The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-01-30
imprisonment Of Jefferson Davis.

Senator johnson went on to say that q
general amnesty had not, been proclaimed,
and that nobody has been tried. The
failIfe to proclaim the amnesty, II it be
censurable, is to be visited upon the Presi-
dent, but the failure to obtain trial Of any
of these offenders il not to be attributed to
him. The President has no power to Or
der trial, and il parties indicted are not
tried the fault is with the Judicial Depart
ment. Mr.. johnson, having laid down
these points Of law, went oti to remark:
/ cannot help saying here, for it has
wounded my sensibility as an American
citizen, that think it a rcproach of Ameri-
can justice that there should have been in
generated now for nearly two years, what
ever may have been his offence, man of a
delicate frame, selected by six or seven
millions Of people to take charge Of this
rebellion, upon q charge of treason. That
he should be indicted for it, invoke trial,
not only challenge, but pray for trial, and
still be iihmured, is reproatb to American
justice that, if existing in any nation Of
Europe would tall down condign punish
ment upon the parties concerned init.
Sir, In the moment ofa struggle which
threatened to involve the English empire in
ruins, when what were called revolutionary
societies were filling London and filling the
kingdom, the insignificant men, such as
Hardy and others, were taken up, imprison-
ed, indicted aad tried without delay. The
whole power Of the Grown was exerted for
the purpose Of producing conviction, but
exerted in vain. The jury, upon pronounc-
ing a verdict Of not guilty, received the &C.
Carnations of the thousands who surround
ed the tribunal, and che unsurpassed and
eloquent man BY whom they were defend
ed was CARRIED, through the enthusiastic
patriotism Of his fellow-subjects, into his
own home in the form of an ovation. And
the English Grown submitted,
! am not the apologist Of the President
of the United States. If I had been Presi-
dent Of the Unitdd States I would have
paroled that prisoner long since OF have
bailed him. / would have said to the world
and said to my countrymeh-and I have no
doubt as to what would have beenthe iudg-
ment ofevery civilized and enlightened man
within our country's limits--"I will not
keep in prison man who may die under
my haHds unless l can bring him to trial."
lf-an event very likely to have happened
the prisoner had died, or if be were to die
now, the responsibility which would rest
upon the Executive, or upon the nation, if
the nation is responsible, would not be less
than that responsibility which was visited
upon the head of Napoleon when he had
executed in the dungeon the Due d'Enghieu.
To this Senator Howe, of Wisconsin, in
subsequent remarks, very cayalierly re-
Piled:
Mr.. President, Davis may die, Ido not
suppose there is anything in the DEGREES Of
Providence which forbids the consolation
Of death to such men as Mr.. Jefferson
Davis. I have no doubt he may die. He
may possible die at Fortress Monroe.
think myselfif | had been President Of the
United States, he probably would have died
in that neighberhood before this time, bu,
l should not have felt that any guilt rested
upon my soul because of that event, ever
if it had happened,
l have these verbatim extracts to show
to exact tone OF public sentiment here
That President johnson was almost per
suaded to issue proclamation Of genera
amnesty in December last, before the meet
ing Of Congress, is well know. Indeed
when Gen. Lowry and Major HilIyer came
here, as ENJOYS from Mississippi, to ask the
liberation Of Jefferson Davis, his brother
in-law, Gen. Dick Taylor, told them that i,
would be accomplished without their 10
tercession, SO confident was he that Mr.
johnson would proclaim general amnesty
II Washington Cor Mobile Times.