Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-06-21
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
Lx-PreSfdent Davis.

Tho waning fortunes of the Con1eoeracy our
ino, tbe last part of 1864 and the earlier montnS
If 1865, and which eliminated IN Its nnal over
throw in NAV of the latter year, had served u
render President Davis unpopular IN the Soutn
He was charged, unjustly we know Win all errois
;.h oil ,vaaknesses and all insuffciences, militia
~ legislative and judicial, which were supposed
~ he the forerunners of our final defeat. by tne
timid and whipped, he was regarded as heaostrons
and precipitate by the violent ana rash, d. Aire
pish and weak and the disappointed asplrants !o'
civic and military honors, freely denou.ceu AAA
- ,,o-.;o1 ord obstinate. and with nearly all, ex-
-. g. r,ob1s soldiers, who followed the dechn-
80. frt,nes of the Confederate flag with the self
sacrificing patriotism and gallantry with wnlcn
thew gave it to the breeze, he was made the re-
sponsible agent of all the sufferlngs OF tne oou'
ern people. Many of the very people VINO naa,
bv their votes and acts brought on the war and
elevated him to place. and fawned upon MN willie
in power with cowardly hckelness anu ieaA -
a loss of property, hailed his capture with pleas
,1re or what was worse, with feigned lndlnerence'
The impulse of the moment was TO make solno
one the scape- goat for our own SNORT coe
and fanlts and the universal hatred OF rresluen'
Davis by the Federal troops and their louo oe-
nnnciations of him and the thirst 1or MS oioo",
caused the impulsive, and those actuateo Wy 'iDaA
or corrupt motives, to yield to this POPULAR "Ao
often profitable, feeling.
We are glad to believe that to-day, however,
there is throughout the South, great and unl7er
sal sympathy for the distinguished prisoner d.
Fortress Monroe That he, who became 'ne
soutbern representative in the unfortunate con-
a;ct nv the unanimous wish of his people, ana
not nv his own choice, is to-day In his un"ar-
~a,+a6 and severe confinement, more enurely Iue
idol of his people than when, as the succeSSiu4
soldier in Mexico he brought victory TO the nd
t;onal arms; or as the peerless Senator IN ION.
ovress he added lustre to American eloquence ana
ranoun tn American craftsmanship or yet as the
President Of the short-lived but world-renowneo
Confederate States he linked his name IN lmmor'
4al GLORY. with those men whose prowess on the
field and suferings in the camp have illustrated
the history of the world with its grandest picture
of heroism
Nothing is more natural than that the Southern
people should universally sympathlze WIN nini'
who is imprisoned and held as an explatory sacii
fee for the political sins of the whole oou'n'
growing out of conflict of ideas upon the prlm
ary essence of our system of governments coh
fict commenced with the origin OF the Govern
ment itself, and perpetuated down 10 the o'ei
throw of the Southern arms. With their oelea'
this conflict was yielded by them with courae'
and perfectness of integrity and gooo lal'i
which have excited the admiration OF all gov
men everywhere, and which should nave carrle'
with them, if not leniency, at least 1ustiee' u
their representative head This is the clue 10 ILL
wide spread display of sympathetic feeling on I'LL
part of the people for Mr.. Davis, for when tne..
deserve credit. It illustrates one OF the noo'es
and most admirable qualities of human nature )
it is Justice from them to him, which they coul'
not disregard and be honest.
Neither Mr. Davis himself, nor his friends TO
him, ask charity, and none seek any evasion o
the lawful responsibility which his own and tn
acts of his people have cast upon him. Ihey onl.
ask that which the Constitution and laws guaran
tee to him, "a speedy and impartial trial" Al
unusual and unnecessary delay has already wor1
out his patience and told with terrible force upo
his shattered health. And yet no satisfactory rea
son being given for the postponement, with an un
seemly Jest, an ignorant and, we fear, corr"p
Judge, prolongs thirteen months Imprisonment
to sixteen Why this criminal procrastlnanor
and why the exhibition of such malicious lgnoranc
and senseless buffoonry upon the part OF the GOV
eminent officials, history will yet record to tn
shame of the whole American people. When b
announced his readiness, through his accred1te
counsel, it was due no more to him, than to tn
Government to history and mankind, that d
should have had his trial
Judge Underwood having decided that he is nc
under charge of the civil authorities, but prl'
oner of war; and thus excluded from the privilege
of bail, it becomes the duty of the Government
release him on parole. However strong may b
the prejudice against him, want OF persons
courage will not be preferred against Jetterso
Davis by his most vindictive enemies. Howeve
great the Radical thirst for his blood may be,
does not surpass his willingness to give up b
life for the cause he has lost if those who sit in udl
ment upon him. declare he has Justly forfeited
If such be his fate, he will live in history ma
tyr to the grandest cause for which a nation ev'
struggled, and would be enshrined In the hear
of the Southern people long after the cause II
which he suffered had ceased to Gnger in song an
tradition.
If it should be decided that he must lnger
lonely confinement in the gloomy recesses of tt
classmates of Fortress Monroe yet longer, fro
e every household in this broad land, daily ar
nightly prayers will ascend to the Throne of Grac
from pious hearts, in behalf of the patriot Chrl
tan. May the good God grant him speedy tri
and safe deliverance.
Judge Underwood.
I'VE ask speedy trial on any charge that may
ing, may please the Court dying man. For thlrte
months he has been in prison"-Adoress OF Counsel