Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-06-06
LATEST TEIEGRlpH NEWS
TO I Il E.
DAILY COMMERCIAL,
TRIAL OF JEFF, DAVIS.
Meeting of United States Court at Rich
mend.


RICHMG%D, June 5.-Judge Underwood arrived
here from Alexandria this morning and spent the
forenoon at Gen. Terry's headquarters in the man
sion formerly occupied by Mr.. Davis Most of the nom
resident members Of the grand jury also arrived this
morning, and made their appearance during the
forenoon at the United States Court Room in the
Custom House. Soon after II O'Clock the hour at
which it was expected the adjourned session of the
Circuit Court would be opened, Messrs Reed Brady
and Brown, counsel for JEFF Davis entered the court
room and engaged in conversation with prominent
members of the Richmond bar and others. Messrs.
NaE Sickle and Thos. IL. Edsall, of New York, and
Charles Gross, Of Philadelphia, junior counsel for Mr.
DAVIS, were also present. No more than fifteen or
twenty spectators, including the ladies from New
ork were in the court room at any time during the
day.
1t having been ascertained by actual count that
the legal number of grand jurors were not present
Judge Underwood did not appear and occupy his
scat until O'Clock. AT that hour he entered the
room, and the court was formally opened by the
orier.
BY direction of Judge Underwood, the Clerk, W.
H. Barry, called the names of the grand jury and
fourteen responded. James E. Lipscomb and H. L.
Wigand, Of Richmond, who had been summoned to
make up the requisite number. were then called to
the Clerks desk to qualify jurors The former de-
cllned to take the prescribed OATH and was excused
Mr.. Wigand took the oath and occupied seat with
the other jurors.
Another long delay caused by MI. Lipscomb's
refusal to qualify. Finally Gilbert C. Walker of
Norfolk, appeared and took the oath. The panel
being thus complete, the Judge at two o'clock de-
hVered the following charge to the grand jury:
CHARGE OF JUDGE UNDERWOOD.
Gentlemen Of the Grand Jury: am happy to meet
you again and to know that you arc still living, not
wlthstanding the assaults that have been made upon
you Little need be said in addition to the instruc-
tons given at Norfolk. Your last session has made
you historical. and L trust the efforts which have
been made to intimdate you and to impede the
course of justice will not make you less faithful and
earnest In the discharge of your public duties We
ought not to be surprised that the reasonable and
Hccntous press of this State and city should whine
and rage and become furious when treason and hccn-
uouSuess are exposed and arraigued for trial and
punishment. Nor should we be surprised at the
enormty and desperation exhibited when we remcm-
Der that this city has long been the centre and seat
OF the greatest traffic in human beings that has ever
disgraced the world. A traffic which has annually
employed many hundreds of moral monsters, and
many millions of capital, subsidizng the press,
pulpit and politics of the State, rendering bich-
mond moro infamous among men for its partici-
patton in this great crime than all the cities
of Senegambia. Upper and Lower Guinea. Congo,
LoangO, Angola and Benguela combined. The
wonder, rather is that so many traces Of kindness
humanity and Christian civilization should have
survived such debasing and brutalizing influences
And let us thank God and take courage, that more
fortunate than the devoted cities of antiquity, VIC
can count more than ten men who have stood faith
tul among the taithless. The complaints of threat
ened violence and intimidation, which have been
forwarded to me by several of your number for your
late heroic and patriotic actions have been submitted
to the hg hest legal and military authorities of the
Government, and L can you of the earnest
sympathy nd firm support of all the officers of the
law. not excepting the President whom the treasona
bic now hatter and fawn upon. but whom they will
probably soon heartily as they did two years
ago.
But. gentlemen am glad to call your attention to
law of Congress which puts your own vindication
as well as that of the country into your own hands
In 1881 Congress enacted you will find on page ass
OF the 4th volume of the statutes at large as follows
Section z. And be it further enacted, that if any
person or persons shall corruptly or by threats or
force endeaYor to influence, ntimidato or impede
any juror, witness officer in any of the United
States in the discharge of his duty shall corrupty
by threats by force obstruct or impede or en-
deavor to obsruct or impede the due administration
of justice therein, every person persons offend
ing shall be liable to prosecution therefor by indct
ment, and shall on conviction therefor be punished
by fine not exceeding $500, or by imprisonment not
exceeding three months, or both according to the
nature and aggravation of the offence. Approved
March . 1881, >"
ercse wholesome restraint upon lcentious tongues
and pens, and upon press, which as blind leader
of the blind has been and still is one of the chief
causes of past. present and prospective calamity and
misfortune-the murders. duels, assassnatons, vio-
lent and ungoyerned passions, ending in selfcon-
hagration and selfimmolation unparalleled in any
heathen country. The poverty, suffering, agony and
equalled natural capabilities its bad eminence are
the legitimate fruit of the teachings of its public
press. and anything you can be able to contribute
towards its reformation will in the highest degree be
serviceable to the cause of the country and of hu
manty But, gentlemen, let act with moderation
and discrimination, for though prostiuted press is
of the greatest calamities. free and yirtuous
press is one of the greatest public blessings-the
greatest armament and support of public virtue
After delivering his charge. Judge Underwood re-
marked that in the absence of the foreman. Mr.. Har
rison would in that capacity. The grand jury then
retired to their room
There being no formal business before the court
Judge Underwood said:
I'VE shall be happy to hear from members of the
bar giving preference to members from a distance"
VIM. &. Reed, of Philadelphia, then addressed the
court as follows:
May it please your Honor beg to present myself
in conjunction with my colleagues. as the counsel Of
Jefferson Davis now prisoner of State. at Fortress
honors court Weind on the records of your honor's
court, an indictment, charging Mr.. Davis with this
high oense and it has seemed to due to the cause
of justice, due to this tribunal due to the feelings of
sort another, which may be described crys-
talizing around the unfortunate man, that should
come, at the very earliest day to this tribunal, and
ask OF your honor or more properly the gentlemen
who represent the United States the simple question,
what is proposed to be done with this Indictment?
Is it to be tried? Is it, and this is question per-
haps that have right to ask, is it to be with
drawn; is it to be suspended If it is to be tried
may it please your Honor, speaking for my col
leagues and for myself and for the absent client,
say with emphasis, and | say it with earnestness,
that we come here prepared instantly to try that
case; and we shall ask no delay at your Honor's
hands further than is necessary to bring the prisoner
to face the court, and to enable him, under the
statute @ IN sueh case made ana provided to examine
Is it to be withdrawn? If so, justice, humanity
be neutrality-suspicious.. If so. may it please the
court with all respect to your Honor and the gentle
man who conducts the public business here, your
earnest protest We ask a speedy trial on any charge
that may be brought against Mr. Davis here or in
any other civil tribunal In the land. We may be
now here representing, may it please the court a
dying man. For thirteen months he has been in
prison The Constitution of the United States guar
to him not only impartial trial, which am
sure he will have, but speedy trial; and we have
come no slight distance-we have come in all SINGER
ity-we have come with all respect to your Honor
we have with strong sympathes with our client,
professional and personal-we have come here sim
l.
Attorney, or address it to your Honor as may be
the most approprate-what disposition is proposed
to be made with the bill of indictment against JEFF
ferson Davis, now pending, for high treason?
Major J. l.. Hennessey, Assistant United States
District Attorney, said that he had been entirely
of the nature of the appica ton just made In
the absence of the District Attorney, Mr. Chandler.
he was not prepared to answer the question, but
would Immediately telegraph TO that gentleman the
fact of such application having been made. Mr..
Chandler would probably arrive IN Richmond this
evening. If he failed to arrive, he Major Hennes-
sey) stated that he would himself be prepared to
answer the question tomorrow morning.
Judge Underwood, addressing the counsel for Mr..
Davis-Am to understand that that will be salts
factory?
| Mr.. Reed-Entirely so.
The Court then adjourned until to- morrow at 10
A. NJ.
The Disfranchisement of Deserters,
| HARRISBURG, June 4.-The Supreme Court having
adjourned without announcing its decision as re-
| quested by the Governor. through the Attorney
General the constitutionality of the act of Con-
gress disfanchsing deserters the bill passed at the
late session of the Legislature for carrying into effect
the law of Congress has this day been approved by
the Governor that immediate preparations of the
cords and certificates required by the act may be
commenced and time afforded for the correction Of