, 1866-04-27
NO TRhLs FOR TREASON.

According tothe Constitution of the United
States, persons, ii tried for treason, must be
tried in the Staes where the treason was com
mitted OF courle they must also be tried by a
jury of their coulTymen, that is, citizens of the
State wherein tlfir trial may take place. Such
being the case, is very doubtful it any of those
engaged in the ate war of rebellion could be
convicted of treason, even if they should be put
upon trial, BUTT is certain that no uau can be
punished as traitor without being first convict
ed Of treason. Thus, one S life cannot be taken,
or his property on6scated, for treason, until be
has been convicted of the crime. And he can
not under our laws and Constitution, be convict
ed, except be.ore proper Court and having the
right to confIontthe witnesses against HIM, etc.
1t would seen from the magnitude of the evils
occasioned By treason, that some effort should
be made to tring some of the most guilty ones
to punishment for their olfences-if for no other
purpose than to make an example of them as a
warning to future generations. No one being
convicted d tfeasoH, no one car be legally con
sdered as guilty of the crime; therefore, FIVE
years hence, every Rebel from JEFF. Davis down,
will be legally entitled to and accorded all the
rights and immuuities guaranteed to the most
loyal citizens None having been convicted of
any crime, there can be no law or authority for
treating them as criminals. The Government
has seized upon and partially coniscated the
J
convicted oftreason, and unless he.is convicted,
be or his heirs will regain possession Of that
property as sure as the sun takes its regular
course Some Of the radicals complain that the
President has not brought him to trial. Such
men forget two things: First, that the President
has no right or power to try anybody; and, Sec
0nd, that he has been anxious to bring Jeff Da-
Wis to trial but that his trial has been prevented
bv the radicals themselves. Judge Chase, one
Of the leading radicals, and whose province it is
to try the Rebel President, holds that Virginia is
not in the Union, and that, therefore, he cannot
hold his Court iu that Territory. Moreover, the
leading radicals generally hold, in effect that
the resolutions of secession passed by the South
cra States took them out of the Union, and that,
in all their acts of war, the Southern people
were simply acting as foreigners against the
United States. Therefore, according to the rad
ical doctrine there has been no treason commit
ted crainst the Uuited States,t Unless it was by
those residing in the non-seceding States who
gave aid and comfort to the enemy,) and none Of
the Southern people can be punished for trea-
SON. Therefore, when radicals condemn the
President for 4 Vanishing traitors, they do, in
reality, condemh heir own leaders. In effect,
the radicals hold, precisely the same doctrine
that was held by the leaders of the Rebellion,
viz: That secession was right, was IN fat
accorpH, aud that all the acts following seces-
sion we're simply the acts offoreigners, owing o
aUetiance to the United States Government.
Therefore, if it should so happen that traitors
are to go unpunished, and it is to be decided that
no treason has been committed against the
United States, the people may thank Thad. Ste
vens and Charles Sumner for the results.-S. F.
Ca}l, a. N s.. t % .a'.r