Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-04-17
The Southern Press on the Situation.

Tor, II we mistake not, the time Is not far dis
tant when the scene win be changed, and the
country will be favored with new actors.
The Mobile. Register thinks that" eharity
and fair play. ought to open the prison doors
of Davis and Semmes" The Richmond
Dispatch is anxious for the trial of Davis,
and says: ;,
By all means let us ha7e the ttial. Let us
have judicial decision upon the question of
whether he is guilty of treason. ne aye sure
but it were well to have an authoritative ex>
position of the law of treason, and of the
crime which Mr.. Davis has committed.
OF the situation in Washington the Rich
mond Times alludes as follows:
The radical carnival at Washington, during
the past week, was marked by acts of lawless
and pttarly. INSCRIPTIONS wickedness- which
brands the dominant party as open, avowed
and shameless revolutionists. They outraged
individual rights with the fierce audacity with
which the sasS cuLotteS of Paris once hurried
their victims to the scaffold without the for
maiity of arraignmept or trial. They tram-
pied upon the Constitution with the. glee with
which the. Japanese are said to defle the
Holy Scriptures.
The Times is an;xioes for a change in the
Cabinet, and says:
We do not attribute, tho taEdiness OF, the
President in removing Stanton, Harlan and
Speed to want of nerve. No man since the
days OF Andrew jackson has possessed more
determined pluck than the President Won
dertal personal and moral courage has char
acterized his long political life. But the
great and controlling object of the President
is to gather around him the good, patriotic
men of all parties, for the purpose OF saving
the life of the Republic. He cannot do this
by giving all the Offices of the Government
to the patriotic but hopelessly feeble minority
to which Mr.. Salisbury belongs. 1t is un-
doubtedly his purpose to remove the revolu-
tionists from office bpt time is required to find
out who are his friends and who his enemies
OF the Civil Rights bill, the Charlottes-
vile (Va.) Chronicle speaks in the following
terms:
Under the guise of protecting the negro they
have come in and seized our Legislatures and
our courts of justice. The Civil Rights
bill is ring in the nose of every white man
at the South - with the string in the band
of any unPrincipled Yankee who chooses to
pull it.
The condition of the loyal States attracts
attcntio6sin Virginia, and the Richmond
Wig wants the Committee of Reconstruc-
ton to investigate. It says:
All of the agitation, excitement and disaf-
lection that exist in the country exists there
1t is all astir with passion, prejudice and dis.
content. 1t is this day as much excited as it
was during the war, Compare fcr a moment
some of the prominent aen Of the two sec
tions Which is the most composed, General
Lee or Charles Sumner; General Johnston OF
Thaddeus Stevens; General Beauregard or
Senator Wade? These men are types Of the
people of the two sections.
The Richmond Enquirer is enthusiastic
about President Johpsop''s policy, and calls
upon its readers to
'Hurra for johnson pit is arp'ause we'll
won by the exhibition of virtues Of the very
highest order, by the hero statesman who fills
the Presidential chair. "Hurra for John
son!-it is tribute which the wisest and the
graTest may we'll pay. for it has been won
IN an exalted sphere and by the noble dis
charge of the most critical and important du-
ties. "HuEra for johnson pit is a sound
to which the people will respond aud they
will unite in staining by the leader wh)
stands by the right. "Hurrah tor john
SON. say it often and 81 say it joyousIy.
The Augusta. (Georgia)i Caastltslionalist
has. the following in reference to the peace
proclamation and the Freedmen's Bureau.
In this State of Georgia-for let this ex-
position, like charity, begin at home-there
Is this day, we declare, under this procla-
nation OF the President of the United States.
no authority whatsoever for any person whom
soeVer to restrain, save as by civil law pro-
vlded, any citizen of the same of his personal
liberty. No officer Of the Federal military
service has that right. No agent, commits
siOner, or official of the Freedmens Bureau
has that right, and if, under pretext, or any
preference, Of military necessity" "generaI
order" bureau circular" or fat of Bureau"
Judge, any Georgian be so deprived of such
personal liberty, we have to say that it is our
firm, honest, AID unalterable conviction that
he should at once pray out this writ before
the next most convenient judge, competent
to issue the same, and have copy thereof
served, in due form of Law, upon his would
be OppressOT Presented to the bayonets of
Generals commanding, or to those material
forces backing up whatc-yith no disrespect
to the civil and well-meaning official for this
State-we deem the usurped power of the
Freedmen's Bureau, we have not much idea
but that the reply thereto may be-execute
it if you can. But, making the effort and
meeting the repulse, let full and fair state
ment, in properly attested form, be drawn up
and forwarded to the observation Of President
johnson. Whereupon, we shall doubtless
learn which, in this State of Georgia, is to
be the more regarded solemn proclamation.
: according to act of Congress, of the Federal
Executive, or the mere fat of military
officer or semi-civilian Bureau.
The Wilmington On. c. Dispatch is
down on "the infamous test OATH" and says
it is "the great barrier to restoration," and
that ~