The weekly North-Carolina standard., 1866-06-13
Trial of Mr.. Davis.

We learn from the Richmond papers that
the United States District Court was opened
in that City on Tuesday last, His Honor
Judge Underwood presiding, for the purpose
of proceeding with the trial Of Jefferson Da-
Wis for the crime of treason We give below
the remarks Of Judge Underwood on open
ing the Court, with those of Mr. Reed, one OF
the counsel for the defence:
CHARGE OF JUDGE UNDERWOOD.
GENTLEMAN OF TIE GRAND JURY: am hap
py to meet you again, and to know that you still
live, Notwithstanding the assaults that have been
made upon you. Little need to be said in addi-
tion to the instruction given at Norfolk. Your
last session has made you historical, and trust
the efforts which have been made to intimidate
you, and to impede the course ofjustice, will not
render you less faithful and earnest in the dis
charge of your pubiick duties. We ought not to
be surprised that the reasonable and liceutious
press of this State and city should vince, and
rage, and become furious when treason and licen
tiousness are exposed and arraigned for trial and
punishment; nor should we be surprised Mt the
enmity and desperation exhibited, when We re-
member that this city has long been the centre
and seat of the greatest traffic in human beings
that has ever dsgraced the world-a trafiick
which has annually employed many hundreds of
moral monsters, and many millions of capital,
subsidizing the press, pulpit and pOticks of the
State, rendering Richmond more infamous among
men of its participation in this great crime than
all the cities along the coasts of Senegambia, Up
per and Lower Guinea, Congo, Loange, Angalo
and Bengueia 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, we can count
more than ten men who have stood faithful among
the faithless
The complaints of threatened violence and in
timidation which have been forwarded to me by
several OF your number for your late heroic and
patriotick action have been submitted to the high
est legal and military authority of the govern
ment, and can assure you of the earnest SYM
pathy and firm support of all the officers of the
law, not excepting the President whom the trea-
sonable now latter and fawn, but whom they will
probably soon curse as heartily as they did two
years ago. But, gentlemen, / am glad to call
your attention to a law of Congress which puts
your vindication, us well as that of the country,
into your own hands. In 1881 Congress enacted,
as you will find on page 4SS, " volume of the
statutes at large, as follows:
Section 2. Aad be ii further enacted, That il any
person or persons shall corruptedly, or by threats
force, erdeavor to influence, intimidate or i'm
pede any juror, witness or officer in any court of
the United States in the discharge of his duty, or
shall c0rruptedly, by threats or force, obsruct
or impede, OF endeavor to Obstruct or impede,
the due administration of justice therein, every
person or persons SO offending shall be liable TO
prosecution by Indictment, and shall, on convic-
tion therefor, be punished by fine not exceeding
five hundred dollars, or by Imprisonment not cX-
ceeding three months, or both, according to the
nature and aggravation of the offence. Approved
March =, 1888
You will thus have it in your power to exercise
wholesome restraint upon licentious tongues
and pens and upon tine press which, 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, lusts,
assassinations, violent and ungoverned passions,
ending in self-confagration and selfimmolation
unparalleled in any heatnen country; the poverty,
suffering, agony and degradation which have Civ
en- this city-of almost unequaled natural capabi-
Hties-its bad eminence, are the legitimate fruit
of the teachings of its publck press, and anything
you can be able to contribute towards its refor-
nation will, in tine highest degree be serviceable
to the cause of the country and of humanity.
But, gentlemen, let us act with moderation and
discrimination, for though prostituted press is
one of the greatest caalnities, a free and vir-
tuOus press is one of the greatest publick bles-
sings-the greatest ornament aud support of pub
lick virtue.
Concluding, the Judge said that in the absence
of the regular foreman of the body, Mr.. Harrison
would act i'll that capacity. The Grand Jury then
rose and retired to their room.
REMARKS OF MIR. READ.
D.
the court as follows:
May it please your Honour, / beg to present
myself, in conjunction with my colleagues, as the
counsel of Jefferson Davis, now prisoner of State
at Fortress Monroe, and under indictment for
high treason in your HOnOurs court.
We find in the records of your HonOur's court
an indictment charging Mr.. Davis with this high
offence, aud it has seemed to me due justice, due
to this tribunal due to the feeling of one sort or
another which may be described as chrystalzing
hon
at the very earliest day to this tribunal and ask
ofyour Honour, or more properly the gentlemen
who represent the United States, the single qucs-
tiOn, What is proposed to be done with this in
dictment? Is it to be tried Is it (and this is a
question, perhaps, that have no right to asA) to
be withdrawn or is it to be suspended If it is
to be tried may it please your Honour, speaking
for colleagues and for myself, and for the absent
client, say with emphasis, and l say it with
carnestness, that we come here prepared instant
" to try that cause and shall ask no delay at
your Honours Hands further than is necessary to
bring the prisoner to face the court, and to ena-
Bile him, under the statute in such cases made and
provided, to examine the bill of Indictment
against him. Is it to be withdrawn? I? If SO JUS
tice and humanity seem to us to prompt that we
should know it. Is it to be suspended, postponed?
Ifso, may it please the court and all respect to
your Honour and the gentleman who cOnduce
the public business here, your Honour must un-.
derstand us US entering our most earnest protest
We ask a speedy trial on any charge that may be
brought against Mr. Davis here or in any other
civil tribunal of the land. We may be now here
representing, may it please the Court, dying
man. For thirteen months he has been prison.
er The Constitution of the Unithed States gua-
rantees to him 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 sincerity, we have come with all respect to
your Honour, we have come with strong sympa-
thics with our client, professional and personal
We have come here simply to ask that question.
address it to the District Attorney, address it
to your Honour, as may be more appropriate:
What disposition is proposed to be made with
the bill Of Indictment against Jefferson Davis,
now pending for high treason?
REPLY OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY
When Mr. Read had concluded, Mr. J. T. Hem
nessey, Assistant District Attorney, arose to re-
ply, in the absence of Hon. L. H. Chandler Dis
trict Attorney IF the court
Mr.. Hcnessey could not say what course would
be pursued III relation to the indictment against
Jefferson Davis. The District Attorney was ex-
pectcd to reach the city this Qast evening If he
did not come he would be communicated with
by telegraph, and he {thc Assistant Attorney
would be prepared to give answer to the interro-
gatory Of the counsel tomorrow (this) morning.
y THE CASE OF Rx-PREsIDENT DAVIS
RICHMOND, june Gin the case of cx -Presi-
dent Davis before the U. s. District Court to-day,