The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-06-16
Greeley on the Case OF Mr.. Davis.

terday, on motion of Mr.. Boutwell,,
OF Massachusetts,, by q vote of 1O5
to 10,
Resoleei, AS the opinion OF the
House of Representatives, that said
Davis should be held in custody as
prisoner, and subjected to u trial.
according } the laws of the land.
There would seem to be no room
for doubt as to the correctness of one
proposition here given, since all
parties are agreed upon it. The House
says Davis should be tried; his corn-
sci say exactly tho same, and have
been trying, ever since they We're
allowed to communicate with him, to
get his case before judge and jury
Then why is he not tried? Who stands
in the way?
Judge Underwood held yesterday,
on an application for bail, that he was
prisoner Of war-thereforc, not
, bailablc. The fact being assumed,
the reason is conclusive. But how
long may a prisoner of WAL he held
after the wal is officially declared at
an end? Suppose one were held to-
day prisoner Of war, taken by Gen.
Jackson at New Orleans in 1916,
! would that suffice TO bar his liberia
| ton?
But how and when did Davis be-
arrested as a public enemy, but as a
felon, officially charged in the face of
the civilized world with the foulest,
most execrable guilt-that of having
! suborned aSsassins to murder Pre- 81
dent Lincoln--a crime the basest and
most cowardly known to mankind.
1t WAS for this that 100000 was Of
fered and paid for his arrest. And
the proclamation of Andrew johnson
and William II. Seward offering this
reward says his completely with
Wilkes Booth AID company is estab-
lished ''by evidence now in the bureau
of military Justice So there was no
need of time to hunt it up.
Others charged with that horrible
deed have been arraigned, tried,
some OF them long ago, acquitted
and set at liberty; others executed
and buried; others are now serving
out their terms as convict prisoners.
Why is this one alone still awaiting
trial, not even indicted? Is the
charge Of assassination abandoned?
Then it should be retracted as pub
licly rs it was made Is it persisted
III? Then why is he not tried on it?
Can you imagine any creditable real
son for leaving this matter as it is?
1t has been asserted that Davis is
responsible for the death by exposure
and famine of our captured soldiers.
and his official position gives plausi-
blllt: to the charge. Yet, while
Henry Wirz, miserable wretch, II
mere tool of tools, WAS long ago ar
raigned. tried, convicted, sentenced
and hanged for this crime, no charge
has been officially preferred against
Davis. SO we presume none is to be.
For eight on ten months he was not
allowed to see his wife or any member
of his family. nor to communicate
with counsel save by open letters sent
through the War Department.. 1t
length the embargo is relaxed and he
is simultaneously indicted for trea-
son: Now" say his counsel, eve
shall get his case into Court" and
they attend at the very first sitting to
call it on. The Judge has no scru-
pie about trying it-he is loyal, up
right and fearless--there is no bust
ness in the way-but the Government
comes Gmping in the second day and
is not ready! No preparation has
been made on that side and the case
has to go over!
Now. If there be any reason for not
trying the case in Virginia, it is per-
fectly tnable in Tennessee. There is
ample evidence that JEFF. Davis was at
Murfreesboro, in 1862, welding aud
impelling the rebelarmy of Tennessee.
Judge Trigg, of that district, is tho
roughly loyal; he holds court at Knox
vile, among il people as overwhelm-
ingly loyal as Vermont. Why has
not an indictment been found and
tried i'll his court: Who can say?
1t has very bad look, when a man
officially charged with tho vilest crime
known to men, is not even indicted
! therefor, but kept in close Jail over q
year, without knowing on what
charge; and when, at length, an in :
dictment is found against him foi,
something totally different, he can't
get tried on that, but is held in close
jail, without being allowed chance to
face his accusers IVes should not like
this Sort of treatment; and we mean
to insist on fair play for friends and
enemies alike.
Mind, here is no question of mercy
or lonlty, since none has yet been So