The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-07-24
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what Shall bc Done with jefferson
Davis.

From Ue Nr,r York Past.
II has been said lately i'm dispatches
from Washington that the head of th,
late rebellion is to Dee tried 40 Wash
ngtou. and hv military commission,
ou the charge OF being au accumpllc,
Inn the murder of Mr.. Lincoln. 10 is
added that some new proof OF his COM
urrtiou with the crime is i'm the possess
sion of the government.
There Is apparently considerable hes
itatiou ou the part of the government
as to the eNpedicucy of bringing Jeiier-
son Davis tO trial ON the charge of trca-
son. the punishment OF which is death.
II his life should be- taken for the -iu-
gle offence of having taken 20 promi-
ueut part i'm the revolt against the gem
eral government. there il mo- doubt that
the large majority of the best friends of
orr cause iu Onr late contest with
the rebel states would Doe dis
appointed. The treatment of those
who rise i'm revolt against the
government under which they live has
been growing more and more leujcnt
with every epoch recorded i'm the pages
of history. Very few rrNOlt~ have uc-
CURED ina the history of the world for
which Their. was not some excuse I'M
the oppression and injustice OF the
rulers. 4 sense of this ha~ weighed
upon the public mind 90 such 20 degree
that even absolute governments have
been forced. hV "a respect for public
opiuiou. To- ah~t1iu from visiting upon
those who hv its laws were guilty of
treason. the last penalties Of the law.
Punishment has been their doom m
nauycaSc~: i'm some they have been ul-
lowed to make microscope and seek Zee
mge Inn foreign lands, and i'm others,
after some years of Imprisonment, they
have Ippu liberated and sent abroad To
end their lives i'm exile. But death by
thcu axe or galloWS. or even perpetual
confinement ina the dungeons of state,
D has come To Doe regarded as AN inilicuou
F too severe for the offence, and worthy
only of "a period of imperfect eiNiliz1-
N will be said i'm answer, and said
very truly, that the revolt OF the slave
holders against the government OF the
United states is distinguished from all
ordinary cases bv being revolt with
ont uroVOcatiOn; that the rights ol no
mann and Of no class were invaded; That
thcy who planned the rebellion and
levied war against the United State,
had mo- grievance 90 complain OF; had
mo- other experience of the working of
our Government than the protection IL
gave and the blessings 10 bestowed; that
I'm the bloodshed and AN the miseries
with which 10 has been attended, were
|wantonly brought upon the country 10y
the leaders I'm this treason; thal every
paue of suffering inflicted IN tins war
+ WA. their deliberate work; every case
0 of property destroyed robbery, ana
every life taken a murder iOr which
they are responsible, SO Wholly cause
less and ncNcuSable was thu rehellloll
which has Just been suhdued. IL VIII
De said. as Mr.. Johnson has already
said. with am emphasis which has met
with au echo i'm every loyal heart, thh'
/ i'm this treason of theirs IS summed mp
and concentrated every crime against
the moral code.
But the reioinder is at hand, ON the
part of the liberals of Europe, That al
b lowing AN this 20 Doe true, the example
of bloody severity with which THESE
deeds ct blood and rapine are To ID,
avenged d, "a fearful one Tor the cause oI
liberty m Europe. The deSpotS' theN
saw. would rejoice AT nothing So hucn
rs the opportunity Of referring 10 tha'
example i'm justification of Their owl
barharities. They would be released
from tine necessity, under which lhcN
now feel themselves, of dealing nnldlN
with those who, eNaspcrated by op
preSsious which they can endure IA,
longer. take counsel with each other on
the means of emancipating themselves
andlthcir cOuntrymcn. You com pam
of our severity the minionS OF ab>"'
utism would say, "hut look al N09l
model republic; see with what terrible
punishments IL visits those VINO riN'
against its authority. We only adop
lis code and initiate its practices.
n is not To be- wondered at, therefore
that our friends i'm other countries
should have some painful appreheh
sion, of the effect which the condlel
punishmcnt of the traitors mere may
huyc for the cause of hberN on the con
uucnt of Europe, and should dreat
from 80 ~eVercr and hurucr EXERCISE %
arbitrary power IN REFRESHING tn'
slightest offer 10 question the rlghtlul
ness of despotiism. y feeling OF thl
kind, we have no doubt, lies at IN,
bottom of the many appeals which
come from that quarter in behalf of
Imorriful and indulgeut course toward!
Inc NanmiShcd and captured leader
of the rebellion. We do not wonde
that some impression should be mad
on our government by their remon
strHnces.
N NAV be questioned, however
whether Il would be "A wiser course OF
fine part of the government TO brlni
Davis to trial for the part lac Is sup
poscd tohave taken in the murder oi MI
lincoln. Unless the crime be brough
! home To him i'm Il manner which Shal
leave no possible room Tor uoup'
.there will always be a large proportlo
of mankind who will not admit That m
,yos iustlv condemned. Abroad, IN
= general expression in regard TO ms con
Dection with the assassination Is ina
: of inter incredulity. IL will requlr
strong and direct evidence of his CON
plicitv with the murderers to oVercom
This slowness of belief His treaso
p nobody denies, 1T is palpable, histories
= fact; his part i'm the murder was cover
ed mn i'm clandestine communications
{ and shows only by chain of clrcuh
b stances: or its proof may depend upo
the testimony of persons whose Nerilc.
e tv severe arbiter might not thlnk ul
Questionable. IL would certainly o
Greatly To the discredit of the countr
. ifDavis should die for an offence IN