American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-05-29
JEFFERSON DAVIS.

When Jefferson Davis was caught run
ming away in his wife's psttiooats, if he had
been summarily tried, convicted. and exc
euted as rebel in arms against the Govern
ment, the public opinion Of the country and
Of mankind would probably have justified
the act. We are glad that such was not his
fate, although it very soon became clear that
nothing remained. but to allow him 10 20 at
large untouched. H L
That result is now reached. After the
most dignifed delay upon the part Of the
| Government he has been surrendered to the
civil authorities, and by them arrested for
high treason and baied in the sum OF one
hundred thousand dollars, precisely tho
amount of the award offered BY the Presi--
dent for his capture as an accersory in the
assassination Of Mr.. Lincoln. In maintains
| ing consistency Of folly the Government
not only has not formally Withdrawn the
| charge of assassination, but after two years
| of preparation announces that il is not ready
TO proceed with the trial for treason and
the prisoner is released with the most per-
feet understanding on all sides that be is not
| to be tried at all. When the Government
saw that it could not sustain the charge of
completely in the assassination, and had de-
cidsd that Davis could not wisely be tried
| for treason, it should have released him on
| his parole as it had released Alexander H..
| Stephens. aii re4 Ftasa
| Before these lines are read Jefferson Da>s
Wis will probably have arrived in New York,
| and the same feeling which lifted the hats
of many in the crowd at Richmond will offer
hin respectful homage here. But while we
rejoice in the strength and mobility Of pop
ular government which can properly do an
act so unprecedented as the virtually uncon,
ditional release of such an offender, let no
American citizen forget for moment, or
fail to teach his children how wicked the
crime was. and how enormous the moral
guilt Of tha criminal. 1t was crime meas
ured by which the offences for which every
day men are sent to the penitentiary and
hung are trivial and unimportant cause
less and cruel crime, for which hundreds
Of thousands Of hearths are desolate and
countless hearts are broken.
Jefferson Davis. and his associates, to
crafty fierce political ambition, sought
| to destroy mild government which they
had always controlled, not 5ecause il threat
ened their liberty and property, bur bacause
they feared it might prevent their destroy.
ing the liberty and stealing the property of
other men. They attempted this work bv
| FIRE and sword aud untold and unimagin .
bic tortures. For four years they waged
bloody war against a government which
they did not allsge had ever injured or was
then trying to injure them. The flower of
brave and noble youth was aut down. Like
Rachel the ahd mourned her d rings be-
cause they lay dead upon the field or starv-
ing and mad in the pens Of Andersonyills
and Salisbury. sas
For these crimss--which in their nature
and by the means necessary to subdue them
transcend the forms Of human law---for these
crimes, committed not in the hope. that JUS
tice might be done, but with the purpose of
perpetuating the most revolving Injustice
forever, God himself will be the Judge
And go long as Americans love liberty, and
respect law. and honor manhood-s SO long a.
| truth and justice are swoeter 20 them than
cruelty and wrong, their good sense will
pierce tie sophisms OF Davis and his assos
ciates to their foul and CHASTITY purpose.
which was not only the overthrow of the
Government but the degradation of human
nature, and TO accomplish which they slew
eur dearest and our best Hayper's Weeky.
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