The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-06-07
ys9 Davis.

go D8VhDs
Tho case Of JeR Davis, tho white elephant
which tho late rebellion has Left In possession
Of the government came up In the United
States Circuit Court Of Richmond Judge I'M
derwood) on Monday last and yesterday, with
the adjournment Of tho court, Il was carried
over to the first Tuesday In October next
On the first day OF the late sitting Mr.. william
B. Reed, Of Philadelphia, Of counsel for the
prisoner, desired to know what ID proposed to
be done with the indictment againstchim. "L
1t TO DO tried, Is Il to be Withdrawn, or d Il to
be suspendedw In view Of tho legal rights
and physical condition o. the prisoner NJ. Reed
protested against . postponement and demand
cd speedy trial Mr.. .Hennesey, United
States Assistant District Attorney. not being
then prepared to answer those questions,
tho court adjourned for tho day. Yesterday.
a. 1t was evident would be the result frsu
tho beginning. considering tho difficulties OF
the court and Of the case, It was carried over a.
stated TO tho pleasant season Of October, tho
prisoner meantime continuing in DURANGO vile
II b very uncertain, however, whether no will
survive through the des,days In confinement
or evensh eniargedj aad' so, thinking Utmost
probable that another tribunal will save tho
government the trouble Of his TRIAL, We. believe
that nothing would be hazarded in view of the
present peace or future safety Of the country
by releasing him ON bail or parole.
This 10 an extraordinary case, and tho open
ing charge of Judge Underwood to his Grand
Jury was one Of the most extraordinary upon
record Said the learned Judgo:-I am happy
to meet you again and to know that you are
still living, Notwithstanding the assaults that
have been made upon you" From this it
would appear that the lives of this Grand Jury
have been in serious danger, that they have
been assaulted, and that it is matter Of thank
fulness to God that they have not been muir
dered. This horrible state Of things, the Judge
thinks, Is not surprising; 1t Is the natural fruit
Of the reasonable and lioentious press Of Vir-
ginia and Richmond; and from the fact that
the city "has long been the centre Of the great
esttraffc in human beings that ever disgraced
the world; traffic which has employed many
hundreds Of moral monsters and many mil
lions fcapital; subsidizing the press, pulpit and
politics Of the State, rendering Richmond moro
infamous among men for this great crime than
all the cities along the coasts Of Senegambia,
Upper and Lower Guinea, Congo, Loango.
Angola and Benguela combined" This Is .
fearful picture, and the inference inevitably
follows that Richmond, thus savagely demon
allied ss the headquarters Of the African slave
trade and of JEFF Davis a. tho Head Centre Of
. rebellious confsderacy founded upon tho
corner stone Of this detestable tra0ac, is hardly
the place In which TO find twelve able bodied
white men who will agree that Davis ought to
be hung; or solitary negro whose mind is not
made up that JEFF ought to be strsngled with
out judge or jury.
Judge Underwood, however. improved his
opportunity in instrucang the Grand Jury that
by law Of Congress "you have 1t In your
power to exercise Q wholesome restraint upon
licentious tongues and pens and upon press
which, a. blind leader of the blind, has been,
and still Is, one Of the chief causes of past, pre-
sent and prospective cslumny and misfortune
The murders, dAels assassinstions, violent and
ungoverned passions, ending in selfccndagra-
tion and selfimmolation, unparalleled in any
heather country; the poverty, suffering, agony
and degradation which have given this city Of
almost unequailed natural capabilities Its bad
eminence, are the legitimate fruits Of the teach
ings Of its public press" Now, while the
history Of the Richmond press Of the last thirty
years will 20 far TO sustain this charge Of Judge
Underwood, we must say that his violent de-
nunciations Of Richmond and Its people en-
nsasse were better adapted for a stump speech
from Parson Brownlow or a lecture from that
untamsble shrew, Wendell Phillips, or for
such savage ss Judge Jenreys on his bloody
assizc, than for United States court upon
case of treason. But it is none the less appar-
emit that IL any Of riie Richmond secesh news
papers fall into the clutches Of Judge Under
wood they will not be let or SO easily as they
were by General Grant. They profess won
derfth admiration OF President johnson, but
they have been by far the best Of oil the allies
OF Thaddeus Stevens and his radical faction.
But, while Judge Underwood in his depart
mont has disposed Of JET Davis for the time
being, It must not be forgotten that the Judi
cisry Committee Of the House Of Representa-
tives Ut Washington had for some time, and
still have, his case under examination, In view
Of bis trial az one Of the conspirstors impli-
Gated in tho assassination Of President Lincoln
For his capture as one Of those conspirators
President Johnson offered his reward Of hun
dred thousand dollars; but, doubtless, the evil
dence upon which be then acted will not pass
the test Of judicial inspection. Yet, as
we presume that Judge Underwood acted In
Difference 20 the Committee Of Congress, we
may possibly next hear OF movement in that
quarter for the trial OF Davis, not for treason,
but for murder. In any event he is our white
elephant and would be good riddauce on
any terms.
TIE QUARANTINE QuEsroS--DrTY OF rRk