Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1867-02-27
THE MURDER OF UNION SOLDIERS.

and two privates of tic Maine Veteran
Volunteers were brutally murdered at
place called Browns Ferry, on the savan.
nah River, In SoGth Carolius. They had
committed no wrong and done nothing to
provoke hostility, but were masSacrcd IN
cold blood for no other reason than be.
cause they wore the uniform of the United
States. Fodr men we're arrested for the
crime BY tia military aatbofitiea, and a
Military Commission, convened by Gen.
sickles, after long aud careful triab
found them guilty, upon dhddabted testi-
mccby, ana they were sentenced two to be
hanged, and two to be imprisoned for
life.
OF course all the South was enraged at
Learning that four Of her cit'z2ns, bad
subjects though they were, had been con-
voted, and we're going to be punished for
the venial offense of shooting and drown
ing three Yankee soldiers. The President
was besought to interfere. Petitioners
reminded him that his "avowed policy"
demand his interposition and Alexander
H. Stephens, Gov. Orr, Herschel V. John
son, and others of the leading men of the
South, united in applications for the dis
charge of the prisoners, or at any rate for
their transfer to the civil tribunals, which
they knew would amount ct about the
same thing. The Hon. Q. n. Browning,
now Secretary of the Interior, received
fee of 81 900 for his services in induenc-
ing Mr.. Andrew Johnson's mind on the
subject, and persuading him to remove
the criminals to some fort, where writ
of habeas corpus could be served on their
custodians without danger ola conflict be-
tween the civil and military authorities,
It was supposed that after the Milligan
decision there would be no difficulty in
having the trial declared unlawful. A
writ was served upon Gen. Sickles at
Charleston, but he disregarded it, and
he Secretary of War approved his con.
luct.
Several weeks after this service, the
President commuted the two death SEN
cnces to imprisonment for life at the
Tortugus, but eight days later all four Of
he prisoners were removed to Fort Della
ware, and there the commandant, Col.
Toward, was served with writ of haJeas
o,pas fron Judge Hall of the United
tates District Court of Delaware, which
G was Instructed frem Washington to
hey. A hearing was had and the prison
es were discharged, on the ground that
t the tiEe Of the trial Of the murderers
ne civil .cosrtsof SouthC Carolina were open
nd the regular admins tration of justice
as unobstructed. We need hardly re-
iud our readers that this assertion off
ldge Halls was very far from tae truth.
be prisoners returned to thcirhomes, and
eir fellow citizens, who, be it remarked,
ere almost unanimously convinced of
cir guile, received them with cvations, {
I'd gave them banquet. 10 quote the t
nguage Of a surgeon in the army, "tbe 4
wn was, as they expressed it "there G
orally drunk" The civil authorities 7
'vcr took measures to try the assassins
I'd they are still at large. S
The House of Representatives appointed +
Committee last December to investigate a
is dagrant case aaa to recommend such n
tion as it light seem 10 them to require. r
ID their report has just been presented.
tier rehoarsing the facts as we have Civ f
them, they state the result Of inquiries i,
cy have made as TO the administration Il
justice in other portions of the South, 4
Chilly judging that any law passed by fl
,ngress to correct sach evils as the one d
der consideration would have to be
neral in its CT or Icter and not restricted n
the State of South Carolina. They b
amiaed all the commanders of military t,
partmeats in the South. and their tes- n
nony rs strong and unanimous that in a
ne Of the Rebel States DO the civil courts k
er the slightest chance of Justice to u
yal soldier, or Union man, or a negro. n
lou couldn't find "a jury in South Car &C
ma" says Gen Sickles, 'that would coD- N
It man for killing Union soldier" II
nstables won't try, juries won't convict re
such otfenses. 1t is the same in Louis. in
Ia, the same in Virginia, the same in Y,
'ntucky, Georgia. Alabama. and part of ii
same, in fact, wherever 70
, Confederate flag has ever waved. Gen. II
bod in Mississippi never heard of but W
g white man being punished for killing Of
egro. and he only got year in the az
litentiary. Gen. Thomas. whose de.
'tment comprises five States. does not
ow of a single instance of punishment