
ent reaper, an improved engine for she pur-
pose of running "a railway train. or anything
calculated 70 advance the arts Of peace and
10 develop the wealth of the country! If
such ha been the object. il would have fur
cished an excuse for the letter: but of all
things most Objectionable, 1t is to make sale
}. what ''he regards a valuable i'm proveuer
m fire arms And under what circum-
stances? IIId not war been levied against /
he country ? Foe distinguished Senator /.
rom Delaware said thai when this letter was !
written no one contemplated state of war.
md least of all my distinguished colleague !
rom Indiana. Let me tell that Senator that |
he letter shows that not only Thomas Il.
.incon, bat the Senator from Indiana. must I
lave anticipated state OF w-r. What is /
he object sought to be accompllsha by the |
The sale OF an improved fire /
rm. Ii no war was 10 result, what use /
would Jefferson Davis have TOR an improved |
ire arm ? Was J-fferson Davis the head OF |
he Ordnance Bureau at Washington -
Vas he Secretary Of War of the United /
states : Had he right to Purchase i'm
,roved fire arms for any loval and legitimate
made TO him 10 the supposition that war was
imminent or really existed. / ask gentlemen
or an explanation Of that point. Ii the letter
cas perfectly Innocent. If no state of war
vas then contemplated, whv go to Davis to
ell arms? Why not weilgo to any Sen.
tor Ipon this floor and offer to sell him an /
improved iire-srm? As it strikes me it could /
ave bad but one single object-to give aid
tt, hI,n 30 tL,o
United States.
Upon this question desire to be under
TODD l suppose that disloyaltv may exist
1ithout actual treason. Simple disloyalty
,ay exist aud not involve the crime of trea-
On. Disl,yalty consists in intention; it is
eminent Of the heart. Treason can only
on>st in overt acts. in levying war against
ne United ates. and in giving aid and
omiort to the public enemy. II dislsyal,y
good cause for the expulsion of a member
-ss l suppose no Senator will deny-a
,ember may be guilty of disloyalty to the
and not be technically guilty i
treason. But if we were forced TO place
he argument upon that ground. 1 take it
lat there il enough in the letter u.explain-
to convict the Senator of treason before a
Try of the country. Wha, IS treason against
lie United States? "rreason against the
nited States" according TO the Consti
,tion. ''shall consist only in levying war
yainst them or in adhering to their ene- !
lies. giving them aid and comfort" H-re
re three distinct otfen~es constituting the
rime Of treason. What is the first? Lev
ing war against the United States. II you
III an improv ed Ere arm 10 a rebel in arms
really using arms for the purpose OF over
owing the Government, do you not aid 8
IN to levy war against the United States?
his is the first element in the crime at !
eason. The nextis, by adhering 10 their
,emies. giving them aid aud comfort -
That do we understand by aih-ring to q
ibIc enemies! Doing anything calculated I
advance their cause. and to strengthen {
,eir opposition to the Government of the q
nited States by force of arms. Then t
-lieve that the letter Unexplained has in it /
she essential elements OF treason. II nv
,lleague shall succeed 10 clearing everv /,
int OF disloyal,y and treason from bis char n
ter and conduct, no man will rejoice more I