The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-04-28
<Mlos~essx Trabutc I'd s1r. Davis.

able able and distinguished consesvative.l
Journal, pays the following tribute to
the illustrious statesman and uncom-
planning prisoner at Fortress Mon
roe, and makes demand for his re-
lease on the purest grounds Of reason.
r. says:
We have always regarded it IA
fixed fact that sooner or later Jeffer-
son Davis would be released, without
being brought to trial, unless, indeed,
design to murder him, by the slow
torture of rigorous confinement to
which he has been subjected.
1t would be impossible to convict
him as a traitor before any court,
except, indeed, n military commits
sion, composed of such creatures as
the men who pronounced the death
sentence upon Mrs. Surratt. whose
memories will be execrated through
all coming time.
Not only did Jefferson Davis COM
NIT no act Of treason, but we believe
that first, last and always, his acts
we're governed by motives of the
purest and most tdisinterested patriot
ism. He betrayed no sacred trust, he
made no effort to elevate himself to
positions of honor and power, like a
selfish aspiring politician; but of au
the brilliant array of Southern talent,
eloquence and genius assembled in
the Senate chamber ut Washington,
he was the ackn"v.adged leader and
superior of ALL When the people of
the State he represented called upon
him, as their Representative, to with
draw from Congress, .c promptly
responded; and of all the Southern
members who bowed their naughty
farewell to the Senate, he made the
most polished and courtly adieu
At the time the Governments of the
pericnce ana ,-nequaled a',',itic~ AS
statesman made him emphatlcally the
political leader of the South, while
his pleasing address and his intellect
ual superiority over all the other
distinguished men of the South made
him the idol of the Southern people.
He accepted the position of President.
not with any design of building up
for himself n splendid fortune and
enduring fame, but because he was
chosen to fill that position by the
unanimous voice Of eight millions of
people, and because he deemed it his
sacred duty as a patriot to remain
true to the South in herhour Of peril.
How far he erred in making this
final decision, which cast his fortunes
with those of the Southern people, it
is idle now to inquire; to-day, as
traitor, though he is branded, we
honor and respect him, while we de-
spise such vile, base creatures rs
Bolts and Brownlow, and can truly
believe that Washington was not more
admired and beloved by the patriots
of the Revolution than Jefferson
Davis IS by the Southern people to-
day. History fails to point us an
example Of moro entire unauimity-
we search the records in vain to find
an instance surprising the love and
devotedness they have exhibited for
him.
1t is the very superiority of Jeffer-
son Davis which has caused all his
persecution and suffering. The Abo-
EtiCn hends well know that he was no
ordinary man, whose splendid genius
was SO long the brightest star in the
Senate-they know it was no weak,
common mortal who, for four years,
controlled the destinies of eight mil
lions Of people, and they fear the
influence which his giant intellect and
matchless eloquence would exert in
moulding the future destiny of Ame-
RIGA. Knowing that it is impossible
to convict him of treason, they hope
10 dispose OF him by the slow torture
of confinement and privation
But time and atflicticn has failed,
to bow his lofty spirit insults, chains
and dungeons can never wholly de-
stroy that superiority, eloquence and
genius with which God has endowed
hlm. To-day, emaciated with long
months of confinement III dreary
fortress, guarded by bayonets and
surrounded by Yankee spies and in
formers, we recognize the same calm,
stately superior being who figured
so grandly in the recent terrible dra-
ma of American history-who crushed
the Northern Senators by humiliat-
ing consciousness of their own inferi-
ority, when he made his high toned
adieu to the Senate
For Jefferson Davis, we ask no
Executive clemency, for he has COM
mitted no treason. For him we i'm