The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-05-23
The Release of Jefferson Davis.


Two years ago last Friday, says
the Cleveland Leader of the 14th,
on the 10th of May, 1865, Jefferson.
Davis was captured at his little
camp at Irwinyille, Georgia, by Il
squad of Col. Pritchard's cavalry,
as he skulked away in a woman S
water proof and shawl. Ycster.
day he walked out Of tho United
States Court room in Richmond,
Virginia, q free man, with the
whole world before him whore to
90. Was there a man in the North,
two years ago, who believed that
JEFF. Davis would not have died the
death ofa traitor before this day2 Is
there man in tho country who
now believes that Jefferson Davis
will ever suffer the penalty of his
crime? In tho answers TO these
qaes;ions one can read the policy
and the result of Andrew Jobnson's s
administration. That faithlcss and
perjurod man went into Office on
the pledge that TRAITORS should be
punished" and to-day the chief
traitor of the worlds history since
judas IScariot is holding levces in
his former capitol, while his col
league in the White House is labor
ing in tho defense Of the lesser trai.
tors.
The release OF Jefferson Davis,
unpunished and unpunisbable (for
no man believes that no can ever
bo convicted OF treason by Vir.
ginia jury) is the logical result OF
tho inddclity of Andrew Johnson,
an inGdelity that began before Mr..
Davis was captured. Had he
been promptly tried for his great
crime of treason, he would have
been convicted and justice would
have been done in his execution,
Now IL is obvious that, even if he
is tried, tho juries which President
Johnson's policy has created in
Richmond will nsver convict him
for o crime in which they arc
partners with him, and that, oven
II he was convicted, the present
Administration would never permit
an execution. His arrest and
imprisonment have only lad the
olfect 80 make martyr OF him, and
he goes into tho South tho most
popular man Of the section. II
would have been better if ho had
been allowed to escape into q
foreign land than thus to come out
and aaunt his successful though
vanquished treason, a renewed and
continued insult, in tho iacos of the
Southern Unionists.
We need not comment on the 80,
ries OF events which has brought
Jefferson Davis after two years O.
luxuriant seclusion, out of tho
retirement OF Fortress Monroe. Il
has been done with tho strictost
regard to legal forms, and Mr.
Davis goes abroad TO day with The
assurance that no will nevor re.on
ter the prison coll. The very fact
that he is admitted to bail is sufli
cient evidence that he will never
be convicted or punished.
Mr. Davis vis'imprisonment during
the last two years has been fortu
nate thing for him, 1t has no
only given him at the South th,
prestige Off martyr, but 1t hal
kept him from making n record il
this most trying political epoch
While other men have beer
irretrievably blackcning thCir fai
records by their course during ,h,
past two years, Mr.. Davis has beer
informing, storing and cultivatini
hismind with philosophy, study
and reflection. II would hay,
been we'll for his jailors II the,
, could have shared bis fate. How
much better would IL have beer
for Johnson and Seward il fsomcbod,
) had locked them up on tho lott
; OF May, 1865, and only let then
} out in the spring.timc and sunshin
} OF 1867 with tho Union restore,
, and EaaaAor. v.,al. ..i..I