Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-05-15
jeff. Davis Return to Richmond.

jeff. Davis Return to Richmond.
Last Saturday jeff Davis was removed
from his apartments at Fortress Monroe,
where he has been held in military custody
for two years, and taken To Richmond in ODE
dience to the writ of ha5eas corpus issued by
Judge Und erwood His Journey to Rich
mond and his reception there are described
with Oh particularly by special CORES
pondents- We elsewhere give extracts from
kilograms to the Boston Journal, giving some
account of his progress 10, and his reception
in che capital of his former confederacy. 1t
Is now known that Davis will not be tried
at this term of the court. although no reason
is given for the delay. Ii has been intimated
that his counsel did not care to have him
tried before Judge Underwood and if the
prosecuting attorney We're ready. they would
ask for continuance. if Judge Underwood
declared the court ready to proceed with the
case In ease he is not tried, application
will be made for his release on bail. and
Horace Greeley, Gerritt Smith and others
are at Richmond ready to become sureties for
his appearance in court when wanted.
There is food for reflection, and that not
of the plelsantest kind, in the aspect of the
traitors case. That he should have the
sympathy Of those who participated in his
treason and made him the head and front of
the rebellion is not unexpected. That he
should also have the sympathy of the party
to which he belonged before rebellion. and
to which he would now belong if he were at
liberty to act politically need surprise no one
That he should be treated with ordinary
courtesy and civility by those whose official
duty it j. to hold him in custody is well
enough, for there i manhood in kicking
or starving, or pointing the finger at an i'm
prisoncd criminal But that nc should APP
parently he :. master Of the situation, and
should be less anxious about his relations t.
the government than the government is about
its relations u him. is humiIating in the
extreme.
We have never been able 10 understand the
conduct of the government toward Davis
While the rebellion lasted he was reckoned
its life and soul. 1t is well known that his
stubborn treason resisted the government
many months after his confederates knew
resistance was hopeless. The agony and
sweat and blood around Richmond for weeks
before Lee was driven out of that centre of
rebellion are all chargeablc to Davis The
blood of the martyrs of AndersOnviIIe and
salisbury, and Libby Prison and Belle Isle,
will be found on his garments He was the
inspiring spirit Of a cruelty more shocking
and remorselcss than any of which previous
history has given an account. This black
ness of guilt is unrelicved by any act of he
roism or personal devotion or personal sacri-
fice except such as any criminal might resort
to To make his villainv successful, while it is
intensified by the shabby tricks of falsehood
and hypocrisy. which have only a parallel in
the swindler who puts white cravat and
calls himself minister that he may find
easier and more confiding victims. The cause
for which he committed his great crime had
not redecming feature. He fought for the
unfettered liberty to ensiave his fclOw-men.
and make entire race the mere sport and
servants Of the most brutal passions and lusts.
In the name of freedom he grasped at a do
miniOn az absolute as that of the Sultan He
struck at the integrity of government that
had never wronged him, never deprived him
or his confederates of right or privilege
they had claimed, and whose only crime in /
the eyes of the world was that. while it /
boosted of its freedom, it in fact ruled bv (
sIave-Owners and slave-drivers. and made the
instrument of perpetuating and extending
the abominably wicked traffic in human souls.
Such is his crime, fragrant in its wickedness.
without one feature Of nobleness either of
courage manliness, and lacking no circum
stance of atrocious vIllany to give it the most
cons picuous intamv. What of his punish
ment?
The constitution declares that treason
AGAINST the United States shall consist only
in levying war against them, or in adhering
to their enemies, giving them aid and com
fort.'' This is tolerably plain; and if the
crime of Davis is not defined by this clause in
the organic law, there can be no such thing
rs treason The facts are notorious. The law
is clear Yet Davis has had apartments,
most luxuriously furnished, at Fortress Mon 8
zoe, for two years, and he has been SO well
ed and attended it is conceded by his friends