The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-05-15
TUESDAY.
Trial Of Mr.. Davis.

Our Washington exchanges throw no
additional light upon the subject of
Mr.. 0Avis's expected trial. We find
rumors enough in the papers published
further north, but none of these have
even an appearance Of truth in them.
The report that UNDERWOOD is urging
the passage Of the bill authorizing the
Circuit Court to transfer It's sessions to
Richmond, where they were always held
before the war, may be true, though we
cannot imagine any reason why he should
prefer that the court should sit in Rich
mond rather than in Norfolk. One thing
is certain, that whenever or wherever the
trial may come off, UNDERWOOD Will DC q
mere CIPHER upon the bench. Inc IA"
requires him to sit with Cher justice
CHASE: and Judging from the aiacri'y with
which he went to Norfolk to have MT.
Davis indicted, We have every reason to sup
nose that he will regard it as great
honor to be member of the court in which
the distinguished captive is to be tried.
But the learned counsel of Mr.. DAVIS will
hardly address many Of their legal argu-
ments TO pretender who never belonged
TO their profession; nor will they appeal TO
the mercy of judge who, before Mr.. DA-
Wis was indicted, announced from the
bench that he was "more guilty than
W1Rz." This last fact should not be lost
sight Of by the friends of the prisoner; and
we should very much like to hear CHARLES
O'CoSSoR pour out few Walls OF his rcd
hot eloouencc in indignant denunciation
of the innate wickedness and cruelty OF the
Judge who decides case before he hears
the evidence.
As to Mr.. CHASE, all must admit that he
isa lawyer ofprofound learning; and his re-
spect for the exalted position he holds, for
the good opinion of mankind, and for the
large space which Mr.. DAVIS fills in the
ewes of the world, coupled with the fact
that every one of his rulings and decisions
will be made in the presence OF some oil
the greatest lights of the legal profession in
the United States, will insure from him
strict observance of all the proprieties OF
the occasion. He not only would not dare
10 brave the excavations of all Christendom
by initiating USDERwooD's example, but he
cannot afford to do it. He has character
as man, reputation as lawyer, and
name as a Judge, to preserve; and it is not
to be expected or feared that he will
consent to sacrifice all these for the
mere sake of Furnishing even the most
guilty "rebel." 1t has been shrewdly
surmised that his hardness in agreeing
to try Mr.. DAVIS proceeds from the
apprehension that the authority of Mr..
CHASE the lawyer might be quoted to Mr..
CHASE the judge in support of the sound
ness of the abstract doctrines which the
prisoner attempted to put in practical ope-
ration. No doubt Mr.. CHASE feels the i'm
mense responsibility under sense of
which he must act, and would prefer that
some other disposition should be made of
Mr.. DAVIS. But the prospect now is that
he will have to preside at the trial; and
while, as we have said, he will doubtless
exercise rigid impartiality in the pro-
gress of the trial, there can be no reason
to hope that he will consider the offence of
the prisoner to be any other than the
crime of treason. He has said enough
during the last five years to show that he
50 regards it. The most that can be ex-
pected from him is an impartial trial under
the law as he understands it. The Presi-
dent must interpose to stay the execution
er's hand if it should be invoked by the
,,,ry