The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-08-02
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Wednesday Morning, August !. 1855

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Wednesday Morning, August I. 1853.
Ths Prisencr. OF Eortress nEonspc. i
The Judiciary Gommittee Uf tire
House of Representatives, of the.
radical Congress has at last made it's
reporton theresalt ofsSheir investi-
gationso OF the charges made against.
Mr.. Davis-treason and completely
in the assassi iaatioa Of che late Presi-
deax Il deciarea iiR substance that
Mr.. Davis is gnotosiously guilty Of
treason, and that there are no obsta--
cles to speedy and impartial trial
which cannot be removed by legis-
lation.
As regards the charge of the com
plicity in the assassination, the COM
mittee express the apiniou that there
is probable cause to believe that JEFF
feFsonS Davis was >priyy to the mea-
sures whichled to they assassination
of Mr.. Lincoln, but That The investi-
cations made by the War Depart
ment and by the Committee, have
not sufficed to put the Government
in possession of all the facts Of the
case. Theythink. further time would
develop the whole facts of the case.
There was more unscrupulous
mendacity embraced in this report
than in any, even Of the reports
of radical committees of Congress.
Amy appropriated individual who
may take the trouble to read
this document, will at once come to
the conclusion that tthey had no evi-
dence to convict Mr.. Davis, and that
the character of the evidence they
had suborned would prevent con-
viction by any honest jury. There is
no sane man in the country who does
not believe that if this committee
had the shadow of an evidence that
would lead to conviction, that they
would have hesitated one moment to
take the necessary steps to have him
tried and hung, Their own report,
therefore, convictsl lsthem of want of
truth and insincerity, in the baseless
insinuations they have had the i,ef-
frontery to make. @
In relation to the first part of their
report, it may we'll be asked, if there
were no obstacles to q. speedy and
impartial trial that could not be re.
moved by Legislation, why did not
this committee report a. bill for that
purpose? Mr.. Davis and his counsel
haye asked' repeatedly for-.such q
trial, but which, up to this time, has
been denied-a boon that would not
be denied to the humblest individual
OF the land accused. Of any crime.
And here again the. report bellies it.
self, and gives to the world the most
convincing testimony that these men
indulge in the hope that the life of
the illustrious prisoner may be worn
out IN the fort in which he is incar-
cerated, and that thus they would be
relieved of the ignominy of the whole
transaction, from his being manacled
on the first day OF his entrance into
ITS casemates until tho present hour.
One moro thought It strikes us
that this report, setting forth the re-
suit OF many months investigation.
would fully Justify President John
son IN releasing the prisoner on pa
role His most malignant enemies
have found nothing to inculpate him
~ the bloody tragedy that deprived
the country of his predecessor, and
the united voice of the Christian
world would applaud snch an act of
clemency towards the long-suffering
prisoner in Fortress Monroe.