The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-12
THE TRIAL OF DAVIS.

son Davis will be tried for treason som
time during the coming month. an
mat the Chief Justice of the Unite
States will preside; but there are variou
unauthenticated rumors with regard {
the particular locality of the expecte,
trial One report is that Carroll Hall
at Old Point, is being fitted up for tina
purpose; while others say Norfolk viii
he the scene of the closing acts in the
drama of the great rebellion. Richmond
Is claimed by some as the proper place
and we have no doubt a Richmond Jury
would be equally as acceptable to the
prisoners friends as one composed oil
the people of Norfolk or Old Point
however, in a trial before the United
States Court the jurors can be taken from
any part of the district. We feel inter.
ested in having the trial come off i'm this
city, as it would be feather in our
cap, that might even eclipse the
Petersburg Cockade )" and we be-
lieve that he could receive q more i'm.
partial hearing among our liberal mind
ed people, than in any other city, where
the feelings of the public are more or
less favorable to him. If an unbiased
jury can be found anywhere, we think
IL might be selected from among the oli.
ct and justice-loving citizens of Norfolk.
We trust, therefore, that we shall be
thus highly honored by the President.
and that our modest bearing in the past
will be rewarded by the selection of this
ancient and honorable city for the trial
of the late President of the Confederacy,
We can offer sufficient accommodations
for the purpose-can well bestoW the
court, the counsel, the witnesses. and
the officers thereof, the members of the
press and the thousands Of visitors, who
will doubtless attend the important
proceedings. Ourhotel facilities are am
pie and our people are known as the
most liberal and hospitable i'm Vii.
ginia; and they would accept it as
a special favor from the authorities. "a
we'll as mark of the Presidents conf
dence in their loyalty and patriotism.
We have annoyed the government less
than any other city in the South-have
quietly attended to our own private af-
fairs, eschewed politics and forborne to
press our claims upon the attention of
the Executive by holding s'great mass
meetings." annoying him for pardons,
and insisting that the government should
give its entire attention to our complain
ings and grumblings to the exclusion of
the. equally pressing necessities of be-
tween thirty and forty millions of peo-
pie dwelling in other portions of this
broad land; although we may think that
our twenty thousand population have
more claims upon the attention of the
authorities than the millions dwelling
in less favored localities. One thing we
can promise, and that is fair trial
whether we convict or acquit Mr.. Da-
Wis. The trial will not, of course.
be very lengthy one: for OH the charge
of treason there will be no witnesses to
examine. Mr.. Davis will hardly deny
the fact, patent to the whole world, that
he has waged- war against the United
States Government-that he has commit |
ted the overt acts with which he will be |
charged in the Northumberland these.
acts admittedt the testimony of witnesses
to prove them, will be unnecessary. 1t
will be altogether wordy contest he.
tween the opposing counsel, and the ar
gumentwillbe both learned and LENGTHY
We may anticipate the grandest exhibit
ton of forensic eloquence and legal
that the world has Witnessed
since the trial of Warren Hastings. Tho
question of treason will be exhoustod
the law books will be exhausted tho t
and State rights will he ex- s
precedents will be exhausted
tile Court will be exhausted; thelawyers |
will exhaust their wonderful powers {
the press and the public will he ex haust-
ed and if Davis survive all these ex-
forces, he will rot have much
strength left to suffer further exhaustion
IN the scaffold, should such be his doom.
There are persons in the South who
IRE still foolish enough to think that
slavery may he revived, and many de-