The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-06-20
The Case of Jefferson DAVIS.

bill against Mr.. Davis
Gentlemen of the grand jury; am happy. to meet
YOU again and to know that you are still hvlng not
withsandng the assaults that have teen mace upon
YOU Little need to be said in addition to the nstruc
tons giyen at Norfolk Your last session has MADE
You historical and trust the efforts when nave oeen
made to intimdate you and to IMPEDE the COURSE "
Justice will not make you less faithful ana earnest III
the discharge of your public duties. ouSl' nv "
be surprised that the reasonable and centous press
of this State and city should vince, rage ana become
furious when treason and RIGHTEOUSNESS are exposed
and arragned for trial and punished nor should we De
surprised at the enmty and desperation eAnlolItu
when we remember that this city has long been the
centre and seat of the greatest traffic in human beings
that has ever dsgraced the word-a traffic when mas
annually employed hundreds of moral monsters ana
many millions of capital, subsidsng the press pulpit,
and politics Of the States, rendering Richmond more
infamous among for its participation in THIS great
crime than all the cities along the coasts OF Senesam
bia upper and lower Guinea Congo, Loango, AnSoiar,
and Benezuela combined.
The wonder rather is that so many traces OF kind
ness humanity, and christian clvllisaton should nave
suryi wed such debasng and brutalising influences
and let us thank God and take coarage that we are
more fortunate than the devoted cities OF antiquity
We can count more than ten men VINO stoou lalthiu
among the fathlcss The complaints OF threatened
violence and intimidation which have been forwarded
10 me bv several Of your number TOR your late heroe
and natrotic actions have been submitted TO the hl5h
est legal and military authorities OF the government
and can assure you of the earnest sympathy ana nrm
support of all the officers of the law, not excepting
the president whom REASONABLE men hler and favor
hut whom they will probably heartily curse, as
they did two wears ago. But gentlemen, am glad
10 call your attention to law OF congress Whlch puts
your own yiGcaton, well as that OF the country
into vour own hands. In 1881 congress enacted, as
ron will find on page 448 of the fourth volume OF the
statutes at large as follows Sec. 2. And be it fur
Their enacted That if any person shall corrupty or oy
threats or force endeaVor to influence, lntmidae or
impede any Juror, witness, or officer, III any OF inc
United States in the discharge OF his duty or Snail
corrupy or by threats force obstruc or impede or
endeayor to obsruct or impede the due administration
of Justice therein, every person or persons so offend
inc shall be liable prosecution therefor by lndcture
and SHALL on conviction thereof be punished by Inc
not exceeding five hundred dollars or by Imprisonment
not exceeding three months, both, according to tue
nature and aggrayation of the otftnce"-approved
! March 2 1881. You will thus have 1t IN your own
mower to exercise wholesome restraint upon llcen-
tious tongues aud pens, and upon press which, as
blind leader of the blind has been and still Is one OF
the chief Of past present and prospective Ca
lamity and misfortune. The murders duels assassina
tons violent and ungoyerncd passions ending IN con-
Hapration and self.immoation unparalleled in any
heather country the poverty suffering, agony, and
DEGRADATION which have given this city of almost une-
oualed natural capabilities its bad emnence are cgi
mate fruits of its teachingsits public press; and
ANYTHING you can be able to contribute towards its
reformation WILL 10 the highest degree, be seryceable
to the cause Of the country and hnmanity but gentle
men let US act with moderation and discrimination
for though prostituted press is one of the greatest
caIamities free and vItuous press is one OF the
greatest public blessings, the greatest ornament anc
support of public virtue.
There being no formal business before the court
after listening to few remarks from Mr. Reed, asking
for speedy trial for his client it adjourned to NEE
the next day.
The court, on assembling the next morning wa
addressed by Mr. Hennessy the assistant district after
ney, as follows:
May it please your honor As the answer of tn
government to the questions propounded by Mr.. Rec
on Yesterday are considered OF some Importance,
have written them out and propose to read them t
the court. May it please your honor, yesterday, Dir
) Reed one of the counsel for Jefferson Davis pro
! pounded certain questions to the court and to me
which in the absence of Mr. Chandler, at that tim
declined to answer Mr. Chandler is stll absent be
: ing regret to say entirely Frustrated by recen
severe domestic calamity, and, promised to-da
proceed to reply to the questions of the learned gen
: tlepan That gentleman correctly says that an in
dctmeut has been found in this court against his ellen
Mr. Davis and asks if it is to be tried, if it is to b
dropped, or is it to be suspended So far as am in
structed believe it is be tried, but it will not b
possible to do so present for variety Of reasons
some OF which proceed to give;
In the first place, Mr.. Davis, although indicted i
been in the custody Of this court but is held by tn
t United States government State prisoner at fort
ress Monroe under the order of the president sgne
by the secretary of war In the second place, even
Mr. Davis we're in the custody of this court it woul
not be possible for the attorney general in view Of hi
numerous and pressing engagements at the close c
n the season. to come here and try this case whc
is case of great national importance which he woul
S be expected to do In the third place, if Mr. Davis
III the delicate state of health suggested by Mr. Rcet
it would be nothing less than cruel at this hot and w
: healthy to expose him TO the uhavoldabl
. atigues of protracted trial, which appears to tie
inevitable result from the array of counsel preser
and prospective engaged for his defence. Neithe
this court any of its officers has any present cor
troll over the person of Mr. Davis, and until they have
IS it becomes impossible for the district attorney to
o when he will be tried; but this assure the gentema
II who represents him here, that the hour Mr.. Day
comes into the custody of this court they shall hav
full and prompt notice when it is intended to try hin
and so far the district attorney and his associate
J., are concerned they may be assured their case wi
a have just and speedy trial, without further let
% hindranGe This l say for the special department
s. the court which represent but what the intentions
u the government with regard to the disposition
Mr. Davis am further instructed than have sale
!, now move, may it please your honor that til
court the business before is disposed
l. do adjourn until the first Monday of October mex
c By that time the heat Of the summer will have passe
away the weather will be cool and pleasant, an
should We have the pleasure of seeing these gent
:, men here again they will be fitted for the ard
Gus labor which their profession constantly impose
upon them. In the meantime the crystallisation PR
cess referred to by the learned gentleman yestcrda
e will be going on and his client will be enjoying tt
lie cool breezes of the at fort Monroe instead of il
= haling the heated and otid atmosphere of crowdc
| court ROOM
! james T. Brady Esq, of New York, one of tt
ID counsel for Mr.. Davis then said If your honor pleas
u did not expect to say word this morning in re
erence to the case of Mr.. Davis but some of the SUI
gesons contained in what my learned friend has u
read make it proper for to state that if Mr.. Dav
"a be not technically subject your honors jursdctio
IS is only because copy of this Indictment far
a am advised, has been served upon HIM, any Ii
of of Witnesses nor any act done of those which
iy qured by the statute. 1t may be true that in tn
technical sense he cannot and never has bee
ID amendabe to your authority; but my brother
g Mr. Reed, stated that Mr. Davis was not claiming Il
e benefit of any of those wants of forms, but that
the contrary he here to express from his own lip
e speaking through US, his ardent desire for immed
ID ate trial Although it may be very hot in Rchmon
of it is infinitely where he s and far the
venienco Of the counsel is concerned they not
t ing for that convenience, mpelled they by