The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-05-15
-17s-.,, ,,,wtpaI AFrested.

The Great Criminal AfFest
After the surrender Of Lee and john
..on. there was but one browning triumph
,assrvsd for the Government. The only
decisive event Jeff 10 mark the termination
Of the war and the restoration Of the
Union, was the arrest and punishment OF
the leading traitor, in whom the rebellion
wss represented sRd embOdied-Je eferson
Davis. When that deed is accomplished, |
the last vestige of the aConfederaey' will /
be demo ished. 1t will be the tangible
accomplishment of what has already been
practically performed. The "Confederacy
with its armies surrendered and disbanded,
with It's capital, archives and NUM-
tions of war in our possession,
with its entire territory either
occupied by our troops or open to their &C.
cupstion, with its government entirely
broken up, aud the individuals who com
posed it scstte7ed and hyingfor their hves'
The s. aConfsderscy," we say, was already
practically demolished But nothing
would give tsDgible and unanswersble evi-
denee of this fact IS the arrest OF It's sos-
g;,a,,t President in the very heart OF his
territory, the carrying of 6im as piSon-
or through six hundred miles oi tnst Ter
ritorv. and his execution IS convicted
traitor and murderer in the very city
which was once his capital. One hall OF
this hiss already been accomPlshed-'he
other half we hope soon viii be.
Jeff. Davis was captured on WeonesaAy
last at Irwinville, Irwin county, Georgia
Previous TO this he was last heard from al
Washington, Wilkes county, one hundred
and forty miles north Since leaving
DsnviIle he has Travelled IN q straight
course nearly due south, evidently aiming
to strike the gulf coast of Florida, at
point about one hundred ana
6hv miles east OF Pensacola,
thence hoping TO escape by the aid OF some
rabel craft. either to Galveston or Havana.
He had succeeded in reaching point only
one hundred and ten miles from the coast
and. could he have eluded pursuit smother
week. would doubtless have msde good his
escape. But Wilson's cavalry were too
close upon his heels, and detachment oi
them we're lucky enough to capture the
fugitive.
SAnd will they hang him 2" Thst ques-
lion was asked again and sgsin, OF each
other and of themselves, by the men who
,-a,Vded around the LEADER bulletin board
Yesterday, and read the official announce
1rsnt of his capture The question indl
eated degree of uncertainty and want Of
rsaeetiou as to the guilt of treason winch
is very unsatisfactory. Certainly the gov
eminent will hang Jefferson Davis, If ne L
duly convicted. He has been from tne nfs
a defiant. unscrupulous traitor. There i
notbing-not even tsrdy repentsnce-t'
paIliste his crime. He has been the mercl
less. cold snd cruel leader In the grea
treason sgainst the country. He has con
ducted the wsr with an strocity unpsral
leled in the annals of history. He has con
tinued It, at q sacrifice of life which wa
nothing less than cold blooded and whole
sale murder, long sIler ne Aho" II W
absolutely hopeless. He is the recognizes
chief of rebels-the "head and front of tn
offending" of treason. 1t is fitting that he
as the riDglesder of the rebellion, shoul'
suffer the EXTREMIST penalty Of the law
And we hope that ne may be tried an
punished IS traitor, rather than as an rs
ssssin. Particsps crin'iHis in the murce
of the President he may be- principal IN
much greater crime-tresson against tn
RepubHc-he most certainly Is. Should h
be arraigned for murder, the evidence ms!
be insufficient and neutrality-suspicious.
he be srrsigned for treason be viii be PU
on trial for the great crime which above 81
others charscterizes his life, and for which
more than for all others he deserves to die