The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-05-23
MIR JEFFERSON DAVIS.

the position ncfetQIOlc iei' ~
government with reference to Alr.
Davis, a position which is greatly
modified by the result of Yesterdays
proceedings. 1t was mistake to Cap
turc him at I'LL. From the moment
that he was taken the question how
to dispose of him has pressed with
wcig!:t OF the country, for this ques-
tio;I ;;i;! not concern TIC officers Of the
government alone. 1t was made q
Political r question, and was di*cusset!
in every Village in the land. Ifsomc
fcr~c gentlemen had been allowed
thcii, way he would have bcc:. long go
executed without judge o. jurE. Tic
attempt to connect him with Tic as
sa,siration of Mr.. Lincoln had It's
origin in the frantic desire Of these
ardent rcople 10 sec him summarlly
disposed of; but tie allure to sustain
even the sclnblancc OF reason for that
made the case more difficult
of management, since it reacted de-
cidcdly in favor CT the prisoner IL the
public mirl.
When tic Confedcracy fell to pic
ces there was in the South, strung
anti-Davis party, numbering in lis
adhcrcnts a large portion Of the in
tcllcct and ability Of Ike rcbcllions
States. It will never be possible to
say accurately what was tic relative
strength Of this opposition and Of the
party sustaining Davis administra-
ton. But we are inclined to think
that more than half Of the people Of
tic Southern States belonged to the
ranks of the Joe Jojnston party, So
called, although it had hardly the
consistency or organization ncccssa-
ry to give it IL name. lad Nr. Da-
Wis escaped :rom the country it is tol-
crably certain that Tho opposition was
so strong that it would have main
tanned absolute supremacy over the
Southern mind, ard would have been
triumphat in visiting publicly on the
escaped head Of the Colfedcracy all
the blame which had been secretly
pourcd out Oh him for three years be-
fore. It would have been impossible
for his friends to rc;nstatc him in pub
lie reputation. All the failures Of
the war and the final failure would
have been charged on him, and the
charge would have been believed. lie
would have gore into exile, despiscd
by the South aud certainly not ad-
mircd at the North. Tic would never
have returned from ob*curity. A
worse fate could rot have been wished
for him by his worst enemy than he
would have encountered had his flight
been successful.
The course pursued towards him
bv the government, resulted ia very
different condition of things. Made
the sole prisoner .ofthc Confc'leracy,
he necessarily began to be looked on
as representative man, and the dis
like to him which had become so
strong in the South gave way before
the fact that he was regarded as the
embodiment of the rebellion, await
ing judgment in u military prison.
He had the sympathy of all who had
been rebels under his leadership. Mr..
Davis has to thank the government,
therefore, for preserving him from a
worse fate than execution us a traitor.
It has been q laundering cohrs2 on
the part of the administration from
the beginning until the present time,
when the right step has been taken.
He is TO longer to be regarded as the
man who in his person represents mil
lions of people. He simply stands
indicted for treason, his own personal
crime, and admitted to bail, which is
placed on personal valuation, and
not Oh the idea that he represents
all his old hackers in tic feld.-
Whether he will ever be called on to
answer at the bar, or whether he will
go abroad and forfeit his bail, if he
should happen to be called on, Or
what he will do, is hcnceforth Of
small account. That sensation is
pretty much ended, and we pass on
to others. which arc sure to occupy
us. 1t is well for the country, well
for the administration, and we'll for
all parties that the matter has at last
taken the ordinary commonplace
shape in which it now stands.
Y. Y. Jonr. Com.
WHAT HARD Work CAN ACCOM-
n,,-,r ts ~, avid n,,co of rbo + oD