Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-06-21
JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Many things have been SAID ana written,
respecting the poor fare furnished JEFFER-
son DAVIS at his prison quarters at Fortress
Monroe The copperhead press, and cop
perhead orators, have been eloquent in con-
demnation of our niggard and revengeful
government, as they are pleased TO call it,
in its cruelty to fallen foe. These presses
and these men, have ever distrusted the in
telligence of the common people, and in the
above accusation, they distrust them more
than ever. Would any fair-minded man
believe, that the administration could de-
liberately starve to death prisoner of war,
even were he a traitor OF so black dye as
JEFFERSON DAVIS? We have seen, within
the last few weeks, his daily bill Of fare
and we venture to say, that these gentle
men, whose sensibilities have been so
shocked, and whose tears have flowed so
freely, do not fare so we'll at home, in their
own domicils, and at their own tables, as
does this poor victim of a nations revenge,
as they please to express it. One thing
more, we venture to add, this state prisoner
has never, in our belief, had his private ta-
BILE so we'll supplied with healthy and taste
full food, as that is from which he is served
at the expense of that people whose gov
ernment he sought to wreck, and the blood
Of whose sons he shed daily, without COM
Function, through four years war,-we
may say even more, and that the worst of
all, at the expense of a people whose patri-
otic defenders he shut up in loathsome pri-
sons, without food, fire, and water so that
they rotted in their own filth, and died of
absolute starvation, when an order from
him would have supplied their wants, and
have permitted them to live.
There is proof positive of this,-the trial
of WIRz told the horrible story OF hale,
hearty men entering those reeking prisons,
and pining, emaciating away, till death re-
leased them, or till W1Rz himself murder
ed them in cold blood And for all this,
the whole of this, JEFFERSON DAVIS is direct
ly responsible to the American people. He
was the master spirit of the rebellion. He
planned it, inaugurated it, directed it,
placed himself at the head Of it, appropri-
ated its honors when it seemed a success,
received with a complacency which Lucifer
might be proud of, and yet despair Of equal
ing, the lickspittle commentator from over
the water, that he had " created a natl H. y
/ All, JEFFERSON DAVIS, cruelty has no excess
thou hast MT committed, nor history a
/ crime of which thou art clear
Are not things taking direction which
may yet permit himto escape punishment! Is
not the ADMINISTRATION conniving at his es-
cape? There is no justice under the sun
nor among men, if this man comes from his
prison unwhipped of the due retribution ot
his crime, and takes a place in our mids
secure from the just vengeance Of the law
We hung WIRz, aud yet that man was al
innocent compared with JEFFERSON DAVIS
for he was but an instrument in the hand o
his principal, and Providence permitted his
execution, not only as a criminal, but IL
pledge the nation to equal justice to great
er offenders. Treason of so deep dye has
never in the history of men, escaped pun
ishment, the highest the law knows, and il
never should, never, for how sacred should
be the life of a nation. Every interest OF
humanity is pledged to its preservation,
every beat of its heart should be guarded
from violence, every man who owes it ale
glance should be willing to die in its de
fence. The son, born to its soil, who wart
against it, except in righteous cause is {
monster, who tramples upon society anC
bids defiance to all law, both human auC
i divine. How ardently did WAsHINGTo,
strive for the capture Of ARNOLD but ARNOII
only betrayed cause whose life was ye
doubtful and immature, while DAVIS struck
at the life Of a nation tull grown and per
feet, and one dispensing all the blessings
of civil government and free institutions t
thirty millions ofhappy freemen. Even the
great body of Southern people thought the
frame. work Of our government good while
they could give it its whole direction, anC
they did not think of Secession, until poll
ticians like DAVIS, fired the Southern hear
and fomented rebellion The proof that
the South was satisfied with the govern
ment Of the Union, is i'll the fact, that they
organized almost its exact counterpart al
Montgomery, and administered it during
the four years they were able to carry OF
the war
Is it to be supposed that our administra
tiOn will be seduced from its duty to the
whole people of these states by the bland
ishments of Southern men yet imbued with
the spirit of Secession, and will it andol
one inch of the high ground it took in the
early days of peace, when it declared that
treason must be punished p Can the sy
ren song of A. Il. STEPHENS, the late Con
! federate Vice President, 50 change the con.
victions of men in power at Washington,
that no conditions precedent should be
insisted upon from the South, to qualify
them for participation in the Government!