Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-17
The Trial OF JEFF. Davis.
The Washington correspondent of the Boston Ad
yertiser, under date of the 18th, says:

The Washington correspondent of the Boston Ad-
vertiser, under date of the 18th, says:
There is much discussion here concerning the trial
OF Jefferson Davis. 1t will be recollected that Chief
Justice Chase, when applied to last fall on the sub
ject by the President replied that he much doubted
the proprety of holding Circuit Courts of the United
States IN States which have been decided by the
ecutive and legislative departments of the national
government to be in rebellion, and therefore subject
their broken relations with the nation and the super
sedure of the military by the civil administration,
such States within his circuit which should include
Virginia, until Congress shall have had opportu-
nifty to consider and act on the whole subject.
1t IS now held by some that as the rebellion has
by the recent peace proclamation, been declared at
an end no reason exists for refusing to hold court
IN Virginia, and it is asserted by Judge John c. I'm
derwood that arrangements are making to hold the
regular term at Richmond next month. This aSser-
tien is supported in part by the fact that Gen. Terry
is known TO be engaged in trying to find the record
of the last term held there before the war; 1t is also
known that the Attorney General is engaged in max
ing preparations for the trial. to speak more ex-
actly has resumed the preparations begun long ago
and suspended during the winter 1t Is stated at his
oGb snaf nG ba f VIII na be tfke 4 R RSe9 S
counsel mentioned for Mr.. Davis are Charles O'Con-
nor and James 7. Brady, of New York, VIM. B.
Reed, of Philadelphia. and a prominent Southern
lawyer, while VIM. M. Evarts, of New York is given
as one of the gentlemen who will appear for the
Government with the Attorney General.
While on the one hand it would appear that, as
Congress has taken no action on the subject, the
original objection Of the Chief Justice is still valid,
not
decided and positive in his reasons at that time,
and may now have reached different conclusions
1t has already been stated that the President does
not hold that his proclamation either discontinued
martial law or restored she privilege Of the writ Of
hd6eGs corpus. Circulars were sent out yesterday
by the War Department giving the various com
manders in the South notification to this effect and
assuring them that the troops would not be at
present Withdrawn, and that their official duties
would not in any sense be abridged by the pro-
clamation 1t is believed, however, by some prom-
nent gentlemen. that certain events must be ex-
planned as giving assurance that martial law will
soon, be discontinued in Virginia, because the
freedmen have been admitted to the civil courts in
which event even the scruples of the Chief Justice
would not prevent him from holding court at Rich
mond. 1t be stated further that hints are also
given out from the Attorney Generals office that the
trial can take place in Tennessee, as well as in Vir-
gnia, and it is known that not all the members of
the Supreme Court concurred with the Chief Justice
in the views he held last fall 1t is not intended to
state that the trial has been formally determined
upon by the Government The desire of the Alter
ney General, however. is known to those who have
lately conversed with him, and two members of the
Cabinet responsible for most of the points made
in this paragraph 1t can hardly be doubted that
the coming ten twelve days will settle the matters
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