The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1867-06-13
GTREASON MADE EASY AND
HESPECTABEE."
WENDELL PHILLIPS on THE RELEASE or DAVIS.
From the Anti-Slavery Standard


Mr.. jefferson Davis Is released Horace Gree
ley gives bail for his appearance when called for.
Mr.. Davis has started on bis lraves-to return, no
doubt when the farce Of the trial may still further
disgrace the nation.
Unless we are grossly mistaken, there is deep
seated unappeasable Indignation in the hearts of
the people at this act. The protest may not be
loud-mouthed, but all loyal hearts swell in secret
with bitter hate which bides its time.
What moIc could Government have done to
encourage another reasonable outbreak? What
more to bring law itself into disgrace--to bring,
indeed, republican government into dsgrace2
For if this be all republics can do to punish treas
on, on how insecure tenure VIC hold peace. II
such be the easy path Of traitors, why should not
any disappointed and baf1ed party-chief thus
achieve world wide notorety2 Surely, as they
say in England, high treason is one of the cheap
est anusements one can now indulge in.
But there is another side to the medal Mam-
ed and wounded men will not thus patiently drag
out bitter years childless fathers or, harder
still, those whose SONS survived Libby Prison and
Andersonvillc, in state more pitiable than mere
DEATH will leave bloody instructions to those who
come after them Ii the law is thus sham the
recourse will be to the Mexican method, and let
rival chiefs shoot each other after drum-heod
court-martial. If this be all the law can do to
punish treason, the next Jefferson Davis who at
tempts to escape will be ruthlessy shot before
he has time to lift his disguise or attain the safe
shelter of a prostituted Court. Mr.. Greeley thinks
| the lesson the people will learn from this dis
| graceful exhibition, will be one OF forgiveness.
| The iawning spaniel Is no emblem or teacher oil
| forgiveness. The survivors in the Army Of the
Potomac-the men who remember McCOOk, Mem
| phiS, Fort Pillow aud the murders Of Belle Isle
| viii read this act in different and redder light.
| They will resolve to settle their own wrongs the
next time, and prevent being cheated by law.
! When, during the war, soldiers found that guer-
rillas aud other rebels their hands drip ping blood,
had only to take the oath and get immediate lib
erty, they did not learn the Greeley-esson to for
! give murderers, they simply brought in no prison
erS. No arrests were reported at headquarters ;
! only rulnOrs reached it of men shot in the at
tempt to bring them in. We think our baflled
| boys in blue will lay up some such lesson from
this occurrence in case they have another call TO
| arm.
To beat down law does not always mean that
yon set up Christianity; it sometimes makes room
for anarchy. Toward that gulf Mr.. Greeley calls
the nation To take the first step, and himself leads
| the way.
There is such q thing as right and wrong
Honest men and knayes are not identical. The
i Government from knaviShness, aud MIR. Greeley
from unthinking fOlly-the dupe Of catch-words
are confusing the moral sense OF this nation.
! 'Tis bad seed-sowing. The nation which par
To punish them, is on the highway to ruini but
the nat ion that throws open its prison doors Oh
the pretence that there is little difference between
traitors and honest men, has accomplished more
than half that journey.
The manner of this sad deed is as Significant as
the deed itself. Grant, if you WILL that such is
our form of government, such the dlthcullleS Of
our position that we cannot punish Davis, but
must release him; still, he sa traltor-the wretch
who sought to crush the most beneticent govern
mont in the d-deliberately did what he could
to kill freedom and perpetuate slavery; still, he
is the chief cause why thousands are chldess and
hundreds Of thousands are orphans. lie Is tle
man who turned happy land into field OF blood
and made the name of America hideous with INC
murders of Audersonvie. This murderer OF
thousands stands covered with blood. VINO,
then, is this that rushes forward to snatch that
bloody hand and offer congratulations On what
absurd pretext does the leader of the dominent
and loyal darty Justify this iraternizing with
crme? Ii Booths trial had been long delayed
and at last he had been brought face to face Will
jury would Mr.. Greeley have been found grasp
ing his murderous hand aud Offering congrutnla-
tiOns.
All the reasons brought forward to excuse this
national iniany are hollow shams. Those VINO
offer them do not in their hearts believe DAVIS
criminal. This is the saddest feature OF the hour
"A nation whose moral sense Slavery has 80
poisoned that il no longer discrlmlnaLes between
right and wrong. We have, so far as mere Law
goes, abolished Slavery but generations mus
pass away before we get rid OF It's poison. Hall
a million of murders committed IN its behalf only
make the murderer worthy of an ovation ol
Mr. Greeley's part in this melancholy farce W.
want words to express our opinion. Sorrow mas
ters indignation. He has done many things tt
try the patience of his friends; but we think moth
ing has ever proved so oconcuslvely his entire lact
of judgment and common sense, his utter inablll
" 10 comprehend the epoch, the struggle througl
which the nation has passed, or the state in whlcl
it stands. Generally obtuse In his moralsense, WI
confess we are obliged to believe him more lack
ing in the power " discriminate between righ
aud wrong than we had lancled, in order to pre-
serve our iaith In his honesty of intention. l.
his friends can make out his claim to average In
telligence in political matters then he Is respon'
sible for an amount Of guilt In this ehort--yaln
we trust TO mislead aud confuse the nation
which oil his well-meant efforts In times past can
hardly outweigh.
WENDELL PInLLIPs