American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-06-05
TRAGEDY AND FARCE.


stances treason aad rebellion have tl al APP
pearances gained ap important triumph
Open hostilities ceased two years ago. but
treason and rebellion are actual realities
nevel theless, AMI still capable of recelying
aud lnfieting injury. 1t may be impossible
for reason now o win a triumph that viii
restore To it it, lost power aud give u rebel
iUn The horrid iiont it once presen ed, yet,
it can be revived and rnc urage ed to such u
degree that it may again boldly assert Itself
aud bring new trouble and disgrnce TO the
Republic. For this reas IN we deplore, in
common with a vast uajority of the loyal
people of the countrl ,the summary release
of Jelfer, ,on Davis. lI-.
NJ event has occurred since the disaster
of AppImatox exploded the cJnfederhcy
that has 81 encouraged and embuldeued
tn 'se VINO gave tleibs Ives to treasonls work
to seek some way out of its wreck 20 rise in.
The huzzahs, AID jubllations, and general
cngratu atioi that followed Mr.. Davis
RELEASE were nptunmeanlng, but on the cOuS
trary illustrate beyond all question tue lin
gerlng devotion tj treason, the enduring
hostility t. the Republic and the cordial
sympathy with its implacable foes that yet
characterize the people we have conquered.
To them it was triumph, not of civil law
over military force, as some of our own
people have profes,ed to regard it, but of
the Rebellion over the Republic-of treason
over Iuyalty.s They gave to their joy the
widest manifestation, not because OF re--
turat;on OF civil law, but because of this tacit
acknrwledgeme that treason is not crime,
and thd that Rebellion can protect its own
supporters. Who can say that they deceive
themselves in this, when the chief couspir-
atnr to day travels through the land as Tree
aud undlsturbed "a the most trusted ynls
There may be those whose natures are 80
fine and whose hearts are so full of benevo
lence and human sympathy that they can
see in this only noble magnanimit2, and
commenda lie clemercy ON the part If IN
outraged government. They NAV he risht,
but they are certainly not appreciated. The
people look upon the release of Davis ns an
outrage upon them; "A muckery Of justice
and law, an1 II triumph of treason. They
know Davis "a the head of grear rebellion,
the individual in whose name and by whose
authority that rebellion was conducted. and
the one above all others responsible for
unparalleled ATROCITIES and harbarities
that were perpetrated in its interests. They
nave no legal knowledge of these ftcrs it is
true, but no one will question that they are
plain open and papnble facts, at least sulh
ciently evident To warraLt his arrest and
trial as an offender against law aud justice
They do not ask his punishment in advance
of a fair and impartial trial, but they do ask
that the man to whom the suspicion of such
horrible guilt attaches be held tp answer;
ana, if gully, then punished according tp
his de erts. Jefferson Davis was arrested
two years ago charged with completely ia
. h, .,,G 1 ko
public prosecutor was President Jhnsun.
who had him arrested and confined. lie
preferred the charge, and by his ordcrs he
was detained in custody twu whole years.
Why he was so long imprisoned without
a trial NJ one knows but Mr.. johnson who
is solely responsible for whatever departure
there has been in this case from the usual
and constitutional methuds uf procedure
We do MT justify this denial of rights, nor
i deed can it be justified. The prisoner
has been within the power of the President
ever since his arrest, AMI pr per regard
Tor the laws demanded his dicharge, 20 far
as this particular offence was concerned
whenever it became evident that the charge
was asunfiunded. Others were tried aud pun
ished for participation il thar crime, why
was n It Jefferson Davis? We have the Sur
RAFT tragedies why the Davis farce But
be this n 1t may, we have the fact that he
was held as 4 prls N + nf State beyond the
reach o, civil profess, until the beginning
of the present month. lie was then rut~
rendered by Mr.. johnson, Immediately to
be arrested on an indictment found, chnrg-
ing him with treason, the highest crime
known to the law. The prisoners counsel
were ready to- proceed tU trial the cuutisel
for the government was also ready, but the
private counsel OF Mr.. Johusun asked frr
continuance. IL is not strange that the
prisoner asked to be rele ised ON bail, but
that such request should be joined in, at
least not resisted by the opposing unsel,
and be finally granted by the court, stamps
The whole proceeding as a farce, amusing
to some no doubt. but uu indignitY aud
outrage upon the loyal people OF the cOun-
try. The fact Of Davis long imprispn-
ment does not in the least relieve it of
this character. lie was confined not upon
charge Of treason, but for suspected COM
plicitv in President Lincoln's assassination
He had never been imprisoned single
day on uspiciun of having committed any
other offence. Must the law deal more
lenientIy with such suspected cripinal e
cause he has been suspected # other offences
heninus enough in all concience, and con-.
| # ied therefor? Ought uol the gice,s of the
law to be rather the more visiIant and strict
when dealing with such men? Instead Of
this We see an rsgerness on The parsuf thusc
concerned t. aid the prislner to his freedom
ami to make the farce as disgusting t. 10y
atty as "ossible. This eagerness i'll becam.
the judge who presided, the counsel who
should have prosecuted, and several Of the
b ,ndsmen who should have been about their
own business. asr
We fail to see one single reason why Jcf-
ferson Davis should BE- set at liberty. ard
cln detect not even me circumstances in his
case hatcnu'd appeal 10 the gen"r. us ma z
nanimou- or the phiianfhrnpic for interier-
ence. As is, immunity is granted 20 trpa-
son aud the law chea'ed of Us victim. A
disgusting farce has followed chse upon -
painful tragedy. and while thousands Of
brave spisi's sleep in the dusr. and lhnu-
sands of others linger out painful exist
ence for the crimes which this me man pe-
petrat, d. he walks up and down unrestrain
ed, protected in his life, his person and his
property.-Ffdnklia depository,
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"A New York correspondent ola Boz
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