Weekly Trinity journal., 1864-02-27
SENATORIAL TRrAI FOR TREAsos.-The Wash


ington correspondent of the Sacramento Union,
under date of January l4th, gives the following
graphic sketch of scene in the [. S. Senate
There was great rush yesterday at the SEN
ate to hear the trial of Garrett Davis, of Ken
lucky, upon the indictment embodied in the res
Olution of expulsion submitted by Senator Will
SON 1t had been bruted about that stirring
debate would be on the tapis, and that it was
possible that bit of fight might be expected.
SO the galleries were crowded to excess, the as
semblage even overfowing into the reporters
gallery, where the aggravated correspondents
were robbed of their comfortable quarters by the
extraordinary press from the outside. There
profound hush in the crowded chamber when
Wilson opened a pile of manuscript and COM
menced reading his speech. He began by strip
ping Davis resolutions of their yerbiage, and
then, piece by piece, showing how all their logi-
cal connection was but complete appeal to the
worst passions of the people rise against their
war leaders and to - revolt against the present
Adminstration-showing that the Kentucky Sem
ator had used the same word - revolt ap-
piled to rebellion as well as to the proposed pop
ular revolution which he urged. Wilson then
went on to show that the Peace Congress which
Davis asked for would be a revolutionary assem-
blagc, which proposition Davis assented to
the debate wore on He then endeavored to
show that the appeal of the Kentucky Senator
was calculated to incite rebellion and revolution,
and he adduced evidence from the resolutions of
Davis to show that his fulminations were indie
cent, disrespectful and reasonable.
Shorn of some of its repetitions, the speech of
Wilson was strong one, and murmur of ap
plause went around when its reading had been
concluded. Davis literally stripped himself for
the fight taking off his neck-stock and unbut-
toning his wastcoat. The burden of his speech
q You re another He spat upon Massa-
chusetts and New England generally branded
the people as disloyal and disorganizers digni-
fed the Burns rescue case a rebellion, and in
suited Wilson by repeating anonymous and ire
sponsible attacks upon his courage, honesty and
legitimate birth, insinuating that he was Clip
sey, and repeating all sorts Of inuendocs and
insinuations which he had heard. Davis made
one or two good points on Wilson, however, one
of which the assertion that when Toombs
jeff Davis and other Southern fre-eaters had
uttered their tratorous harangues in the Senate,
Wilson had remained in his seat q as dumb as
fish," All Of which is nearly true and now,
backed by powerful majority, Wilson is bolder
than then. Davis went into a lengthy history of
all the commotions in the North which could be
tortured into show sembance of rebellion,
and argued therefrom that the North, especially
New England had been guilty of repeated trea
son, and that the Senator from Massachusetts
had never lifted his voice or arm against it. He
read copiously from laws, letters, speeches and
even anonymous letters, the while sitting mis-
desk to rest his legs. Davis is a small. pale old
man, and his body gave out long before his voice
did, and it was a comical figure which he made,
sitting on his desk, his little legs hanging down
in front, and his body doubled over an immense
volume, from which he read nearly the whole of
the Fugitive Slave Law
When he had concluded his three hours speech
Wilson replied extemporaneously and made a
very good speech, refuting completely all of the
personal sanders which had been cast upon him
by the Industrious scavenger of scandal and gos-
sip from Kentucky. He exposed the malice and
uarrow-mindedness which had prompted the
vituperativc attack of Davis, who had never
touched, in all his Vaccinations, the real merits
of the question, but had confined his efforts to
personal abuse of the author of the resolutions
of expulsion. Wilson reply was not long, nor
was it so able as a stronger man might have
made it, being good mplifcation of the old
adage, that he who pleads his cause has
fool for his client. Wilson struggles manfully
and red facedly with his subject, but never seems
to be master of it somehow, but splutters and
fumes when he should be calm, sarcastic and
dignifed in his invective. The whole matter
has been postponed until the amendments to the
Enrolment Bill are disposed of.