The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-06-07
BLO0MSBURG, WEDNESDAY, JUNE I, 1868.
TREASON.n

W lti1 i1Coo a4d bCAitls ul'Ob tuC cuAiC SUI
jecr. In glsncing over the columns of The
New York Daily Net0s, d day or TWO since,
we discovered an article, under The above
capiion,- -TREASON-which comes mp 10
OR way of thinking, relative 10 the arrest
and trial Of JkFF- DAVIS, Iaie President Of
the Southern Confederacy. We shall give
il entire. The writer's knowledgs of con-
iiliutioua law is not limited, mother Is his
mind biased, bat his views are plainly and
forcibly given ia avery few words. Read
Them:
If nobody else will say il, we shall-this
Government has no right TO put Jefersoa
Davis on his trial for treason. For four
years he has carried on anopsn and honor
able war, one of The graniest wars ever
usgee upon earth, against all the powets Of
this nation and during all those Iour years
$50 long as be had the power cfTetalldtioa
Our Government never pretended to treat
as felons the lhousauGs of prisoners who
fell into ils hands :--it exchanged them
BOl officers of justice do not make cartels
of exchange with felons The sheriff does
no: treat the resisting criminal as bellig-
ereni.
Nov is il right. that the moment those
armies with their iIlusirlous generals lay
down their arms and submit to superior
forces expecting 10 be treated as defeated
cut honorable enemies-the moment the
Federal prisoners in their hands are all lib
eIsted, and Mr. Davis no longer at the head
of government ard army, has no longer
The power OF retaliation, that we should
turn upon our gallant foes OF yesterday,
and say to them, Now you are not defeated
soldiers-you are captured thieves and
mnrderers you have not only lost your
canse; as soldiers OF vapqaished political
Confederacy, but you have forfeited your
lives and lands and goods as hishwaymen
brought to justice. We have neither moral
nor legal rgh. thus 10 degrade an honorable
foe into cailrf ieou, nor TO make mighty
war, maniully carried on for SO many years
wila all the high usages and couresies OF
war, end in the convicts dock, and al The
foot of the gailoxs Tree.
When The British Government so; hold of
lhe captive Napoleon, it might as well have
tried him al the assizes for murder of Brit
i-h subjects and The pira icaI destruction OF
British property on the high seas. II is
deep stain upon that Government, that il
sent such a captive 10 ST. Helena: how
much deeper, how indelible and execrab.e,
# il had hanged him as a brigand
But there is more. Mr. Davis AMI his as
sociales were ia all this bosiness acting, al
least, in ihe sincere belief Of the clear rishi
Of their States TO secede from The Union
Il was known Tor many years that this was
The conscientious conviction OF most South.
ern Siaies, and Of many Northern. Seventy
years ago, Virginia aad Kentucky Convea
lions declared il 10 bs their right; Massa-
<E.usetis claimed The right for herself afr
Buchanan, The President OF the United
States al he time of South Cardinals seces
sion, though he did mol admit The right, de.
clared, at least, that the Federal Govern
neni had no constitutional power TO pre-
vent il by forcibIe coercfen; Mr. Johnson,
the President of to-day, was himself an sd-
vocate of State sovereignty rhe two the
cries concerning the limits of State Rights
had been long in presence; the advocates
Of the two were known TO one another, and
sat side by eide in The national councils
Tor many gears il was believed that this di
versiiy OF theory might lead 10 practical
collision but il never occurred TO either
parry in me argument thai their adyer-
saries were matchmaking burglary arson
and piracy II Mr. Seward declared. too,