Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-15
TFEAB, STEVENS ON FHE STATUS OF
JET. DAVIS

The following il a fuller report of fhad.
Stevens remarks on Mr.. lawrence bill to
hang JED. Davis for that waaitso9ect- in
the House Of Representatives on the 1lih
int, than was forwarded By telegraph:
Mr.. Stevens. of Pennsylvania, Obtained
tie floor and said Mr. SpeaEer,,I ap-
pn0aCh with gIvlt distrust all hills of This
Rand, which Sre evidently brought forward
tor the psTpDlr 81 asceItItning how Ne can
convict mfn whom We cannot convict m-.
der laws existin9 when ths ,rrins5 were
committed. DO NO. helieYe thai Il he
comes thianation DO nuI believe il g. sale.
ior us TO undertake 10 pa law LT ), hicA
We can or may be able 10 punish IGea how
ever guilty, that could moi lie pun he'd un-
dei the laws eIistinTwhen ihe crimes were
committed Could We now change the con
stitution go rs to change The place of the
trial Of traitors, to say that the venue might
beChanged, and that they should be tried
byjurJrs summoned from another bailiwiek?
The constitution aud our laws provide very
carefully that, especially IN the case %
treason the party charged with that crime
must be tried at the place where the overt
act was committed, in district previously
ascertained by law, and by a jury from that
bailiwicS Now, any law which processes
70 change that ia any respect locks to me
SO much like an attempt IL commit judicial
murder that have always beer afraid TO
attempt il | ara afraid hat the traitors in |
the South il tried under our existing con-
stitntion and isEs, viii one Of item be |
convicted. should never attempt To- try |
item for trpasou--l WopIa lry them as he'll |
ligeent7 nndsr TIM Law at 's1ti1,a 4n,j t6o |
laws OF war.
Mr. Lawrence, OF ohio We have no |
reason 10 exPe.'r,ol EJe Administration any |
such trial
Mr. Stevens. J am stating whai would |
10 il j were the Administration Laugh |
teri Now, alih7ulhI would not discour- |
age tEials for reason; mention Ibis 10 show |
that ! am ronYinsrd that none of these |
traitors can cver be convicted of treason |
under our present constitution and lava
and ye / wonla rather tet every man OF
them 90 unpublished oreyec than to make
law now by which, they could be punished
think our government would be end1n, |
gered in its Future eViaenCe, in its sense of
Justice, in iis chTacter before aeworld, by +
conduct Of thatkiAd, more than il Wonld by
enduring the evil. lihink the British
government suffered more iron its murder
of tsusselt, although il was done by means
Of . court oondemning him, Than it would
have done had he been suffered to escape
II was BY just slch cantriyanees as this that |
that Judicial murder VIA effected, and by
which the British government suffered
more than il Boaid have done by the es
cape OF iolty traitors think our gov
ermuenf had better be careful how it tam
pers with tho crime or the remedy. 1t had
better treat theiu a. entity p9Fly OF poll
teal oiiehse and partly 81 difense nahum
N ~, ihan now to attempt 10 pass laws
because otherwise the maielAntors might
escape This pTofegses 20 be a bill to make |
indefinite the prosecution of one of those
ofianses which Of all others should be
qHieted by lqpe Of iiula. .Aithutfp h treasan
= high a crime Is can possibly be CON
lni:ied. yet there are generally 50 many en-
gagged IN the crime Of treason and in re-
belhln, that there musl lie some quieting |
law and IN my Judgment there ought to be
Now, It doez not follow that e1e4y traitor
viii escape who il not prescribed within
three year Of the tiIhe Of the cJmmissicn |
Of the oIfense. The statute never runs in
any case, unless II 10 po77ibie TO enforce the
remedy Aonly runs from the tinls It WIS r
possible 10 enforce It. For instance, / viii I {
refer you 60 the men now IA Europe Ben
amin SldelI snd others 10 not suppose {
hat anybody will say, that while they were
absent heyoad seas The statute Of Limitations I
would uIn. The statute would 6egin to I
ran when the time arrived that they could
be prosecuted But wh6ther that be 40 OF II
lot still .during the lime Of var, duTing / 8
he pTo7ecHtion Of the war, the crime con
inued ii vas a continuing oiense, and |
he offense continued Up 10 the time when ! {
2eaoe shall be proclaimed, Which It never z
Jet has been know n ata gentleman in :
his city hiss made pnblig a statement
ghich be desired e. have coH5idered o.
quail a. the DEGREES ~ james AMI Charles.
f England, overrnliug the Law. But il IS y
Il ~ more impoFtsaCe than 90 mach waste A.
'apeF The question It peace or war is q
ct 20 b. decided b. tbs paTly { sIy thera q
5 az Peajt This nation isaiill IN a belli
erenI condition and ihe csn9nsred brlli- g
erents are Wiihia the power IL the cen- a
ueror. % be dealt Silh Sc cayiiyJ-s not o. Ct
Timinals. Therefore, Sir can seF no Ne. Il
essity for measure a. this 5otf Bot ii y
here WA a necessity, I shoaid certainIv Il
beet % any alteration OF the laR a. il nov
lists IN regard 70 treason, which would d
nable the government 10 convict, wherein u
confessed that K conviction c1uld not he ! e
aainea under tbe law as il stood At The
me Of the commission ,of he ofensee Z 81
icnld be very glad 10 eeeuhdigh punish
leIa inhieied upOn Hany ~ fhese men,
n not capital Punishment | never real
ed Che saiiiciency Of the aienemeia made 9!
; the execution 81 The Haiserahls Mirz 4 III