Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1867-05-30
The jeff. Davis Farce.

The telegraph yesterday made III
place the bail of jeff Davis at $40,
000 Specials to the Cincinnati pa
pers fix it more respectable sum
100000, though bail for a crimi
nal Of his dimensions is of itself {
mockery Of justice
On his return to his hotel his reb
81 friends hocked around him and his
old Confederate Episcopalian pas.
tor offered up thanks. His bonds
men are
Horace Greeley Augustus Schcll,
Charles O'Conor, of New York ;
w. II. Mcfarland, Richard Burton,
- HaXall Isaac Davenport,
Thomas r. Cruise, Abram Warwick,
Horace Clark, Henry WeIch, David
X. jackson, Gustayus A. Myers,
William W. Crump, and James
Thomas, Of Richmond, Virginia
William Allen, John Minor Bolts,
Thomas W. boswell, Thomas r.
rice.-ZaReSrHie COurier.
OF his release the Cincinnati Ga
zttte says -
The only possible way to punish
Davis was by a military Judgment.
This was the proper way to serve
the chief Of a great rebellion, if it
was thought best to inlict any pen
atty upon his person The condi-
tons made it impossible to convict
him Of any ofense under the civil
law. 1t would be merely to put
him to indictment and trial by his
own accompliccs. And there was
no propriety in trying for treason
the chief of great bclligercnt pow
er, with whose armies we had treat
cd for terms Of surrender, and had
released them all from personal pen
alties.
Mr. Johnson gave Mr.. Davis i'm
munity from all personal penalty
when he decided not to have q mill
tary commission Judge and execute
him. His pretense Of anxiety to
have the court try him was a shal.
low trick. He knew there could be
no conviction. Having decided
that Davis could not be judged by
military power, he thereby made out
that all the holding Of him by mill
tary power for the last two years
was illegal. His course in this case
is the more notable from its con
trast with that toward the assassins
of Lincoln, whom he had tried by
the military, although they were
not in the rebel military service,
and although there were no condi,
tions making that mode Of trial nee
cssary.
The Court decided according to
Johnson's theory, that it is a case
for jurisdiction, and therefore re-
leased Davis from military custody.
He was Immediately arrested on the
indictment for treason, and then en
larged on bail, Mr., Horace Gree
ley sought and obtained the honor
of going on his bail bond The
trial will come on in the fall twill
amount to nothing; for even if
convicted Of which there is no
probability by any Virginia jury
fairly selected, there is no capital
penalty, and it is not likely that any
other would stick. Any fine would
be contributed by Northern Demo-
Gratis in cents, so as to spread the
as widely as possible.
His detention in military custody
had no meaning, and it is well it is
ended. 1t was the last shred Of
Johnson's believing promise about
treason odious. 1t is bet
ter that Davis should live of his
friends than have him supported in
luxury at the public cost We shall
sec what generous contributions the ,
rebels will make to his lux.
lries, while they leave bis starving
victims to Northern loyal charities.
The Cincinnati Commercial says;
That jeff Davis will be tried for
treason before Chief Justice Chase
may be regarded as a fixed fact, il
{ is not found impossible to pro
,ure a jury, But what profit may
DC extracted at this time Of day j
rom the trial, we must confess our
to discover Upon the
whole, we do not regard the chan
,es Of jeff Davis to hang upon a
iour apple tree as improved by his i
'eturn to Richmond. a.
The Pittshurg Gazette says;
This (release on bail) probably
makes an end of this celebrated p
ase. Wise rulers always cndeavor 7
Iot to get an elephant on their
ands that they know not what TO -
o with, Our rulers were not wise,
nd having got possession Of an ell
plant have disposed of him as best e.