The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1865-12-06
NEW SERIES--VOLUME |, NO. 20
From the Cincinnati Commercial.
The Trial of Jef. Davis What a
Military Court Would DO.
WASHINGTON, Nov. |

4 tOlil tAAt NliAIlAAititl
The Trial OF JeG. Davis What a
Military Court Would DO.
WASHINGTON, Nov. IT,.
1t is astonishing what favor military COM
missions still hold in the minds of certain
class, who aTrogate TO themselves all the
loyalty, and clalm a patent right in all
the virtue that it has been pleasing to Di-
vine Providence to bestow upon our land
was about to say, to "diffuse among our
people but, according to these gentlemen,
there has been a concentration rather than
a diffusion, and they have been made dap
py recipients of the entire gift. They de-
mand tn trial and conviction of Davis be-
fore military commission, to settle forever,
they say, the right, or rather the wrong. of
rebellion and seccs ssion 1t does not occur
tn them for moment that trial before
military commission settles nothing whatev-
er, except the individual arraigned, and it, is
pretty sure to settle him, because, in the
language Of the venerable son of Neptune,
who presides over the Navy Department,
'Courts-martial are organized to convict"
But has anybody ever heard of the proceed
ings Of a military commission being taken
in a court of law as a precedent to determ-
inc disputed point?
ltmay be all very well to work ones pat
rlotism up to the point OF demanding the
blood OF JEFF. Davis as an atonement for the
wrongs Of the nation, though it is taking
rather nalrow-nindcd view of the contest,
and an enlarged one ofJef. Davis influence
and paying very bad compliment to the
intelligence and morality Of the American
people, 20 suppose that the death of any
one man, even of Jefferson Davis, can, to
the smallest possible extent, atone for tho
wreck and suffering Of the past four years
If blood is wanted, military commission is
the very thing to draw it. But it is desira-
bic to settle a point Of law, the yariest pet
tliogging police court in the land is infinitely
superior to the most grandly imposing array
OF military talent that ever sat upon a court
martial, In the first place no lawyer worthy
the name will consent to the humiliation Of
augulng case Of treason before court
in the composition Of which, brass battons
take the place oi brains, and knowledge Of
tactics III more important than knowledge
Of law
Think Of James T. Brady examing wit
ness, and Lew. Wallace deciding whether
his questions are pertinent or not The
General overruIes Mr.. Brady, and Mr. Bra
dy falls back upon some quaint and curl
our volume OF forgotten lore, to show that
he Is not transcending the license of a coun-
sci for the defense. Its all Greek to Lew,
and he says in effect, II dont care what
krskinc, or Mr.. Nattcl, or Mr. Kent may
have said. They We're very good men, in
their way, and for their time, but want you
TO understand that the prisoners at the bar
TOOK up arms against the best government
that the sun Of hnarpn npnr shnlrn npnn -
The Uuion must be preserved, by the Eter.
nal, and the witness Will stand aside"
Then Mr. Brady attempts to show that
there have always been conflicting opinions
among American statesmen, as to the right
of secession. Here some gentleman, sur
mounted by eagles on either shoulder, great
in the tituIar aiix of bali the alphabet to
his name, as, for instance, Col, rComdg
18th Z: $. {. L., and Supt. T. b., t" jumps
up, and enters demurrer, rich in patriotism,
but poor in law, that there has been an At
lantic of blood spilled and perfect Hima-
laya Of bones piled up, to settle this hated
and accurscd doctrine of State Rights, and
he turns the presiding General to know if
treason is to be spoken deiantly in this
Court? Of course not and Mr.. Brady
gets gentle hint that he doesn't keep sht
Of the Resolutions of 9S. and other bad
things he be put in the Old Capitol.
Pretty soon the defense propose to show
that in 1860 and 6l many who are now of.
fciating as High Priests in the Temple of
Loya,ty believed in the right of secession;
that Greeley wanted to tear down the Haunt
ing lie; that Mr.. Banks wanted the Union
To take unto itself skates and slide; that
General Scott desired the wayward sisters to
depart in peace and that even the divine
stanton congratulated Mr. Albert Galatin
Brown upon the secession OF Mississippi
Up jumps Captain and A. A. e., holding
the American eagle by the tail, metaphoric-.
ally, in one hand and Humping tho counsel
to order with the other, demands to know
ii the American flag dosen't Hoat triumph
ahtly from the rock ribbed coast of Maine
to the golden shores ofCalifornia, and wheth-
tr this greatnation is now to be insuhed and
its gallant defenders slandercd in this way
IN a loyal court. Though quotation from
Beadlcs Dime Speaker, he touches the
heart OF the Court, and Blackstone again
gives way to Casey.
Next it is proposed to show that Mr.. Da-
Wis was not the leader but the follower of
Southern people in the work ofrebellion
that instead of having volunteered to be
Their Moses and lead them out of abolition
bondage, liz. was Mosesed BY them into Sc
ocSsion and finally into Fortress Monroe
SHSt"i ~ eudtC u'JcCtS tildL iiIo lS IlUL per-
tlneht. In vulgar parance, lie doesn't give
a d--n whether jeff. Davis led or follow.
ed the rebellion What he deems proper
for the Cotrt to inquire is, whether this
great and glorious Union, handed. down to
us by our fathers for our ;chil,lren's chill
dren $ children, is to be broken up or not.
If so, all right; il not, then lets know it in
time. 80 vs.. 44A&
Mr. Brady insists that il is an established
maxim that nations can not be convicted of
treason, and he proceeds to argue that if the
the Ststes were separate soyereigntes-
Wen have none OF this treason talked
in this court,' cries Conlnissury OF Sub
sistence.
Great God, has it come to this ciacu-
lates an Inspector, General.
"lf hear another word about State Sow
ereignty out Of your mouth I'llcall the cor
roral Of the guard and have you arrested
utters the General commanding the court.
Finally the trial come to the end. The
Court finds jeff most fit man for the gal
lows, and he is ordered to be hung without
delay,
But where's the settlement of the qpeso
tion as to what constitutes the crime OF trea-
son? In my mind eye Holatio.
--s-azzsS---usH.-<Eszv---
Eear The Boston churchts are generally
turned juto pplitipal celatiup shnpa ann.s;d.