The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-18

Il
| Davis.
The recent attempt 10 bring, or pretence o.
bringing. JEFF Davis to trial was solemn
legal mOckery run into farce. All the way
through this case has presented both ridcs.
ious and most serious aspect at the same time,
and has ended in humbug and hypocrisy LED
Davis was the leader and representative man
in the attempt to break up the best govern
ment that ever existed He was the President
Of that powerful rebel confederacy which for
four years shook the foundations Of Che Union,
which caused the slaughter Of half million OF
men, the flower Of the country, which has bur-
dened IA with debt, national, State and mu-
nicipal, of nearly four thousand millions of dol
lars, and which has plunged US into sea Of
innumerable other troubles. More than that,
he was one Of the chief secession agitators
originally who brought on the war.
This former naughty Senator of the United
States, army officer. Secretary or War. and
subsequent President Of the most gigantic
rebellion. closed his career Of horrors and
power " Being isnsminiossiy captured when
1ADB 0MoO4 okx0 4OCte8 IN Ss0 4WOAe4uAO0ss va -
old woman. Charged, not only with ths orime
Of treason, Ssswiih being an accessory to the
dreadful one Of disseminating the President Of
the United States, he Is liberated without a
trial, on straw bail, and lionized by set
Of Northern politicians and pseudo philan-
thropists as suffering martyr. Suoh is The
unparalleled spectacle Of high crimes. solemn
legal mockery, and ridiculous farce combined.
which his case and career present.
But apart from these phases of the case as
regards JEFF Davis himself, who, after all, is a
little, narrow-minded man, the whole action
Of the government in the matter, from begin
ming to end, has been disgraceful. Under The
charge of double crime Of the most heinous
nature, he was manacied and punished with
severity of solitary confinement awarded only
to the worst criminals after being found guilty
Without trial the charge Of completely in the
assassination of President Lincoln was aban-
doned, and neither he nor the country have
ever been informed of the reasons for the
charge or the abandonment of It For two
years he was prisoner under the other
charge-treason, and yet during all that
time he was not brought to trial, though
the country was in. . state OF peace, and
though the constitution guarantees to every
one q speedy trial There always was
sufficient cause and evidence to sustain
the accusation Of treason, and, perhaps, for
conviction Of that crime. President johnson
asserted and esasserted, officially and unofficial
y, in the most emphatic manner. sAas tsensoa
was drssdfA oCiae, and trsitors should be
Published. Ke< Ia spite Of these rsveated
declarations, psatlempt Kas snadel - Try Davis.
Undoubtedly treason. ~ wesley said; = 10
sum Of all crimes, for the consequences arc
more deplorabse and dreadful; sin, the very
man who was regarded as tho chief of traitors
was never legally accused. After holding the
prisoner two years the government virtually
abandons this charge also by releasing him on
straw bail. The laws remain unvindicated, and
the government really avows by this last act
either that thers 10 no suoh crime a. treason or
that 1t cannot b reached II this be 90, the
government rests on weak foundation. Any
wicked and reckless adventurer may plunge
the country into civil war with imPunity.
The different departments Of the government
have endeavored to shift the responsibility Of
keeping JEFF Davis untried for two years from
each Others shoulders. The executive held him
completely IN its power and did nothing.
Chief Justice Chase would have nothing to do
with him, although IL was his duty to see that
NO one should be held an unreasonable time
without trial, and to vindicate the laws BY
seeing that no traitor should escape unpunish-
ed. Both the rights Of the prisoner under the
constitution to be speedily tried and the
crime Of treason were UNDECIDED, be-
cause one department Of the government
did not harmonise with the other, because one
wished to embsrrass the other, and all for po-
litical effect The people hereafter will hold
both responsible, giving, however, the greatest
blame to the Chief Justice, because be could
have demanded the prisoner and have tried
him at any time.
One Of the most remarkable features oon-
nected with the case Of JEFF Davis Is found in
the conduct OF the editor Of the radical organ
in this city. He was the FIRST TO 20 bail for
Davis He had manifested an earnest desire
to do 30 for . long time previously. Under
the pretence Of humanity and sense of
Justice he sought this notoriety. Inconsistent
as is his conduct in this respect, with his radi-
cal dogmas and radical Affiliations, ii is charac-
teristic. At the commencement of the war he
advocated secession. Let the rebel States 20,
he said. 1t is quite in keeping, too, with his
"on TO Richmond" vagaries which nearly
ruined the Union cause, and with the radical
cry Of on TO specie payments, which would
bring universal bankruptcy, and, possibly,
reputation. The course that be and such like
radicals pursue weakens the arm Of the gov
eminent, makes the law farce, and threatens
ne with the greatest evils in the future. The
effect is very bad upon the public mind. The
people will naturally be surprised that the
sacrifice Of FIVE hundred thousand lives and