New-York tribune., 1867-05-25
CRIlfE-THE UNION LEAG GUE-JEFFERSON
DAVIS
The Union League Club, on Thursday even
ing on motion of Col. ThOs. B. Van Buren,


ing, on motion of Col. Thos. b. Van Buren,
RcsO'red That the Union League Club of NewYork
decidedly dsappr0ves and condemns the baiing of JEFF
fersOn Davis the head OF the late bloody Rebellion be
lieviBg that he has been guilty OF unparalleled crimes
against his country and humanity, and decent regard
for the patriotism Of the people, for the sacrifices Of the
war; and for the sacredness OF Justice requires that he
should have been detained in prison until tried for his
crimes
Col. Van Buren is a lawyer as well as
soldier, and knows how to draw an indictment
as well as to indite ambiguous Buncombe. If
he had wished to use words that clearly ex-
pressed his ideas, he could easily have found
them. He has chosen to wrap his proposition
in mantle of verbiage which may mean as
much or as little as the reader pleases.
More than two years have elapsed since the
close of our great Civil War; the last year of
which was specially marked by the ghastly
tragedies of Andersonville, Salisbury, and Mil
len. 1t is morally certain that Ten Thousand
Union soldiers died in those prison-pens who
might have survived to return to their fami-
lies had they been supplied with the food, shell
ter and medical attendance, TO which prisoners
of war are entitled.
Who is responsible for the crimes against
Humanity whereby they were virtually immo-
'lated9
This question should have long since been
answered beyond cavil. BY the most searching
impartial judicial proceedings, by the most thor
Ough, determined Congressional investigation,
the whole truth should have been developed,
and the crime fixed and fastened on the guilty
authors of this gigantic horror.
This has not been done. wretched under
ling named Wirz has been tried by a Military
Court, convicted and hung for his share III the
AndersOnville murders His immediate supe-
rOr, Winder, having died, was beyond the
reach of human justice. Salisbury jailer
named Gee has been tired, but not convicted.
And here the matter rests.
We insist that it should not have rested there.
There is very prevalent belief that high Off
cias of the dead Southern COnfederacy are re-
sponsible for the wholesale murders thus per-
petrated. We do not say that they are or are
Motive only say that there is ground for pre-
sumption that they are, and that the truth
should long since have been northumberland
acted upon.
But keeping man in Jail without even chdrg-
ing him with any completely in the starving
and freezing of prisoners answers no purpose,
unless it be to rebut the presumption Of his
guilt. Here was Jefferson Davis for two years
in Jail at Fortress Monroe, awaiting Indictment
arraignment. and trial. Here were Edwin NJ.
Stanton at the head of the War Department, and
Jacob Holt presiding over the Bureau OF Military
Justice. These gentlemen are understood to be
Radicals, or at least in sympathy with the Re
publican party. Public opinion holds them re-
sponsible for President Johnson's proclamation,
charging Jefferson Davis and others with COM
plicity in President Lincolns assassination
Why if jefferson Davis is in any manner re-
spOnsble for the murder of our captured sol
diers, has he not at least been indicted for that
crimei VIII somebody answerf
But those two do not monopoize the respon-
sibilty. Any citizen may procure the indict-
ment of known criminal. Why should not
the Union League Club have taken up this
mattera That Club was formed to uphold 10y
atty and repress disloyalty. Whv should it not