The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-11-19
the whole Northern Cabinet had


perished, this could only have infu-
enced the result by rendering the
irresistible armies of Grant and Sher-
man more revengeful, and adding to
the sufferings of the vanquished.
Booth was not Southerner, had no
connexion with any State of the Con-
| federacy, had endured no outrage.
suffered no loss. It was well known
that his fathers intellect was disorder
ed, and that he had committed acts of
violence. The circumstances of the
crime-the theatre, the stage, tho
flourish, the quotation, the mans life,
his letters, his dying request to tell
his mother that he had done what he
thought for the best-all indicated
the individuality of the act, the
originator, the intended hero of the
tragedy. 1t is one of the crimes that
throughout all history, and with all
nations, has invariably accompanied
such convulsions. No great disturb
ance occurs in European history but
some one comes forward to play this
part. There is hardly a sovereign
relgnlng i'll Europe whose life has not
been attempted; and there are those
old enough to remember the conspi-
racy OF Thlstlewood, when it was in
tended to destroy the whole Govern
ment OF this country at q blow. So
Tar, then, from the event being rare
phenomenon, it was one to be antici-
pated; indeed, it seems to have been
expected by Mr.. Seward. AS in GER
tain sanitary conditions certain dis
eases attack the body, SO amidst wars
and tumults this form of monomania
selzes on minds so predisposed In
all this, however deplorable, there is
nothing astounding; but astounding
1t is that President of the United
States should bring a charge of COM
phclty in such crime against an
eminent American statesman and sol
der. To make such Il charge heed
lessly without evidence of the clearest
character, was to bring an inc efflceable
stain upon the dignity of his Office,
and the history of his country. 1t
bears the aspect Of an attempt to
assassinate the reputation of a de-
fenceless man. Amongst savages it
is the practice to gloat over the tor
lures of the defeated, to make target
of the quivering body, and transfx it
with arrows, as pastime Civilized
nations usually treat the victims of
war with humanity, even with gene
rosity. The whole conduct of the
Government i'll this matter of the con-
splracy trial is painful in the extreme
the trial of an offence wholly uncon-
nected with war by court martial; :;
the composition of that court-its
president, its reporter, the tittle-tattle
received as evidence, and, beyond all,
the secrecy attempted-carry us back
to the worst usages of the darkest
times
Jefferson Davis is now in the hands
of his enemies, and remains 10 be
tried for treason. If he had commit
ted this crime he would then stand on
q level with Washington, Kossuth,
Garibaldi and others, hitherto the
objects of American admiration. Can
the same thing be a virtue when others
suffer, and the blackest of crimes
when it Injuries ourselves? If he be
tried under the present excitement.
there can be little doubt as to the
verdict; but it cannot be supposed
that the American people will commit
such an act as to take any mans life
for simply following the example of
their own idolized hero, and exercis-
ing right they are all taught to
claim-"a most sacred right" as Mr..
Lincoln declared it to be. And as
Mr.. johnson reiterates that treason is
the greatest of crimes, we are led to
examine how it is regarded by the
Constitution Of the United States.
Here, so far from being thus account
ed, it is selected from all other offences.
not to be stigmatized, but to be dealt
with gently, and hedged round with
projections from extreme punishment.
Thus, Art. /, sec. 9: ''No bill of at
tainder shall be passed" Art. III,
B. ktNn cl,nll lA1,