New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-05-15
ARE WE STILL AT wARs

Henry S. Foote was, fifteen years ago, u.
s. Senator from Mississippi, and distinguished
himself By his support of the COMPROMISE
measures OF $50, in opposition to his colleague,
JEFF. Davis, who opposed them i'll behalf OF
Southern Rights" At the ensuing state
Election, these two Senators were ptted against
each other us "Union" and estate Rights J"
candidates respectively for Governor, and foote
beat Davis over 900 votes in The largest poll
ever had in the State the vote standing Footc,
y, 735; Davis, 7,729. Foote removed, on his
return to private life, TO Memphis. Tennessee,
where he stood out for the Union until the
Secession tide ran mountain high, when he Ike
John Bell and too many Others, succumbcd TO
lit, and became a Secessionist. As such. he was
sent to the Rebel Senate, where his inveterate
antagonsm to JEFF. Davis was so mani
tested that he probably did the Rebel
lion more harm there than he could have
done By adhering to the Union. Finally, be-
coming satisfied that the Rebellion was iall-
ure he abandoned it in disgust, and was making
his way to the Union lines, when he was arrested
and taken back to Richmond. His second
attempt was more successful, and he reached
Washington, but, not being ready to take the
oath of allegiance, he was required TO leave the
country. lie went to England; but soon re-
turned to this port, where he was arrested and
kept for some time in jail On the urgentre repre-
sentation of friends, he was at length released
on parole, being required TO report himself to
Gen. Dix each alternate day. lie so reported
himself one day last week, when he was shown
an order from the War Department that he
should either stand trial for treason or quit the
country at once. He chose TO 60, and departed
for Canada, where we presume he still is.
Now if we are still involved in terrible civil
war, which imperils the life of the Republic,
and if Foote is dangerous person, We hold this
arbitrary Punishment to be justfabe; if not,
not If every Rebel force this side of the Missis-
sipp is captured or disbanded, and trade with
the late Rebel districts rGopcned as though they
were at peace with us, and if Foote is no longer
an enemy Of the Union, but ready to deport
himself henceforth as loyal, peaceful citizen,
then we hold that there is not COW in our
State which our Government has less reason to
regard with apprehension and alarm than this
old man. 1t might possibly be worth while to
try and punish him, though We think not; but
what good can be secured, what evil averted
by compelling him to live in Canada rather than
in New-YOrkl And, if his Punishment be in no
sense o necessity, is it not clearly an act of
tyranny
OF course, it can be sort O. justified, or blus.
tered over, and those who disaIprove it charged
with sympathy with traitors; but how will it
look across an ocean or an interval of ten years
The Nep. York Times will turn back summer.
sault, if required, and protest that any generous
or manly sentiment expressed through its edi.
torial columns crept into them by accident;
the Union League will resolve, if duly prompt
cd, that this Punishment adds another to the
innumerable proofs of the suprhuman wisdom
and energy that irradiate the War Department;
and Capt. Marshall will make o speech to the
Chamber Of Commerce, showing that Jack
Cade's mouth was the perfection of all possible
parliaments; but oil these do not constitute
public opinion, nor even indicate it. On the
contrary, we venture TO assure our new Presi.
dent that the American People, having
now given q fair trial 70 the Stantopian and the