The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1866-02-15
The Trial OF Jefferson Davis by
n Military Court.
Special Correspondence of the Chicago Times


special OTreSDe n0enCG OF the = DlcSOO INES.
WASHINGTON. Feb 5.
Your readers Of course will have obser-
we'd that the attempts to have Jefferson
Davis tried by military court have lately
been revived, and are now being renewed
with redoubled zeal Cen Butler the
secretary Of war, and Mr. Howard OF Mich
igan, are the chief actors in the business.
but they are spurred on by the whole tribe
Of blood thirsty radicals, with Thaddeus
Stevens at the head and Charles, Sumner
at the tail What incites them the savage
work in which they have engaged is the
certainty that Mr.. Davis can never be
convicted of treason in any civil court, and
the probability that if such trial is much
longer delay, the president will release
him without any trial at all The idea
that their prey may by any possibility slip
through their fingers is agony to them,
and they are moving heaven and earth to
induce the president TO recede from his
determination and convene a court mar
tial for the trial Of the rebel chief. Thus
far the president has firmly withstood the
pressure that has been brought 10 bear
upon him, and | Relieve he viii continue
to do so TO the end In the senate, Mr.
Howard has made = raw-head-and bloody
bones speech in favor of the military trial
Of Jefferson Davis, or of his execution
without any trial at all According 10 his
view, Mr.. Davis is a monster. guilty of the
black est crimes, and is worthy of instant
death. According to this frantic Jacobin,
the American people demand his death,
and will never be satisfied till they dip
their handkerchief in his blood and till
the exccutioner, holding aloft his head
shall proclaim, Behold the head ola trail
tor y This Of course was not the language
used by the senator, but his words plainly
implied that The libel on the American
people will be appropriately answered by
Reverdy johnson and Mr. salisbury
And yet, do not say positively now
that Jefferson Davis will not he given up
to those who are thirsting for his blood =
have confidence in the president, and
believe that he viii withstand the pressure.
and will not stain his hands with the blood
of this man. But the strength of the rad>
zeal party is very great, and their power
here, at present seems almost without
limit 1t may be. after all, that their vic
tim will be delivered up to them, but still
trust that it will not be so. 1t rests en-
tirely with the president.
There is a notwithstanding rumor here,
which give merely az a rumor, and hop
ing that there may be no foundation even
for it. as | cannot believe it is true.
have not been able to trace it to its source,
any farther than to ascertain that it ema-
mates from the presidents secret enemies,
men who have always ma .e loud prOfes.
sions Of loyalty" but who at heart are
worse rebels and traitors than even Davis
or BYeckinridgc The rumor is, that the
president despairs Of fully carrying out
his policy Of restoration, in view of the
great strength of the radicals in congress
opposed to it, and that after much trouble
be has at last determined upon a compro>
mise lie will consent To the trial of JEFF
ferson Davis by military court, and, in
return for this concession, the radicals in
congress will aba their opposition TO
his restoration ro.icy and admit the mem
bers from the southern states. La other
words. l,'r. DAVIS must be sacrifced in or
der that the s0uth may be saved. He mus;
be made to lay lown his life, and the rad
icals will accept the sacrifice. will vent
their rage upon him as the leader and
embodiment of the rebellion as they cal
him, and will cease aud abandon their 9th.
er schemes for the punishment ct'the south
ern people. upon which they arc now bent,
Such is the rumor. A short time will
show whether it has any foundation OF not