The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-07-11
ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA, WEDNESDAY,, JULY Il, 1866.


foregone murder: The ne,cs haG reache
: him through the conversation Of some soldier
q IN the gHdrdr00m, agh0 sometimes spoke
each other in loud tones auhat they Wished hia
10 ouerhear. 1t auas probably in no fiieadl
spirit they had gicen hin, this ne,rs ], but t
/: him it was as welcome as air to the drown
/, ing.
He then referred to the severity of hi
] treatment, supposing himself at present t.
) be merely held for trial, and not alread,
undergoing arbitrary punishment. AS thi
, conversation was avery important one,
took full note of it almost Immediately OF
quitting his cell, and it is now given il
, very nearly, if not precisely, his owl
words:
Humanity supposes every man limo
( cent" urged Mr.. Davis, until the revers
shall be proven; and the laws guarante,
certain privileges to persons held for trial
!, To hold me here for trial. under all the yigor
ola condemned conoict is not warranted b
TAU, isreuoltiag to the spirit of justice Ii
the political history of the world there i
no parallel to my treatment. England ant
,, the despOtic governments of Europe have
beheaded men accused Of treason; but ever
after their conviction no such efforts as il
; my case have been made to degrade them
Apart, however, from my personal treat
! ment, let us see how this matter stands.
"If the real purpose in the matter be tt
test the question Of secession by trying Ger
tain persons connected Herewith for trea
son, from what class Or classes should the
persons so selected be drawn9
1 "From those who called the State Con
!, ventions, or from those who, in their res
pective Conventions. passed the ordinance
of secession ? Or, from the authors Of the
doctrines of State rights Or, from those
citizens who being absent from their
States, were unconnected with the event
but on its occurrence returned to Their
homes to share the fortunes of their States
as duty Of primal allegiance? Or from
those officers OF the State, who, being alb,
sent on public service, were called home by
the ordinance, and returning, joined Their
fellow-citizens i'll State service, and follow.
ed the course due to that relation
ITO the last class belong, who am the
object of greatest rigor. This can only be
explained on the supposition that having been
most hoaored, I, therefore, excite most rerenge-
Jul teelings-for hoao else can it be accounted
tors .'t ia
Ibid not wish for war, but peace. There.
fore sent commissioners to negotiate before
war commenced; and subsequently stroye
my uttermost to soften the rigors of war;
in every pause Of conflict seeking, if posi-
BILE, to treat for peace. Numbers of thos.
already practically pardoned are those
who, at the beginning, urged that the
black flag should be hoisted, and the strlg-
gle made one Of desperation.
believing the States to be each soSer-
eign, and their union voluntary, / had
learned from the Fathers of the Constitu-
ton that a State could change its form of
government, abolishing all which had pre-
vlously existed; and my only crime has
| been obedience to this conscientious COLI
yiction. Was not this the universal doc
trlne OF the dominant Democratic party in
the North previous to secession? Did not
many of the opponents of that party, in the
same section, share and ayow that faith
They preached, and protested to believe
| We believed, and preached, and practised.
IF this theory be now adjudged errone-
Gus, the history of the States, from their
colonial organization TO the present mo.
ment, should be rewritten, and the facts
suppressed which may mislead others in
like manner to like conclusion.
BIT !f-as l suppose-tke purpose be to
test the question Of secession By a Judicial de-
eision, 'rhy begin By expressing the chief sub
Ject Of the experiment. Why, in the name
of fairness and a decent respect for the
opinions of mankind, deprive him of the
means needful to preparation of his de-
fence, and load him with indignities which
must deprive his mind Of its due equili-
brium? 1t i'll COMFORTS with the dignity
OF great nation to evince fear Of giving to
a single captive enemy all the advantages
possible for an exposition of his side of the
question. A question settled by violence,
or in disregard of law, must remain unset
tied forever.
Believing all good government to rest
on truth, it is the resulting belief that in
justice to any individual is a public injury,
which can only find compensate. in the
reaction which brings retributive Justice
upon the opprcssors. 1t has been the con.
!lhuallvv growing danger of the North, that
u attempting to crush the liberties of my
nnSople, you would raise Frankenstein of
tyranny that would not down at your bid
ding. Sydney and Russell, and Vane and
Peters suffered, but in their death Liberty
received blessings their lives might never
have conferred
III the doctrine Of State sovereignty be
a dangerous heresy, the genius of America
would indicate another remedy than the
sacrifice Of one of its believers. Wicklitfe
died, but Huss took up his teachings; and
when the dust of this martyr was sprinkled
on the Rhine, somes essence OF it was in
fused in the cup which Luther drank
"Ihe road to grants ofpower is open and
known, and thus all questions of reserved
rights ON which men of highest distinction
may differ, and have differed, can be set
tied by fair adjudication; and thus only
can they be finally at rest"
Mr.. Dacis then spoke Of the restrictions
placed upon his reetding, Which he suppos-
ed Must soon terminate If he aoas to be
placed on trial. Books would be indispen-
sable to prepare his defence, nor did he see
how he could be denied free intercourse
with counsel.
Books, if he could get them, would be a
great consolation. True, he had the two
DISAPPOINTING to his Bible and prayer
book ; but the mind could not keep CON
tinually at the height and strain of earnest
ness required for their profitable reading.
That the papers and other publications Of
the day should be denied him. he could I'M
derstand + though even this would not be
right when he was preparing for trial. He
would then require to know what phase of
public opinion he addressed; forin all such
trials, and in this age Of publicity, there
mist be two tribunals, one inside, bnt inf
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