The New York herald., 1865-06-01

The transition state between that Of aThxe and
citizen, with Ill Its rights, IL q criticw period
fer the black nuaa a. we'll as for the esuntry.
They who, for political advancement, attempts
to SOW the seed of disanection can be. CON.
sidsred in no other light than an enemy tO'law
and order. Let Chief Justice Chase and Sena-
tor Sumner, therefore, beware how they haudle
edged tools, or they may find themselves held
responsible for . relentless, sanguinary social
war.
The Trial OF the Assassination Conspf-
rntors-DTorc Evidence Against Je8.
Davis.
Tho trial Of the assassination conspirators at
Washington Is progressing slowly. Probably
at least another week will elapse before the
proceedings are concluded. AS whole, the
defence Of the prisoners has not been very
strong. OLsughlin is, perhaps, not so much
implicated as the others Several circum-
stances favorable to DR.. Mudd have been pre-
sented. Harolds only defence is that he is q
mere boy, easily Influenced and incapable Of
decided criminality. The plea of Atzerott ap-
pears to be that he is natural coward, which
is quite probable, since it is in evidence that,
after being provided with weapons, he ran
away without attempting to kill the Vice Presi-
dent, whom he was selected to assassinate A
contradict the government witnesses upon
immaterial points are relied upon to shield
Mrs. Surratt from conviction. The counsel for
Payne and Spangler have not yet developed
their defence. Now that the government has
presented it's case, the trial, so far as the pri-
soners in court are concerned, is scarcely more
interesting than an ordinary prosecution for
murder.
But it is far otherwise when evidence i'm
plicating the rebel chiefs is offered. Then the
excitement grows intense, and every word is
heard and read with anxious interest. Though
not actually on trial before the court, these
leaders of the conspiracy are on trial before the
country. JEFF. Davis has been publicly accused
by President johnson and Secretary Stanton Of
completely in the assassination. We know that
he has been guilty Of treason. The verdict of
the jury before which he is to be tried upon
that charge is anticipated by the people. The
question now to be determined is, whether or
not he was one of the conspirators who con-
trived the death of the late President. The
verdict upon this question seems to be antici-
pated also. In addition to the strong testimony
already ELECTED, the government has now shown
that Davis received the news of the assassina-
ton with evident pleasure; that he expressed
his sorrow that johnson and Stanton were not
killed; that he rebuked Breckenridge for re-
GREETING Mr.. Lincoln's murder; that he declared
that ''if it were to be done, it were better that
1t were well done," and that he announced it
as piece of good news to the crowd which he
was addressing at Charlotte, North Carolina.
Taken in connection with the previous testi-
mony, this evidence is important; for it shows
that, after endorsing the assassination plot
after assisting it and paying for it, jeff Davis
rejoiced At and elosied in Its success. Such
monster should have two lives, that both might
be taken In punishment for his double crime.
No attentive reader Of our report Of the trial
will have failed to observe the evidence in re-
gard to the yellow fever conspiracy and the
part which jake Thompson-and through him
Sanders, Tucker and Davis-played in it. Men
who could concoct such an infamous scheme,
which failed providentialy to do any harm, are
fit conspirators for the assassination of the great
and good man whom Booth foully murdered.
At the same time there may be some
truth in the statement made to the court
by the rebel Major Douglass. He strongly
AYERS that the men of the rebel Stonewall
brigade "knew nothing about, nor in the least
sympathized with, any such unrighteous and
unsoldierlike action" as President Lincoln's
murder. We can concede this in regard to the
rebel soldiers and the great body Of the rebel
people. Bad as the rebellion was, we cannot
believe that 1t transformed the Southerners into
fends incarnate. But this concession only
makes the case against the rebel leaders-who
did know about the assassination, and who did
sympathize in IL and declare IL well done
more strong and severe. Had the masses of
the Southern people been accessory to such q
diabolical plot, there could have been no re-
union, for we should have refused to live with
such wretches. But although -the Southern
people disavow the crime, and although the
Southern soldiers disavow il, jeff Davis has
not reprobated it, the rebel leaders have not
disclaimed any sympathy with it; but Davis,
speaking for them all, declares that ''if it were
to be done, II were better that It were we'll
done," and displays his knowledge of the plot
by regrettin0 that johnson and Stanton did not
also fall. II is to the interest, therefore, ofboh
the North and the South that the leading con-
spirators should be punished, so that neither
section of the country shall be longer disgraced
by such moral monstrostles.
GENERAL SnERMAS's REPoRT-The report Of
General Sherman, involving his defence of his