Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-07-06
Postponed.


recently in session at Richmond, Va,
refused by direction of the Govern
ment, to try that distinguished gen.
tleman" Jefferson Davis, and adjourn
ed until next October, to which time a
further consideration Of the arch trail
tors trial is postponed.
Meantime Mr.. Davis is to be allow
ed the company of his wife and child
rem, and have the privileges Of being
served with all the delicacies and
yiauds which yympatnlzlng friends de-
sire to donate. The government hav-
ing prepared convenient, comfortable
quarters for the noted gentleman.
1t is difficult to understand how
treason is to be made odious, and
those who have violated the laws of
the land, are to suffer the consequence
of such violation, while the highest
criminals of our country, those stepped
in the dye of the blacklist crime which
man can commit, go unpublished.
Is not that time fast approaching,
which traitors, when thy plotted the
damnable work, which opened with
the bombardment Of Sumpter, declared
would come, when treason would
be respectable? The course which the
question of Furnishing traitors has thus
far taken, and the direction in which
it is still tending would seem to indi-
cate, that the pardOning power is to
be sufficient for every case OF treason,
and that those who when the rebellion
collapsed, were vile, corrupt traitors,
are to day honorable respectable mem
bers of society, standing before the
world guilty of no crime worthy Of
punishment, their rights all saved,
their sins all swallowed up in eXecu-
tive forgivness. Is Mr.. Davis guilty
of any crime? is he accountable tothe
United States government, for any Of
Tense committed against its law? if so
try him speedily and fairly for that
oflense, and if convicted, hang him as
the law provides, and as he deserves.
We do not believe in Wholesale hang
ing, but we do believe in punishment
some where near commensurate with
the crime, which has been committed.
We regard it the duty Of our govern
ment to prescribe punishment Of sui-
ficient severity, and enforce it so gen
orally that treason will not only become
unpleasant, dishonorable and distaste-
full, but terror to all treason breed
ers throughout the future. If the crime
which Davis and his associates com
mitted in conspiring against the life
of the government under which they
were living, and to which they owed
allegiance, and plotting its destruction
was heineous and wicked, in 1861, is
it any the less so now?
If the work Of making absolute and
positive war upon this government
was hellish and black with treason il
1861, is it any better now? If those
heartless wretches, the chief of whom
is now the guest Of Fort Monroe, were
guilty of inhumanity, cruelty and the
most outrageous crimes known to thu
world, in numbering thousands Of oul
soldiers by the slow horrid death o
starvation, during the late sanguinary
conflict, are they not now guilty Of tn,
same great crime, or is one years tim,
sufficient to wash criminal of sucl
guilt, to whiten such scarlet sins? |
Mr.. Davis is guilty Of no crime, thel
our government is guilty of gross in
justice, for restraining him Of his lib
erty. If he is guilty of great crime
as the enlightened judgement Of man
kind, accuses him, then the whole ma
ton demands his trial, conviction an,
punishment, the recOllections OfAnder
sonville, Salisbury and Libby, demand
that he brought to justice; mourning
millions scattered throughout the land
unborn generations and the dignit,
and honor of the Republic demand
that salutary precedent be establish
ed; and if possible the noted leade
of the causeless wicked rebellion b.
hung, and hung thoroughly.
WlrZ and some other mlnlonS VIII
were engaged in the helliSh work o
disunion and cruelty, have been hung
but if the crimes of Wirz, would hans
one man, those Of Jefferson Davi
would hang thousand. Let the law
of the land be enforced. Let Mr.
Davis and few Of his would be peers
be hung, if for no other purpose, thar
to remind traitors that treason is no
respectable.
We are obliged to our friend Jos
Ign, who is now on duty at Charles