Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-05-09
ELOQUENT TRIBUTE TO MR.. DAVIS.
His Torture and Imprisonment-His Patri-
otism and Statesmanship. fl

otl3m ana StateSmansnlp.
The Fond du Lac (Wis.) Press, a
able and distinguished Conservativ
journal, pays the following just tribut
to the ilustrious prisoner at Fortres
Monroe, and makes demand for hi
release on the purest grounds of reason
1t says:
We have always regarded it as a fixe
fact, that sooner or later Jefferson Davi
would be released without being brough
| to trial, unless, indeed, his captors sue
ceeded in their evident design, to murde
him, by the slow torture of rigorous con
! fnement to which he has been subjected
1t would be impossible to convict hin
as traitor before any court, except, in
deed, military commission, composed
of such creatures as the men who pro
nounced the death sentence upon Mrs
Surratt, whose memories will be execra
ted through alLcoming time.
Not only did Jefferson Davis commit
no act of treason, but we believe tina
first, last and always his acts were gov
erned by motives of the purest and mos
disinterested patriotism. He betrayed
no sacred trust. He made no effort tc
elevate himself to positions Of honoi
and power, like a selfish aspiring poll
tician; but Of all the brilliant array o.
Southern talent, eloquence and genius
assembled in the Senate chamber al
Washington, he was the acknowledged
leader and superior Of all When the
people of the State he represented called
upon him as their representative tc
withdraw from Congress, he promptly
responded and of all the Southern mem
bers who bowed their naughty farewell
to the Senate, he made the most polished
and courtly adieu.
At the time the Government OF the
Confederacy was formed, his vast expe.
rience and unequalled abilities as a
statesman made him emphatically the
political leader of the South, while his
pleasing address and his intellectual
superiority over all the other distin-
guished men of the South, made him the
idol of the Southern people He &C
cepte6 the position of President, not with
any design of building up for himself a
splendid fortune and enduring fame, but
because he was chosen to fill that posi-
ton by the unanimous vote of eight mil
lions of people, and because he deemed
it his sacred duty as patriot to remain
true to the South in her hour of peril.
How far he erred in making this final
decision, which cast his fortunes with
those of the Southern people, it is idle
now to inquire to-day as traitor
though he is branded, we honor and re-
spect him, while we despise such vile,
base creatures as Bolts and Brownlow,
and can truly believe that Washington
was not more beloved and admired by
the patriots of the Revolution than is
Jeffers on Davis by the Southern people
to-day. History fails to point us an ex-
ample of more entire unanimity. We
search the records of mankind in vain
to find an instance surprising the love
and devotedness they have exhibited for
him.
1t is the superiority of Jefferson Davis
which has caused all his persecution and
suffering The Abolition fends well
know that he was no ordinary man, whose
splendid genius was so long the brightest
star in the Senate-they know it was no
weak common mortal who for years con-
trolled the destiny OF eight millions of
people, and they fear the influence which
his giant intellect and matchless elo-
quence would exert in moulding the fl-
ture destiny of America. Knowing that
it is impossible to convict him of treason
they hope to dispose Of him by the slow
torture of confinement and privation.
But time and affliction has failed to
bow his lofty spirit-insults, chains and
dungeons can never wholly destroy that
eloquence and genius with
which God has endowed him. To-day,
emaciated by long months of confne-
ment in a dreary fortress, guarded by
bayonets and surrounded by Yankee
spies and informers, we recognize the
same calm, stately, superior being who
figured so grandly in the recent terrible
drama of American history-who crushed
the Northern Senators by hnmiliating
of their own inferiority,
when he made his high-toned adieu to the
Senate.
For jefferson Davis VIC ask no ESecu-
tive clemency, for he has committed no
treason. For him we implore no pardon,
for he is no traitor all we ask, all we
desire, is tha: he shall receive fair, i'm
partial trial, and his guilt or innocence
be decided by a jury Of his own coun-
fryneR. But this, Of all things, his enc
mics are determined he shall not have
Tor they know in this event he would
come forth with no stain upon his char
lcter-no tarnish upon his honor.