The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-23
TIE oosst cr-Revoiutien Now Geias Os-Jof-
fersea Davis as LARGE

our great civil war, be his powers Of descrip-
ton what they may, to exaggerate the ills
which that war has entailed on all the sections
and interests Of the Commonwealth. After the
passions to which that struggle gave birth have
died out it will still be found that q large
legacy of misfortune has been left to the nation.
II is not merely that for upwards Of four years
war on more gigantic scale than has ever yet
been Witnessed ragged within our borders; that
vast exteats OF territory were overrun and laid
waste; that some Of our finest cities were lev
elled with the dust; that trade in all its depart
ments was paralyzed; that our Aourishing COM
merce was swept from the ocean; that Eve or
six hundred thousand men on the one side and
on the other proved their devotion or their
patriotism with their lives; that the bitter an
guish OF bereavement clothed the nation in
mourning; that thousands of manned and help
less creatures in al, parts of the Union contin-
ually remind US Of the severity and iniquity Of
the struggle; that the miseries of poverty were
experienced by thousands and hundreds of
thousands among whom formerly plenty
reigned; that we are grooming under some
three or four thousand millions of debt; that
through the maddened passions which that
struggle engendered our Chief Magistrate, for
no greater fault than simply performing bis
duty. persisted by the assassins hand-it is not
merely for these reasons, weighty as they are,
that the rebellion is to be deplored. 1t is TO
be deplored for other reasons than these, and
chiefly for this One-a reason which hitherto
has been lost sight of--that it has sown the
seeds of future misery and disorder which
centuries of good government and wise
legislation will be impotent to destroy. Unless
we admit that civil war had become neces-
sity, guilt grievous guilt, must lie at some door
As we cannot admit the necessity we have no
choice but to proclaim the guilt.
AT whose door, then, are all these miseries to
be laids On whose head is this gigantic evil
to be charged? On whom is that guilt to be
mainly fastened? But one answer comes TO
these questions from all parts of the mighty
North, and even from many parts, too, of the
BUNDLED and suffering South. and that answer
shapes itself into the name of one man, and that
man is Jefferson Davis. II was bis hand that
lighted up the flames of civil war-a war which
has begotten such brood Of miseries to him.
self, to his friends, to the South, to the entire
American Union. If political offences are pos
sible in republic, il the word treason has any
meaning in selfgOverning community, and if
it is treason to plot and attempt the ruin Of our
country, then, from the moment the first rebel
shot was fired at Fort Sumter, jefferson Davis
stood convicted of the highest political offence
known among men. He played the traitors
part. Successful. he would have reaped the
honor. Unsuccessful, be conid only count on
the traitors doom. He was unsuccessful Not
What has followed? How has this arch-rebel
been treated? Has he met III, fate to which
the English Parliament was bold enough TO
deliver Charles the First, and to which the
French Convention, with equal boldness, though
perhaps with less Justice, doomed Louis the
Sixteenthi Nothing of the sort Will it be
credited BY future generations Of the American
people that this author of so much misery. this
disturber of peace. this destroyer Of human
life, this scourgc and ruin OF his country,
has, after two years OF imprisonment, at
any time during which trial was prac-
ticable and easy, been permitted. still
untrled, to resume his liberty, Yet 80 il is.
Without having undergone even the shadow Of
o trial, Jefferson Davis is again a free man.
Blood has been poured forth in actual torrents,
parents have laid their children on the altar
OF their country, the flower and promise of our
young men have persisted, suffering untold and
uncomfortable has been and still is being en-
dured, and for what purpose? To put down
this Ubiquitous rebellion and to bring traitors
to justice. The rebellion has been put down
traitors have fallen into our hands but
Justice!-we know not where to find her. She
has abandoned her native seats, and where she
was wont TO be seen in pride and purity and
honor, Corruption sits, with bold and unblush-
ing brow. No; the chief traitor has not been
punished-has not even been tried. Not only
so: under the fmsiest and most wretched
pretext by which the course Of Justice was
ever aveaed, and by the aid Of pretended
patriots and purisLs and would-be philanthro-
entire American people, North and South,
suHer-because Of this mans offences; but the
offender himself escapes with impunitv.
Such is the condition Of things 70 which the
nation has been brought. The condition, GER
tainly, is pitiable enough Who is TO blame
for it, II was natural that Jefferson Davis
should desire liberty. That he is free is as
little his fault as that be has not been tried.
Now, however that we are rid Of him, we have
to deal with another class Of offenders. Who.
we ask, is to blame Some say the Presi-
dent some say Chief Justice Chase; some
say Congress some say Judge Underwood.
The partisans Of each OF these. we understand,
are very keen. or one thing, at least, We ara
certain-the blame does not rest with the people,
We do not feel disposed to go in for any one Of
the above mentioned parties. Whether the
q n - -