The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-05-08
MIR. JEFFERSON DAVIS.

| Ills PETITION TO THE UNITED STATES CIRCUIT COURT.
To 3tc Honorable The Judges OF The Cfrcmi Court OF
| he United Safes. for Mc District Of Virginia.:
| The petition Of Jefferson Davis b. George Shea,
his attorney i'll fact in this bohalf, respectfully
shnwttlI:
That he is and ever since the 10Th day of May.
in tho wear 1865 has becn restrained Of his libcr
t., and held in close custoa: prisoner in Jail
in that certain strong place of and belonging tn
tho Government of the United States, called Fort
Monroe. within tho said District of Virginia: and
| til Brig Gen. Henry $. Burton is now the com
| mandcr nf said Fort Monroe, and as sich holds
your petitioner i'll custody.
That no ground of detention is alleged to tho
knowledge Of your petitioner. or his said attorney.
in fact, unless It be certain Indictment presented
against Your petitioner. at the May term of the
above entitled court held in the year lSli6 OF which
| Il c,py is hcreuntn annexed, marked 4.
Y0nr petitioner further shows that the said May
icrI was adjourned To meet ut Ricbmuntl OH the
ith day OF June. in the year last aforesaid. That
at said adjourned term your petitio'ler appeared
hy his counsel, and urged trial at said adjourned
term. Offering tn prncccl without delay; but that
tho Government declined to proceed on said lndict
mcnt. Your petitioner further shows that ~ the
subsequent term Ut this Enurt. your petitioner APP
pearrd in like manner but tile Government did
not bring on the trial.
Your petitioner further shows that his imprison-
mrnt aforesaid has greatly impaired his health
and that the continuance thereof through the ell
suing summer wnrlll involve serious danger to
his life ar Your pc itioncr believes.
Yuur petitioner further says that ample srelics
for his appearance To abil" Judgment on said i'll
diCtuiot can be given, If Your petitioner shall be
admitted to bail
Your petitioner further shows that his detention,
imprisonment and custody aforesaid. always have
been and are exclusively under or bt c,'or 0f the
authority of the United States. and that lie has
reason to apprchcnd that the Government may not
proceed to tho trial upon said indictment at the
next ensuing term of said Curt which il to DC
held in Richmond on the rst Monday Uf May
| lsG7.
Whernpon Your petitioner prays that 4 writ Of
haberls corpus may issue from this honorable
Court tu b. directed to Irigaer-ticmcral Henry
your petitioner III c.:st0lly. commanding him or
them tu have the body OF yo,lr urlltUuer before
tho Circuit Court nf tho United States for the Dis
trct uf Virginia the first Monday uf May, lSiI,
a the opening of the Court OIL that day. ur ut sIiell
utlrr time is in tho said writ HAY br specified for
the purpose III inquiring into the caiisc Of the
commitment AMI tlclrni y,'r petitioner. an .
IN do and ABIDE such order THIS Court may
make in tho premises
And your petitioner will ever pray.
JEFFEiiSON DAVIS.
by GEo. SHEA, lis Attorney IN fact.
t'ni'ci NatS Of .ln,erica. Dist, ici Of (otan,-
bid So: George Shea h,ing duly sworn. SAYS.
preceding petition named that he il acquainted
with tho said petitioner, and saw him III close rllI-
tuy. as prisoner. in Fort Monroe. III tho month
of March last thai he. tins lcpnncnt. has gr::c-
raj knowledge ui t!!O facts III the above petition
stated nntl lie verify believes the sail lntiinn to
bc III all RESPECTS trio. GEO. SHEA
Subscribed and sworn before me-, this lSt day of
May, 1857. nj Alexandria. Va
JOHN Z. UNDERWOOD.
District Judge.