The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-06-07


try and of humanity. But gentlemen, let / S
act with moderation and discrimination, for
though a prostituted press is one of the great
est calamities, free and virtuous press is one
of the greatest public blessings-the greatest
ornament and support of public virtue
The regular foreman of the Jury being alb
sent, the Judge stated that Mr.. HARRISON
would act in that capacity the Grand
Jury rose and returned to their room.
REMARKS OF Mr.. READ.
William B. Read, of Philadelphia, then adj
dressed 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 a prison.
er of State at Fortress Monroe, and under liz
dictment for high treason in your Honors
court. We find in the records of your Hon.
or's court an Indictment charging Mr.. Davis
with this high offence; and Il has seemed to
me due to the cause of justice, due to this tri-
bunal, due to the feeling of one sort or an
other which may be described US chrystaliz-
ing around the unfortunate man, that we
should come at the very earliest day to this
tribunal, and ask of your Honor, or more pre- -
ted States, the single question: What is pre-.
posed to be done with this indictment? Is it
to be tried? Is it land this is question,
perhaps, that | have no right to ask to be
withdrawn, or is it to be suspended?
fit is to be tried, may it please your Hon
or, speaking for my colleagues and for my
self, aud for the absent client, say with en-
phasis, and sayit with earnestness, that we
come here prepared instantly to try that cause;
and we shall ask no delay at your Honor
hands further than is necessary to bring the
prisoner to face the Court, and to enable him,
under the statute in such cases made and pro-
vided, to examine the bill o. indictment against
him. Is it to be Withdrawn? If so Justice AMI
humanity seem to us to prompt that we should
know it. Is it to be suspended, postponed
If so, may it please the Court, and all respect
to your Honor and the gentleman who con-
ducts the public business here, your Honor must
understand us as entering our most earnest
protest. We ask speedy trial on any charge
that may br, ught against Mr.. Davis here, or
in any other civil tribunal of the land. We
may be now here representing, may it please
the Court, a dying man. For thirteen months
he has been prisoner. The Constitution Of
the United States guarantees to linn not only
an 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 come with strong sympathies
with our client, professional and personal.
We have come here simply to ask that ques-
ton. l address it to the District Attorney. /
address it to your Honor, as may be more APP
propriate: What disposition is proposed to be
made with the bill of Indictment against JEFF
ferson Davis, now pending for high treason2
y REPLY OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
When Mr.. Read had concluded, Mr. J. T..
Hennessey, Assists Mt District Attorney, arose
to reply, in the absence Of Hon. l.. H, Chan
dler, District Attorney of the court. v,.s
(. Mr.. Hennessey could not say what course
would be purs ID in relation to the il dictment
against Jefferson Davis. The District Attor-
ney was expected to reach the city this Qast)
evening; if lie did not come he would be COM
municated with by telegraph, and he 1.-THE As
sistant Attorney would be prepared to give an
answer to the interrogatory of the counsel to-
morrow (thisl morning. q y q
Mr.. j. Fl. Gilmer, Jr!, of the Richmond
bar, arose and read a paper containing the
names of Messrs. George Shea, Charles Gross,
of Philadsphia, Thomas H. EdsalI and Ed
win A. Van Sickle, junior counsel for Mr..
Davis. i| sa-t.a5 Ea te%t ~
RIGHT OF ADMISSION TO THE BAR OF THIS
COURT. -
Mr.. j. Fl. Gilmer called the attention OF
the court to an argument which he had subA
saitted at the last term of the court in support
of his application to resume practice at the bar
11this court. He stated that he was prac-
titioner of the court five years ago, and that
he had done nothing to forfeit his right to re-
enter it. He asked the court to decide wheth-
er he was now properly within or without the
bar. Il, G|FIE If 5a.stAt
Judge Underwood declined to give de-
cision on the question He remarked that
he knew it to be In contemplation by some of
the most Radical men in Congress to repeal
the disqualifying act of January, 1864, and
was of the opinion that the act would be re-
pealed before the adjournment of the present
Congress. Its repeal had been strongly urged
upon Congress BY a majority Of the Supreme
Court Of the United. States Inasmuchi as
this question had been very ably argued dur
ing the past winter, and reargued before the
Supreme Court, the Judge said he felt a great
delicacy in undertaking to go farther than to
SIMPLY acqulesce IN WhateVer course the gen
tlemen Of the bar were disposed to take.
There would be no departure from the usual
course on the part of this court, unless an OBJ
lection should be made; but he hoped that
no objection would be made at this time. be-
lieving that the act would soon be repealed.
Il At,33 o'clock the crier the Grand Jury
not having yetsreturned) adjourned the court
until 10 o'clock this morning. w0E1 5zy
Eini, DESCRIPTION OF THE coUKT ROOM.
The United States District Court room,
which it would seem is about to be made his
torical by the trial of ex President Jefferson
Davis for high treason, is situated in the
third story of the Custom House. and is in
dimensions about sixty by fifty feet. The
lofty ceiling is supported by four iron pillars
in the centre around the base Of which is ell
closed the bar. The furniture is oaken-