The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1867-05-16
DEMOCRATIC COUNTY CONVENTION.
Release OF jefferson Darts.

l nc ueho W IAV P"PoiS VI i"N'""s
last bring to us the news Of the release
of Jefferson Davis from confinement at
Fortress Monroe. This news will be
received with gladness throughout the
entire country by men of all parties
- We Go not seek to be apoiogists for
the conduct of Jefferson Davis during
the late rebellion; but we say that he
has been shamefully treated ; not shame.
fully treated because he has been suffer
ing an Imprisonment Of two years which
the papers tell us, has reduced his ply
steal frame to mere skeleton-but
shamefully treated because it will forev,
cr be blot on the name and character
of the American nation" The home Of
the free and the land of the brave -
that it, for two long and weary years,
kept an alleged criminal confined in a
Jastlr, after he, through his counsel,
had repeatedly asked for his trial. For
this gross violation of one Of the main
principles of our government-the right
of immediate trial by jury-this gov
crnment itself Will have to answer for.
We ask, in all candor ana fairness,
why could not he have been held to
bail for trial when he was first arrested
over two years ago, as well as now :?
His crime, if crime it was, has not les-
sencd or increased since his imprison-
merit Why not, then would it not
have been better to have given him a
trial at the proper time ? ....
The trial will take place in November
next. The jury which is to try him,
VIC suppose, is the one which Judge q
Underwood, in his testimony before the
Judiciary Committee, on being ask
ed if he could pach jury in Virginia
who would convict Jefferson Davis, re.
Piled that he could. We suppose that
Underwood has indeed packed the jury
or caused it to be done, as the foreman
of the same is no less parsonage than
that arch demagoguc and political trick
ster John Minor Bolts, whose name il
followed by those Of five full-bloodet
Z" American citizens Of African scent
From the latter fact we conclude tha
Htreason will be made Odioa,S,' whethe
Davis is convicted or not-especialI.
while the pet lambs remain in the jury
box. s....
For our own part, we do not sec VIII.
, Mr.. Davis should be singled out frOI
among eight millions of rebels to answe
J for their aud his own misdeeds. Som
may say, however, go, he was thei
President, their leader !" Granted
5 But it yet remains TO be proven whcthe
y he ever sought to be their leader,
c 1t is we'll known that, Jefferson Dav
for the past twenty-five years was II
\ acknowledged leading man Of the SoutI
i Ever watchful Of her interests, he ha
d so oadeared himself to bis people, tn
u when their great trial came, they so"g
i him. We leave it TO the calm, dlspa
Y. sionate sense Of any man Of truth al
honor ifhe dare, with honor to hims(
at or gratitude to his people refuse to b
al come their champion, and help and u
- ;. hold them in the hour of theirsnoed,
in he had done in their prosperity.
S, We presume that Underwood, VII
c the trial takes place, will make it
II, H. point Of professional pride" la Biz
Lo ham, ia the Surratt case, to convict
m. prisoner. We think, however, he v
he fail. We believe there will be more
a sense of right displayed, even by a,
od ry composed partly of negroes, tn
70. there is is in thousand unmitigai
upstarts like Underwood NJ