The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-20


of the chief traitor in the rebellion. JEFF Davis,
has resulted in virtual declaration to the
world that there is no such crime as treason in
this country. After denouncing treason as
odious, as heinous crime that must be
punished, and after holding JEFF Davis two
years prisoner, under the charge not only of
treason, but as an accomplice also in the
assassination of President Lincoln, he is
released on straw bail without trial. We
are not even informed Of the reasons for
abandoning either the charge of assassination,
or the prosecution for treason. Every depart
ment of the government, the President, Con-
gress and the judiciary, denounced in the
severest manner the crime of treason and led
the people to believe it would be punished
but that has turned out to be all noise and pre-
tence. The law is a dead letter. The blood Of
half million of brave men has been split in
vain. We are groaning under the weight of
three or four thousand millions of debt,
for nothing. After having suppressed the re-
bellion at 80 much cost we virtually justify
the rebels. We proclaim to the world that
the war was nothing more than sort of
gigantic duel for the trial OF courage and
skill bloody gladiatorial contest, with no
other result than to burden us with an enor-
nous debt and to make an exciting chapter in
history. What weakness! What humiliation
to this proud and powerful republic
All, but there may be another result to this
weakness and cowardce of the government in
falling to punish treason which our delinquent
officials may not have dreamed Of There is
an unlerswel of Indignation rising up among
the people. They begin to ask what the war
was for. They think of the myrads of slain
heroes; they see numbers of the mutiated
brave without arms and legs everywhere
they feel the weight Of an enormous debt, and
then reflect that all This was in vain and with
ous suit if treason be not crime or cannot
be punished. What will be the consequence
of such disappointment and Indignation? Is it
not reasonable to expect they will begin to
think of repudiating debt created for no
purpose and resulting in this ways Is not
the imbecility of the government, and we
mean by the government the Executive, Con-
gress and the Judiciary leading US to thiss
We can expect no other alternative. Nor
could we object to it if the war is so fruitless
and the government is made to rest on no
better foundation. If there be no treason why
pay SO dearly for the pretence of suppress
ing it!
While we hold the President and our radical
Congress to their share Of responsibility in not
seeing that treason was made odious and our
violated laws INDICATED, we consider Chief
Justice Chase more directly responsible and
guilty Of neglect of duty. He could have
brought Davis to trial any time during the two
years that this chief of the rebellion was
prisoner. It was his duty to do so. But he
refused under the flimsiest pretexts. He would
not hold court or permit one to be held, for
sooth, because he pretended the civil power
was not restored in the South. Yet the war
was ended and the South was not under mar
tial law. And, strange to say, when he did
consent to have the prisoner brought before
court in Richmond, not to try him but to let
him 60 the South was under more stringent
closed. He then permitted an able Northern
lawyer, Mr.. O'Conor, to procure the prisoners |
release, as he still chose to be unprepared to |
ny the case, and because he had kept the |
prisoner SO long confined. But what is more |
yet, is that the particular radical |
friend and supporter of this radical chief justice
FOR the presidency, Horace Greeley, was most
urgent for the release of Davis, and was the
first to give straw bail to have him released.
The question naturally arises here, what was
the motive Of Chief Justice Chase and his man
Greeley for setting the rebel chief freei It was
not any regard for Davis, nor from humanity,
justice, or anything of that sort. Such
cunning old political managers are not infu-
enced by motives of that kind. 1t was I'M
doubtedly to gain eclat and the good will of
the South for political object For this they
wished treason to 60 unpublished; for this they
consented to make terrible and costly war
fruitless, thus arousing the indignation of the
loyal North and threatening US with repudi-
alton.
We know not yet what may be the chief
object Of the proposed assembling of Congress
in July, but we should not be surprised, look
ing at the feeling Of the country at the escape
of Davis, if il should be the impeachment of
Mr. Chase. There never was greater cause for
impeaching q high public functionary.
There never was more criminal neglect Of an
important duty. The principal administrator
of justice and CONSERVATION of the laws Of the
republic has wilfally let the greatest crime
60 unpublished, and thereby endangered the in
situations Of the country and the credit Of the
government. If we mistake not day Of retri-
button is not far Off The radical friends Of
the Chief Justice in Congress will hardly be
able to save him from the consequences Of his
gross official misconduct Public sentiment
will force that body to take action in the mat
ter. Mr.. Chase, Greeley and oil the rest Of the
radical republican party who have been so in