Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-10-14
The uirz Commission.

Gen. Wallace aud his confreres on the Wirz
Military Commission. never reaped glory as sol
oieTs, but they are harvesting plentiful crop oil
disgrace in their new occupation. Since they
seized the tools of jursprudcnce they have sho N
themselves sufficiently ignorant and insolent, but
Tor The last lew days they hayeout commissioned
tns Commission. Captain WIrz is accused oi
starving hrs prisoners. Mr. Baker proposes to
show by Gen. Lee, uen. Johnston aud Others
that the Confederate soldiers themselves we're
starving &C the same time. aud this uUavoida-
bic. Tins EVIL ence seems relevant and import
ant Col Chapman objects on grounds that
would seem absolutely laaghaDle ~ any lawyer
OF average learning aud aOlllty, were it not that
they sOoerly urged, sooeriy heard, and
vail probably De eooery allowed, by the au-
gust board ut pOteni, grave aud reverend
&c Is who compose the court He cites indis-
putAbie authority 70 the point that party in
the same inuItt nIent cannot be a witness for his
co-deendast until he has hrss been acquitted or
convicted, whether they plead jointly or separa-
tely From which he springs like a chamos,
over whole Alps Of reasoning and chasms OF law,
10 tue CONCLUSION that "the rebellion has been
one gigantic act OF treason, common con
spiracy 10 overthrow our Government Not a
single rebe engaged in il, according TO the strict
rules OF law, Is n competent witness for another
on trial, charged With reasonable ofenses, as he
Is al accessory before or after the fact, or a CO.
conspirstor or an accomplice, aud therefore ex
Guided l say, then. until they are purged by
special pardoHs. by general pardon, or by &C
quittsl before competent court, no one OF then,
ought TO be permitted 10 testify for his asso-
cities !"
In other words, Capt. Wirz, being tried for
murder and ill-ueatment OF prisoners, cannot
have Gen John ton for a witness, because Gen
Johnston, IN Col. Chspmsn's opinion, has COM
mlt1ed treason; 1t being utterly immaterial that
the prisoner and witness are not parties in the
indictment; that she crimes are different. that
the CRIMINAL acts OF The two men are different
that Gen. Johnston has never been convicted of
any crime, or even so much AS indicted And
the man who advances such trash as this is &C.
coraing TO the New York rimcs, "a lawyer OF
hae ability, and pleasing. digDIhed address who
tries ms case VITA impressive eirnes,ness, but
justly and fairly"
When the evidence was going on for the
prosecution, every one who had even the dim
mest. vaguesi keas Of the law Of evidence, was
amazed az the kind OF testimony which Colonel
chapman offered and the Commission admitted
Sail IL Vas A. Military Com mission" No one
expected them TO follow the law II had been
decided oy the highest legal authority that 'wh.,
the soldier said 10 10 evidence" B,rdell VI.
Plcksick. Dc. &c. SIsreleigh. j But here
NOT only what Tie soldier SAID, but what the
bakers daughter in the pink Bonnet heard from
the carpenters grandmother. in reply to the
question whether her cousin had the clergyman's
pick az. could - be evidence" provided Only il
vas against Capt Nirz
Nov that evidence IS going in for the accused
unhssrd OF striugency is substituted for unheaTd-
OF ls1Hr. Important. essential, rssslant evil
dence N Wirzsfsvo Is ruled oct With pro npti-
taos only pAraleled by that With which irreveisnt
hesray testimony sgsins, him was before ad
miusd General Wallace and his eenfreres have
turned themselves from court Of old women
goss,ps into stringent %, OF star chsmberers
The Military Commission itself was piece Of
cissrsceiul Illegally bat It's injustice has become
50 brsssn, shameless. arrogant aud nia nous
TIA. the Disgrace Of is origin has ceased TO oead
the psDlie senss-as If . batch of hasiards bad
wiped out their shame With Q succession Of homi
cldal slsughtsrs New York World