Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-06-12
The English and French Press On sht
- "a Capture Of jeff Davis

Africa az Boston. In announcing the capture
OF Jen. Davis, indulge in different styles o
comment. We make few extracts:
Iron the Manchester Examiner, May a7.J
| na Sauuld mr. Davis oe hanged at all, IL will
for treason, and we trust he wont be hanged
ior that The New York Times Gays that TO
co..s, ma paSis to the gallows WIN help to
that II any thing can save il rom infsmy. it
will be the execu ution Of Mr.. Day,s The sca afold
win ssuredly make him martyr DeathDwill
give his name power with postarity that
| nothing else could give 1t The enemies OF the
United States win be glad TO see Mr.. Davis
hanged. II the Government and few OF the
| leading men Of every State could be hanged
along with him, il would please them all the
better We trust the counses OF such men as
Mr. Sumner, Mr.; Greeley. Mr.. FL: W. Beeeher,
and Mr.. Wendell Phillips, and the calm wis
dom Of President johnson and Mr.. seward
will refuse them this qualification.
tFrom the Manchester q uardian, May 271
PRESIDENT Davis is in the hands of his ene-
mics. For the sake OF a cause worthy Of sup
port, and supported with rare devotion, It
Will be fortunate that the man who has acted
as as It's head from the beginning to its moprn-
ful END Is freed from the reproach OF COM
plicity in a detestabIe crime. But his life is in
great danger, and with IL the still graver is
honorabiy treated. 1t Is undoubtedly in the
power OF the Federal Government to punish
him to the last extremity for the political Of
tense Of levying war against them; and we
fear IT is but too consistent with the threats of
vengeance uttered by President johnson that
his course should be taken. Now, then, is the
strong party in the North will be earnestly ex-
erted to prevent so shameful a crime from
staining the success OF the Bepublic there Is
every reason to believe. But no w far counsels
Of dignity and justice may accord with the
will of the Federal Government, and how far
1t may even be possible for the Executive to
carry them out against the pressure OF pop
ular demands for vengeance, are matters OF
uncertainty. 1t is sincerely TO be hoped how
ever, that they may prevail to prevent the
which have been wrought bv the sword; and
no efforts which it may be thought the civil
lied powers of the world can usefully employ
to be withheld.
From the London Times
The intelligence of the capture OF Mr.. Jeffer.
son Davis will produce a feeling of uneasiness
had hoped and we seemed TO have good reason
to hope, that, either through the skill of his
own dispositions or by the wise connfvanoe Of
his enemies, Mr., Davis would have effected his
escape from the land w here he has played his
stake 80 boldly and lost 1t so completely. The
hopes Of the South are evidently crushed be-
yond all chance Of redemption and it would
have been wise as well a magnanimous
policy to suffer its leaders to escape.
We had rebellion in 1S4S In Ireland, but we
disdained to dip our hands in the blood OF the
rebels. We pardoned Smith O'Brfen and
Mitchell, and Meagher. In their case there
was no difficulty in ascertaining the law; the
ishment equally notorious. The capital pun
ishment OF Charles l., whatever people may
think of it now, was undou btedly great mis-
take, and probably one OF the principal causes
of the long and dreary period during which we
had TO wait before the accomplishment Of our
Liberties was finally attained. Equally impol-
seized Washington in the early part of the
Revolutionary war, we might have considered
aas In him ss de-
mission. But long before the end Of the war
we had learned to know him and respect him,
and had he fallen into our hands he would
have been considered entitled to all the cour-
tesles due to generous snd noble.minded
adversary.
All this is, Of course, written on the suppo-
sition, the truth of which we do not tor mo-
ment doubt, that it will be found impossible to
connect Mr.. Davis In any way with the afro
cious plot for the assassination of MI Lincoln:
Our object Is not to palliate that enormous
crime, and If It be possible to show that Mr.
Davis h vas va % Sosniza0t % Of It. we have nothing to
first opportunity OF representing how enor-
nous would be the guilt of commencing a
political contests in America for the next een a
that Davis was an accompiice in the assassi-
nation; La France takes q similar view, ana
Opinion % mn NatioHaie III % IL is Of the Opinion that his
capture will produce emoral EN- embarrassments,'
and the Pays scouts the idea that he is an as
different ground, remarking that tAIthoueh
this last triumph OF the North must be de-
plored in view OF the principle Of popular lib
erty, still IL should be regarded as q proviGen-
tial event for the future OF the Southern States.
In fact, the demagogic party has got itself into
q position antagonistic to every sentiment
of humanity, justice and generosity, and the
death OF Mr.. Davis by violence would cover
the victors with shame and ruin them NOR
ally"
From the London Daily News
Mr.. Davis has now fallen into the hands OF
the Law, and we sincerely wish that he may
find more consideration than he showed his
felIow.countrymen. Now that he is taken we
can only repeat what we said ten days ago
that we c annot see what the Government or
people of the Union gain by his capture. His
history is severer penalty than any that
an earthly tribunal can pronounce. The latter
can do nothing to make the rebellion more in
famous. The Government OF the United
States is warranted IN doing everything to ex-
tirpate the deep-seated social causes of the.
recent war, but its truest friends must hope
that 1t will lay aside all thought Of political
vengeance, and be content with the splendid
vindication Of the national dignity by its citi-
zen soldiers. The charge which has been
brought against Mr.. Davis of completely with
the conspirators against Mr. Lincoln is an
other matter, and q government that might be
content to let q traitor escape with slight
punishment would be bound to visit partici-
patton in murders with the heaviest penal
ties.
H-Han Grant has naa rlv conn N Ioted n In on