Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-06-03
Remarkable Article from a Re-
publican Paper.
SECRET COURTS = THE TRIAL OF THE
ASSAssINS.
Editorial from Thursdays New rork Times
(Mr, Se,p1rI's Ofpan.)

(Wr. SeWard'S Otgan.)
It is very possible the publication Of
the evidence taken OH the trial Of the con.
spirators at Washington might prevent
the arrest Of some persons implicated in
the crime Of assassination who are now
at large; but their arrest must he Of very
great Importance indeed, If the fear of
their escaping is sufficient to Justify The
profound secrecy with which it has been
determined to surround the proceedings.
The chief Of Booths accomplices, it is fair
to conclude. are those for whose apprebcn.
sion reward has been offrred-Davis,
Tucker, Sanders& Co.--aud il is not Pre-,
tended that anything which may transpirc
at the trial at Washington, will in the lcas,
dc. rec, offsct he chance OF ihclr escape.
They put on their guard by tho Pres.
dents proclamation as they are likely 10
b. by anything else that can occur.
1t is not unfair to conclude, there, fore,
that 'tho parties who may escape, should
publicity be given to the proceedings,
are "pnr'ica" Of an Inferior dcgroo of
guilt, and now within the Limits of the
United States, and if 10, VIC cannot help
'ayirg that Is for various weisLty reasons
to be regretted that their capture should
ho deemed either so important aud diff
cult,as to be made the pretext or occasion
OF Introduction into Our criminal prccc-
durc so extraordinary an anomaly as trial
by military commission Tor capital
oiionse with closed doors, and with al
oath of secrecy imposed Oh oil persons
'aking part in the proceedings. We think
it would have lccn iufuissly better to
have postpone! the trial TIL all publicity
could do no harm,even if that period we're
likely 10 be six months distant, than in.
tr'ducc into tins country so novel ,ribu-
nal, aud one 50 repuguant to the 5 phi, CT
our Institutions, as that which is now sit
ting at ashiDgton. sit is one for which
no precedent is to be found in the history
Of any free CO ln'ry, and one OF whirh the
worst European dcspoisms have rarely
vcutured, even in Poland or Hungary,
to resort. Eyon the unhappy victims of
the Irish rebellion were prepared for tho
gallows III oprn court, and in the light of
day
Moreover, there arc stroag doubts en-
teri aimed by i'll Effected person at the
North as to the txistclcc of any good
foundation for the charges made against
Davis in the late proclamation. Abroad
all the enemies Of the government will
certainly receive them with incrcdulty and
aorsion "aud there is no question that,
under al. the circum tances, it would be
difficult to imagine position more hu-
initiating and embarrassing than that iu
which the government will stand, if ii
should appea. tho. those charges we're
lightly or frivolusly made" Nothing will
prevent, however, the spread of such a
presumption, except the production in
open court Of the evidence on which they
were based and lis submission 10 the scru-
uily Of Tho prisoners, counsel and of the
public at large. Those who aattor them.
selves that public opinion, either at home
or abroad, will be much lhucnced by ga
version OF it which has been edited and
cxpurgatcd by tho Judge Advocate, must
be very simple indeed. "Nobody will
permit hinse'f, whatever his eanings may
be, to attach ahy value to revelations
made under conditions in which every rule
of evidence is set at nsught, and even the
experience OF every day life treated with
oou.emrt,"
What makes tho n after all the worse
is that OH tho very day on which tribunal
begins its proceedings, the state of things
which alone could justify it, "if anything
could justify it, had been icrmally dc.
clared at an end by proclamation,undcr tho
Presidents hand and seal. Foreign pow
crs were warned that the war was over at
the very moment that tribunal was as.
scmtliug, for whose constitution and pro
ccdurc acthing but overwhelming ard i'm
mincnt danger 10 the national cXistcnce
would be sufficient warrant Wlll they
really believe that has been restored when
a most atrocious crimo has to be tried and
punished by military court sitting in the
national capital and in a country,in which
all secret things, and above all, secret
trials, have always been held in abhorcncc
ssS- A Vermont paper says tho ru'