The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-09-13
Henry Ward Beccher ON the Fate OF
Mr.. Davis.

Henry Ward Beccher ON tho Fate OF
Mr.. Davis.
Rev. Henry Ward Beccher, on Sun
day last, delivered lorg sermon on
the fate of Mr.. Davis In conclusion,
he said:
a speak it with a certain rel,lc-
tance, and the though, oftentimes,
when it comes, even touches me with
grief, but I believe that Mr. Davis,
for example, will be hung. Already
the scene rises before me. He is
tried; he is convicted; he stands on
the scaftold. All nations have watch
ed the sure process of the law; all
nations have listened to the charges
laid at his door; all nations gather
about the scaffold. There are some
things to plead for him He is Il
! man of distinguished ability; he has
conducted this war with pertinacity
and courage; he was the beloved lead
er of the multitudes of the South,
and even now millions of them would
shield him if they could. He has {,
wife who loves him, and children who
cannot understand his crime; he is
surrounded by mighty innumerable
North, who, the war being over and
its hot passions cooled. have 40 hate
and no malice, and nothing more and
nothing worse than chastenel, sor-
rowful indignation toward him They
would release him if they could. If
they could forget the dead; if they
We're not compassed about with a
great cloud of witnesses; if their bells
OF victory were not drowned by their
bells of mourning; if they conld forget
their country; if they could forget
their God. they would give way to
their pity for Il brother man in his ex-
trenity. They hear voices from over
the sea; voices of sympathy for him;
voices of pleading; OCCASIONAL voices
OF threatening. maNi,r But nothing
a~"ii"--noihlnG :uail>, hc c1tl-t he
spared, he would not consent to peace !;
he would not he just: We would not be
Il patriot; he must die And the axe
comes down. and the world shudlrrs,
and the great traitor is dead And
claim that such a scene and spectacle
will do more for the stability of a
country. and for the canse of public
order. than almost any dozen great
acts OF these last four years. 1t will
take rank among the sublimities of
history. 1t will have Il moral dignity
and weight which no magnificent bat
ties we have fought could have 1t
will engage the attention of mankind
as none of our battles have. It will be
more easily comprehendcd by them
It will be rebellion and slavery epi-
tomised and embodied in the form and
N5rson of their chief man, and then
beheaded fdT their sins. And the
people will understand that simple
tragic thing. And it will sink into
them. And it will hallow love in
their feelings forever more Let it
come, then. History waits for it. The
greatest work of modern time-our
loyal war, I mean--waits for its cap
stone. Let it be raised to its bed.
Not with shoutings, but in silence
and with tears, if you please. But
let it be raised. And, in the words OF
our great martyr when he wrote the
decree which has made him immortal
Upon this, our coming solemn act
of justice, we invoke the blessings OF
Almighty God and the considerate
Judgment OF mankind" Amen and
amen.
Every chance OF a deficient crop OF
wine in France this season is gradl.
ally disappearing, and although it is
admitted that the produce in some
vineyards will be less than was expect
ed, the deficiency will be made good
in other districts, so that a reduction
| In the ra1.icn Of 1riln il ,nnt Anlr ,arnbn