Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-06-05
1tnion aud Amrrifan.
TUESDAY. JUNE >. 1866.
A Loyal PLEA FOR THE LIFE OF
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
From The Louisville Journal


any other person; but as the leader Of tn,
Great Rebellion" as the representative
man, and in its bearings upon the future Of
our country, it looms up into huge proper
tons Inn dccisioa must be historical; a
lSrong one may be irrcyorsblc.
Concerning it, the loyal people may be di-
vided into three classes:
l. Those clamorous for his blood.
.. The Indifferent
3 Those opposed to his capital punish
ment.
Reason and reflection have ranged the
writer with the third class.
The first class demand his life on two
principal grounds:
First, on that Of eternal justicc-as a
merited reward Of his crime.
Second, on that Of security for the future
of rendering treason Odious."
As 60 the first reason ! beg leave to ask
who knows what eternal Justice Is? Does
any one know the Eternal himself? Shall
prcsumptuous man essay TO iathom its
dcpths2 Docs any one see any connection
between the exodus Of the Children Of Israel
and the late war? No one. Yet there may
be a close and consequential dependence.
The Past and Future have no place in the
grammar Of the Almi ghty. With Him il is
one cfo-Hai Present In hunting down Han
nibal the Romans believed that they were
but executing the DEGREES Of Heaven. Does
any one think 50 now? Was the Republic
really benefited by the fulflment Of the pat
riohc wish Of Cato, the just" deiclda est
Cuthdgc2 Though the 10 nan people cried
amen, does history Justify the fearful doom
melted out 90 Jugurtha2 IL becomes man,
orring, short-sighted man, TO be careful how
lac trenches upon the prerogatives Of Je-
hOvah. lie has warned him that He has
chosen 10 execute His own DEGREES. Ven
yeanoc is mine, saith The Lord, uW repay.
As for the second and more plausible
ground of the demand, | hesitate not to de-
clare that, If Jefferson Davis and one hun
dred more of the leaders were hung to-mor-
row, the day after the bloody spectacle,
thousand Others would be ready TO brave the
halter, if they had reasonable assurance Of
success. iI1O Grais0, nan deficit alter. No.
The security for the future" is the signal
failure Of the recent attempt; the utter hope
Ics7ness of another If other SECURITIES"
were at hand they are not needed. This
generation will not forget the costly lesson.
Is there any one in the South who has
not heard the roar Of cannon, the clash of
arms, the shout Of the cOmbatants? l. there
any one who hasnot seen the mangled heaps
of the slain in battle? Who has not mourn
cd over-nay, who does not still mourn over
the freshly made grave of some near and
dear one? Some one whose place cannot be
hlled-who was the darling of a parent, the
idol Of n wife or the pride ola sister ?
But You say that it is requisite to make
treason odiOus' Odius TO whom To loyal
4 Il 4. l..
necessary. VIII il loyalize or change the
sentiments Of single rcbel-even the weak
cst2 4 more enlightened prescription is
the faithful execution Of just and equal
Laws, considerate cemency, Cancellation and
magnanimity. Ii is more promising than a
scafold in every county of the South. In
this way, md in this way only, can the re-
bclious be made 20 see the wickedness, the
odiousness" Of treason. Any other for
mula for the disease TO carry out the meta
phor) argues a profound ignorance Of the
Southcm-indccd Of the American C6RSiitu-
hon.
But propose 10 push the argument 4
step further-to show that nothing but dis
honor and danger TO the future could be ex-
pccted 10 dow from the execution of Jeiler
son Davis.
Let MS, for a moment glance at some of
the opposite lessons of history. Were liber-
alprinciples advanced, or the Commonwealth
strengthened bv the beheading of Charles p
80 far from it. il is not altogether absurd TO
believe that, but for its baleful and reaction
airy influence upon the better classes and real
friends Of popular institutions, England to-
day might hc n rival Republic. She had the
workmen To lay the foundations Two hun
drcd and hity-ycars have not reproduced
their equals.
Again, after the Restoration, did the vim
dictivc persecution Of those who had con-
scented to the Kings death tend TO consol-
idatc the power of the Suarts Might it
not rather he affirmed that, among the causes
Of the expulsion Of James ii, and Of the
Stuarts, forever from the throne, these blood
capped waves of the Restorati on played a
not unimportant part?
Did the execution of Louis XVI. help the
cause of Cgalae Il frdtcRjtc in France? That
act and the subsequent executions for poiti-
cal Offences, drcnching the streets Of Paris
with blood, disguised the French people with
Democracy and drove them back for security
and quiet 10 their ancient forms and chains.
What American has not read with swell
ing emotions the matchlcss cloquenCe Of
Robert Emmett Has his blood done the
British Government any good ? Is it, to-
day, an honor or a disgrace on its escutch-
com Yet Robert Emmett, by his own con-
fession, was traitor-had not only plotted
Ia overthrow the Government 10 which his
allegiance was due, but had bargained for
French asSistncc-in the eyes of English
men an objectionable sin.
These lessons of history-and many more
might bc adduccd-all point to one conclu-
sion, namely: that purely political cXecu-
tions seldom, If ever, answer the ends pro
posed. Their ultimate consequence is TO
iniurc the cause which they are expected 10
promote, and 10 advance that which they are
designed TO crush out. In the instance
that concerns us, we have no right 10 eN-
poet history 10 render different verdict
10 prove inconsistent with itself Nor is
this result without philosophy or cxplana-
ton. 4 political offender is merely the
exponent or representative Of certain prin-
ciples embraced 10y thousands, perhaps by
millions, made up Of every creed, every de-
nomination, every sect every profession,
every vocation, and Of every degree of in
gree Of intelligence and education. Priuci-
piles. good or bad, cannot be gibbeted. All
who entertain them, feel that the victim Is
ro more guilty than Themselves not a few
in0ir that he is less So. Hence the man
HAT Won have consigned 70 iniamy and the
-al'ows, is hero and a martyr, and the
blood OF the martyr becomes the seed Of
she Church Where q respectable portion
oi The civilized world denies that a crime
has been committed, or considers the crime
r f5,, 10 Is NOT safe for a nation TO use the
rope the axe, or the guillotine.
When the impartial historian shall put
the American people ON trial for their CON
duo. in this case, il should not be forgotten
chat they cannot plead the standardization
oi jho times which most of the cited instan-
Cc, occurred. Their Christianity and boasted
civilization will enter into the account En-
ightcnment and responsibility are insep-
arabic.
Where thousands are equally guilty, it is
difficult 30 see the Justice of making an cN-
annie Of one offender 70 illustrate: Is
Jefferson Davis more guilty tLan Robert +.
Lee? The former was in the public service
of his State; the latter of the United States.
The frs, vus rendered has position, the other
rendered has Sc,rjocS.
Which is the more dangerous herSon
Davis. merely civil officer, or Robert +.
Lee q military chieftaing The one had no
enemies and was the idol of his soldiers;
the other had many among his own people,
If each had the power To rouse the South
again 10 arms, which could summon the
larger army? Why, Jefferson Davis could
scarcely collect n corporals guard.
But there are other considerations that
should stay our hands from blood. II has
-, ,,.,l sail fbot no one is fiji 10 write the