Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-05-28
.ICOAIslUNICATED.

W NOW ina theSneWspaperS have ABOUT uHl 81
ed describing and commenting on the release
of Mr.. Davis, and the proceedings ID COL y :
nectlons Herewith, tits due to the truth u
history, %to correct some statements that laye
been extensively circulated and remove certain
misapprehensons, on the part OF many tnuls
nant-because misinformed persons, ooL1 .
think that Mr.. Davis was lionIzed by the elVli
authorities, who for the sake OF somet 20
not clearly understood-made toadlesi OF ahelh,
selves to- that The aridieulousslie starred
by Boston paper that the Marshal 1; ano HIS
Deputy, who, mind you, we're travelling e. on %
that boat as private citizens, not 10 any 9thciai
capacity whatever were taken to Mr.. DAVIS
Stateroom and there presented" to him,
together with the garbled account OF CONVEX
sation: between Mr.. Davis and the peputyM ar
shall lent some color Of foundation to the charge
but the truth is, if Mr.. Davis. had state
room on board the boat, neither OF those gen
tlemen knew it,nor did they see him In 1t or 10
any place other than the main saloon; or deck
with the other passengers. 10 do MIR. DAVIS
justice, his department, from the time ne left
the fortress until his release, was modest ana
unassuming; his every action showed that ne
deprecated any attempt at display or ostenta
tion-in word his conduct was precisely such
as it should have beenunder the circumstances
Some think the Carriages at the wharf,
the Hotel bill &c, were paid by the U: 5.
Government on the contrary all this was done
by his friends, nor did the government pay
one cent for his expenses of any kind after his
departure from the fort Recollect he was in
the custody of the military until about hal
past eleven clock, a. NJ, on Monday the 9Th
instant; he was then on civil process arrested
by the Marshal andin about one hour from
that time was by order of the Court released
during that hour he was treated Just as any
other prisoner would have been-no better
no, worse. Although some twelve hundred
persons-not&two or three hundred as the
papers had it, were packed in the Courtroom
perfect order was preserved except tor abou
one minute Immediately after the release of the
prisoner, when a ''burst" Of applause broke
forth which was almost Immediately suppress
ed, and perfect quiet relgned until the ad
iournment few minutes later.
Now, as to- the action of the Judge. Some
seem to think that he should act the part O.
prosecuting Attoney-they forget thar he sit!
on the tench to judge between two parties
acco1ding, to Ian. Congress while the wa
was in progress made the crime tor which MIR
Davis was indicted, bailable offence-tht
Judge was ready for the trial-the executive
officers Of the Court had made all due pre-
partitions for it, they expected it, the prison
err was not only ready but anxious tor trla
and that he expected it, is, | think proved by
he fact that when Mr.. EVarts, on behalfof tht
Government, announced in, measured tones
that the Government is not prepared to pros
ecute the prisoner at this term of the Conrt,
be (the prisoner) gave a very perceptible starr
and then sank back in his chair, Il was sittini
beside him and noticed it)-then, his release
on bail was applied for-the prosecuting law
yers, with whom the Judge had nothing more
to do than with those for the defence. did no
object Sureties for the amount demanded by
them we're tendered-not 'strawbail'' as tho
Herald has it, for some Of the bondsmen ara
milonaires Now what could the Judge do
What good man in his place, with the Law
aforesaid staring him in the face--dasc refuse
bail; in the words of Chief Justice Chase, she
could not have done otherwise than he did.
Let the blame then rest where it belongs Wha
citizen in this free country will say, that part,
charged with crime which by the laws i!
bailable, who is ready for trial, and has beer
already imprisoned two years waiting therefor
and the prosecution not being prepared or vii
ling to try him, offers any amount OF bail de-
manded, who, | repeat will say that, that bal
should be refused and he be remandaa to lal
to await the convenience Of his prosecutors
Heaven forbid that l should live to see the
day of such tyranny in free America This is
not written by Democrat or Rebel, . but by
one who loves not only 'Republicanism" but
also JUSTICE AND HUMANITY.