Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-09-14
Letter from Hon. Jehn 3. Baldwin HIS
Testimony Before the Reconstruction
Committee.

OTAUNTON, August ~, 1000.
Nat. B. Meade, Esq.
Ny Dear Sir have received your letter
and | thank you for calling my attention to
a construction of nay testimony about the
trial of President Davis, which does injustice
alike to my opinions and my feelings. My
testimony was taken in short hand, and was
not read over to me or submitted for my re-
vision. | am surprised at its general cor
rcctncss but find that, in several instances
my meaning has been inaccurately stated, or
wholly Inexperienced
The point Of inquiry was as to the proba-
Die result of a trial of Mr. Davis before a
court and jury, if one should be had, and
not as to the propriety Of subjecting him to
such an ordeal
It was my purpose to state my belief that
our unsuccessful attempt at revolution must
be regarded as rebellion, and, if judicially
considered and applied to individual cases.
must'subject each offender to the penalties
of treason. Such, | presume. must be the
opinion of all who believe in the g right of
secession . and such must of course, be the
view of the Government Of the United States
Every pardon granted and every amnesty Of
fered is an assertion of this principle; and
every pardon sought or accepted admits, at
least, doubt of the defence to be made be-
fore a court and jury.
While my opinion as lawyer is what |
have stated, do not at all intend to admit
the propriety Of attempting to deal by judi
cIous trials with tranactions whose national
proportions place them beyond the proper
reach of court and jury. Each Individual
case if brought into court, must, in my opin-
ion, be held to constitute treason, and be
dealt with accordingly, but each case is 50
thoroughly a representative of all, that tri-
al of any one, would, to all intents and pur-
poses, be suhjecting the conduct Of nation
to the review Of twelve jurors
If this would be true of any one Confed-
crate, how much more must it be felt to be
trne of President Davis, who, in his prison,
is this day more eaphatically the representa-
tive Of our cause than he was when Com
mander-in IN Chief of the Confederate army and
navy.
10 subject man occupying his position
to a trial by the narrow rules which limit
judicial construction, and to the mockery OF!
a jury trial, would, in my opinion, be an
outrage too gross to be anticipated of any
government In Christendom.
Every day that he is Eept in prison is a
peremtory adjournment of all real reconcilia-
ton between the North and the South Any
attempt to subject him to further humiliation
must be regarded as personal wrong Gone
to every true southern man; and if he shall
be permitted to die in captivity his name will
become the watchword Of Southern hate -
It is to be regretted that tie Convention re-
Gently held at Phifadclphia did not recognize
the necessity Of amnesty fer the past as ba
sis Of good will for the future but | trust
that this omission will be set right by Pres
iicnt Johnson and that he will, by the prompt
discharge of Mr.. Davis, give practical point
and vitality to his recent declaration that
unless we forget the past we can have nc
future"
Yours truly,
JONI g. BALDWIN.