Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-07-28
THE ASSASSINATION.

Mr.. Boutwell,, from the Committee on IN,
Judiciary, yesterday made a report, from which
we extract the following:
The Committee on the Judiciary 70 whom
was referred the resolutions of the House O.
Representatives Of April 9Th and April 3Dth
ls6S, instructng the committee 10 INQUIRE int
the nature OF the evidence duplicating Jeff.r.
son DAVIS and others In the assassination o,
President Lincoln, and also whether any legis.
lation is necessary in order to bringneuch per.
sons TO speedy and impartial trial If IL should
appear that there was probable cause 10 be.
nexe tnat said persons or any Of them are
guilty OF inciting, concerting, or procuring the
ASSASSINATION Of the late President of the
United States, and also whether any legisla.
lion Is necessary in order TO bring said persons
10 speedy and impartial trial for the crime OF
treason, have Investigated the subject as direc.
port thereon:
at is notorious that SAID Davis was guilty OF
Inc crime OF treason, according TO the Constitu.
ton and laws OF the United States and the
committee are OF the opinion that there are
no obstacles to speedy and impartial trial
which can be removed by legislation
This is also the opinion or Attorney Gen.
erai Speed, as given in his testimony before the
judiciary Committee.
"The evidence in possession Of the committee
connecting JEFF. Davis with the assassipatio
OF President Lincoln justifies the committee in
say ing that there is probable cause TO believe
that he was privy 10 the measures which led
10 The commission of the deed: but the inyest-
cations which have been made by the War
Department and by the committee have NOT
resulted in placing the Government IN posses
sion OF all facts in the case It'll probable how.
ever, that the further prosecution OF the in
yestigation by the committee and by the on
GERS OF The Government will result finally in
fnIl development Of the whole transaction
The Government in possession of a mass of
letters, papers, and documents of various
Kinds. only portion Of which has as yet been
The examination thus far has ,brorn uA -.
npon the general policy Of the rebel authori-
Ties, which IN many particulars, involved a
total disregard OF international law Of the
nsages OF civilized war. The Secretary of
War, through Francis Lieber. l.. l.. d.. Chief
OF the archlye office, has furnished 10 the COM
mittee copies OF various letters and papers
1ound IN the War Office at Richmend, bearing
upon four points Of the policy of the rebel
Government: First, with regard TO negroes
bearing arms, second, the condition of rebel
prisons and the treatment of prisoners; third
orders issued and letters written by the rebel
Secretary Of War in relation TO the Union pris-
oners; and fourth, views and suggestions of
yenerson Davis in regard TO Union prisoners
Copies OF these papers have been furnished 10
the committee and synopsis thereof is here
with submitted as part OF the report While
the evidence thus furnished does not bear
directly upon the question submitted to the
committee, IL has been thought ad visable to Law
il before Congress and the country, as sho wing
the brutal and inhuman policy Of the men who
mstgated and guided the rebellion, and as
Uciuks mum ately connected
with the attempts TO burn the cities of the
North. to destroy its commerce on the rivers.
lakes, and the ocean, without regard TO the
loss OF life, and, finally, with the assassination
OF the President of the United States
sin 1862, Jefferson Davis issued an order
that all negro slaves captured in arms should
at once be delivered over TO the executive au-
thorltles OF the respective States TO which they
belonged, 10 be dealt with according to the
laws OF such States, and that the like order be
executed IN All cases with respect 10 all COM
missionsd officers Of the United States army
found serving in company with armed slaves
In lnsurrection against the authority of the
different States of the Confederacy By the
statute of South Carolina. slaves or other
We're to be tried by two justices of the peace
and three freeholders, associated together who
were empowered and authorized to infiict the
punishment Of death upon such offenders.
On the 18th Of June, 1863, ;. >. Anderson As
sistant AdJutant General TO T.. Kirby smith
and by his direction. addressed a letter to Cen
eral X. Taylor, dated at Shreveport. in which
that writer says in answer 10 communication
OF Brig Gen. Herbert, asking what disposition
shonld be m ade OF slaves taken in arms thar
"No quarter should be shown. If taken pris-
oners, however. they should he turned over 70
the executive authorities of the State in which
they should be captured, in obedience 10 a
proclamation OF the President Of the Confede-
ra,e states "Should negroes thus
taken be executed by the military authorities
capturing them, IL would certainly produce
retaliation. BY turning them over to the civil
authorities, To be tried by the officers of
the State, no exception could be taken :,
On the 18th of June, 1868. T.. Kirby Smith
writes 10 X. Taylor, commanding The district OF
Louisiana, and says:-s.I have been unoffi ciaIly
informed that some of your troops have cap
tnred negroes in arms. i hope this may not be
so. and that your subordinates in command of
capturing parties may have recognized the
propriety OF giving no quarter TO negroes and
from a dIsagreeable dilemma Ii they are Ia
ken, however, you will turn them over TO the
Stale authorizes 10 be tried for crimes against
the State, and you Will offer such facilities i'm
obtaining witnesses as the necessity of the pub
lie service will permit" Again, Smith wri-
ting TO Gen. 5. Cooper, Adiutant and Inspec-
tor General, June 10, 1863, encloses two letters
addressed to Gen. Taylor. and says :-s. Unfor-
tunately. such captures were made by some of
Gen. Taylor's subordinates."
Jefferson Davis, in his message to the rebel
Legislature, January IL, 1853, referring TO the
proclamation of emancipation of January list
OF that year, says that ssthe negroes are en-
couraged 10 general assassination OF their mas
ters by the insidious recommendation to alb
stain from violence unless necessary for self
defence" Although our own detestatiou of
those who have attempted the most execrable
measure recorded in the history of guilty man
lie tempered by profound contempt for the i'm.
potent rage which 1t discloses, so far as regards
the action OF the Government on those crim-
inals as may attempt its execution, confipe
myself TO informing you that shall, unless, in
your wisdom, you deem some other course
more expedient, deliver TO the several State
authorities all commissioned officers OF the
United States who may here after be captured
by our forces IN any Of the States embraced in
the proclamation, that they may be dealt with
in accordance with the laws OF those States
provided for the punishment of those GRIM
inals engaged in melting seryile insurreetion"
The Committee then quote the resolutions of
the Rebel Congress on the subject of retalia-
ton, and says: The documents found in the
rebel archives at Richmond fully sustain thf.
statements that have been made by persons in
the service OF the United States concerning the
inhuman treatment of Union soldiers in South.
ern prisons, and leave no doubt that JEFF Davis
and the rebel an uthorities had kno owledge of this
treatment, and that they took no effective mea.
sures in behalf of humanity" 49,
Many documents and Southern newspapers
are quoted in support of this statement, as well
as the testimony of rebel officers, and the COM
mitfee say:-"The foregoing extracts present a
small portion only of the evidence contained
in the letters and documents found in the rebel
archives concerning the.condition aud treat
mept of Union soldiers IN the prisons Of the
South. II is true thar various excuses were
made from time TO time for these ouuages
upon humanity, and the rules of war by those
in authority at Richmond. such as the refusal
Of the United States Government TO exchange
prisoners, and their own inability TO furnish
supplies. But the fact etili remains that from
the year ls62 TO the close Of the rebellion the
authorities were fully and frequently inform