St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-05-31
Jefferson Darts.

W hen Jefferson DAVIS was caught
running away in his wife's petticoats, if
he had been summarily tried, convicted
and executed as a rebel in arms against
the government, the public opinion of
the country and of mankind would prob
ably have justified the act. We are glad
that such was not his fate, although it
very soon became clear that nothing re-
manned but to allow him to 90 at large
untouched
That result is now reached. After
the most undignified delay on the part of
the government he has been surrendered
to the civil authorities, and by them ar
rested for high treason and bailed in the
sum of one hundred thousand dollars,
precisely the amount of the reward Of
tercd by the president for his capture as
an accessory in the assassination of MIR.
Lincoln. Maintaining a consistency OF
folly the government not only has not
formally withdrawn the charge of assas-
sination, but after two wears of prepare
ton announces that it is not ready to
proceed to the trial for treason and the
prisoner is released with the most perfect
understanding upon all sides that he is
not to be tried at all. When the gov
ernment saw that it could not sustain the
charge of completely in the assassination,
and had decided that Davis could no.
wisely be tried for treason, it should
have released him upon his parole as ii
had released Alexander Stephens.
Before these lines are read Jefferson
Davis will probably have arrived il
New York, and the same feeling which
lifted the hats of many in the crowd al
Richmond will offer him respectful HON.
age here, But while we rejoice in the
strength and nobility of 4 popular gov.
eminent which can properly do an act
so unprecedented as the virtually uncOn
dition.i release of such an offender, le
no American citizen forget for mo
ment. or fail to teach his children, how
wicked the crime was. and how enor
NOUS the moral quilt OF the criminal. |
was a crime measured by which the of
fences for which every day men are sen
TO prison and hung are trivial and unlm
portant ; cau>cless and cruel crime
for which hundreds OF thousands o
hearth> are deSolate and countless heart
are broken.
Jefferson Davis and his associates, /
gratitya fierce political ambition, sough
to destroy mild government which the
had always controlled. not because
threatened their liberty or property, bu
because they feared it might proven
their destroying the liberty and stealth
the property OF other men They at
tempted tins work by fire and sword al
untold and unimaginable torturcs. FO
tour wears they waved bloody war again>
a government which they did not alleg
had ever injured or was then trying I
iniure them. The flower of brave an
noble youth was cut down. Like Rach(
the land mourned her darlin@s becau-
they were not. because they lay dead uI
on the field or starving and mad in I'll
pens of -indcrsonvillc and Salisbury.
For these crimcs-which in their ma
ture and hv the means necessary TO sui
due them transcend the forms of huma
law-tor these crimes, committed not /
tn" hope that Justice might be done, bu
with the purpose OF PerPetuatln9 til
most revolving injustice forever. Go
himself will be the Judge. And so Ion
as Americans love liberty, and reSpel
law. and honor manhood-so long d
truth and justice are >wcetcr to ther
than cruelty and wrong. their good sens
will pierce the sopAismS OF Davis an
his associates 10 their foul and ghaStl
purpose, which was not only the over
throw OF the government but the de@ra
latiOn OF human nature. and 10 accom-
plish which they slew our dearest an
our best.-Hnpcr'S Weekly