The New York herald., 1865-06-21


rescue of Colchester, or leave him to the fate Of
juggler. we shall, il in season, have COM
petent reporter on the spot to communicate,
through the HERALD, to all the spirits and to
the world at large the proceedings and ex-
pected astounding developments Of this funny
trial
PRESIDENT LINooINs EsrArE-Tn DUrY OF
CoNGREss.-A report has been put into circula-
ton that the savings of President Lincoln from
his Official salary Of twenty-five thousand dol
las year enabled him to leave to his family
an estate of seventy-fve thousand dollars in
value, and that his sons, BESIDES are well pro-
vided for. This report, In our opinion, Is q
pure inventon-and the invention, too, Of some
malignant enemy Of President Lincoln and Of
the Union cause. It is simply preposterous to
suppose, considering the extraordinary expen-
ditures to which President Lincoln was SUBJ
jected in consequence of the war, that he could
have saved anything beyond four or Eve thou
sand year from his salary of twenty-five thou
sand dollars. He was q prudent, economical
man; but the hospitalities Of the White House
exacted from him and from Mrs. Lincoln many
heavy expenses, which, from proper respect
for the dignity Of their position, they could not
avoid. We doubt, therefore, whether the estate
left his family exceeds in amount his house and
lot in Springfield and some twenty or thirty
thousand dollars in ready money or its equiva-
lent in government stocks. We understand
that when he left Springfield for Washington,
in 1861, he was not rich; that from the practice
of his profession as lawyer he had been earn
ing comfortable support, but not much be-
yond the expenses of his family and the i'm
provements of his little homestead, which he
made from time to time.
At all events, we hold that in President Lin
coins second Inauguration contract was rati-
fed between him and the United States from
which the country is not released by his death.
Moreover, the splendid triumph of the Union
cause, the abolition of slavery, the glorious
character, reputation and power which the
name of Abraham Lincoln throughout the
world has given to the people, the cause and
the government of the United States, cannot be
estimated in dollars, if we count them out by
thousands of millions. Whatever, therefore,
patriotic private individuals may do in the in
terval for the benefit of his family, the first act
of the new Congress, after the meeting and
organization of the two houses, should be an
appropriation of the one hundred thousand
name of the United States, to the widow and
children of Abraham Lincoln. In fact the pre-
cedents established by Congress in the cases Of
both President Harrison and President Taylor,
even under ordinary circumstances, would leave
to Congress no escape from this obligation.
Let this private enterprise in recognition Of the
great services of President Lincoln be carried
out 1t will be proper testimonial directly
from the people; but the debt due from the
government must be paid by Congress.
WHAT Is TREAsoN!-A literary society lately
formed itself into q court for the trial Of jeff
Davis, and the jury returned verdict that
there was no such crime as treason, and there
fore JEFF. Davis was not guilty. Some journals
entertain the same idea; others the reverse.
Now, would it not be we'll in this confusion of
things that we should have some legal authority
defining what treason is? 1t manifestly comes
under the authority of tho Judges of the
United States courts in this city to take cogni-
zance of the matter. Judge Nelson, of the
Circuit Court, recently gave an important deci-
sion in regard to furnishing supplies TO the
government, the effect of which was allowing
ten per cent commission to navy agents. Judge
Nelson is also an Associate Justice Of the
United States Supreme Court He is a
very good Judge. Judge Belts, Of the
District Court, is also a good judge.
AT the next sitting Of the Grand Jury
they should be charged in regard to the
meaning of treason, and instructed to investi-
gate the subject thoroughly, in order that
traitors may be presented, indicted and con-
victed. There are plenty of traitors here, and
there is abundance of evidence to convict
them. According to the testimony produced
before the military court at Washington, there
are persons in this city connected with the
traitors in Canada, and to have received money
from the Thompson assassination fund. II is
the duty of the Grand Jury to ascertain all
about these reasonable practices--to ferret
out all these traitors, and TO present bills OF
indictment which, with the light already given,
cannot fail of conviction. Let treason be
defined and traitors punished.
CASE FOR OUR CRY CoUNCIIs.-During the
last two or three years considerable sums of
money, in various ways, have been drawn from
the city treasury, and from the spoils and plum
der Of the city democracy, to the support of
various discreditable political projects and
agents, including Ben Woods Daily Ne,cs.
Enough is now known Of Ben Woods financial
associations to justify nay, to call for an nves-
tgation into the sums of money paid from the
city treasury, in every shape and form, during