Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-05-24

tlclanS, III bringing them IOunu 10 Cne laWS
OF Congress, and over the five Southern
Military District Commanders. The great
danger now is that, between the ideas of
contiscation and agrarianism which are get
ting into the heads of the Southern blacks
from the hints thrown out by cold Thad
Stevens" Senator Wilson and others, on
the one side, and from such Southern unre-
constructed white leaders as ex-Gov. Perry
OF South Carolina, Sharkey, of Mississippi
and Governor Jenkins, of Georgia, on the
other side, there may be organized such O
clashlng of races as will precipitate even
IN the North another political revolution,
throwing everything into confusion, while
yet the work of reconstruction is only half
begun. To arrest these tendencies of the
present political agitations of our five
Southern Military Districts we submit to
President johnson the experiment of a free
pardon to Davis, in order that he, and
Greeley, and Augustus Schell, and John
Minor Bolts may stump the South together,
IN correcting the fallacies of State rights
and III disabusing the ignorant blacks of
those dangerous notions that, in addition
to freedom, the Freedmen's Bureau and the
ballot box, they are to have free farms and
nothing to do but to Joy the African
splendors Of Hayti. The Republican lead
ers at all events, must look to this, or they
may soon find themselves in the midst of O.
Northern political revolution.
From the New York Times, May IA.
Judge Underwood has not insisted upon
hanging jeff Davis without trial, or even
upon remanding him to Libby, to await
the ultimate issue of the laws delay. Con-
trary to many predictions and some fears
he has pursued a decorous and sensible
course, and Mr.. Davis is now at liberty,
having given bail to appear at the Novem-
Der term OF the Circuit court. The whole
proceeding appears to have been as quiet
and as brief as the arraignment of petty
offender IN police Office. The prisoner
was transferred from military to civil Gus
tody the question of bail was raised and
disposed Of ; and the man who has been
two years in confinement, awaiting trial,
passed into the world again with little more
than II nominal restraint upon his freedom,
Ii two years have not SufficCd to prepare
the case for trial is it probable that Davis
will ever be arraigned We think not He
is bound over to appear for trial, but be-
yond the formality of bail, the prevailing
impression is that his case is evon now end
ed. The idea of convicting and Furnishing
him is no longer entertained in any quarter
and though more straightforward method
comported with national dignity perhaps
the course pursued is really the only one
which circumstances have rendered posi-
BILE. The injustice of heightened impris-
Onment without trial has indeed been per-
petrated but as Il set-OH it must remember
ed that passions which at an earlier period
might have marred the efforts of mercy are
now happily aHayed, as the liberation OF
Davis etfectually y proves. There may have
been tardiness in setting the machinery ot
Justice in motion, but there has certainly
been no vindictiveness, and for months
past no harshness.
From the New York World May II.
A most noted instance of the sacrifice o1
law and justice to political cowardice, ap-
preached termination yesterday at Rich
mond by the release of Mr.. Davis on bal
to appear at the November session Of the
court.
The political cowardice which has kept
him so long in custody without trial was,
hoWey er, only mitigated, not surmounted.
There is no serious intention ever to try
him but the Government had not the
courage to say SO, and direct O nOLLe prose-
qm. Nobody doubts that the security fol
his appearance would be just as complete
if he had been set at large on his own re-
cognizance but the court burst not dc
this, and so demanded the heavy bail o.
one hundred thousand dollars, and, with
an ostentation of needless precaution, one
half of this sum was required to be sub
scribed by citizens of Virginia. These
whole proceedings the binding him over tC
appear at the November session of the
court, under the pretence that he is to be-
tried then, and the taking such ample Sc
curity-are a sham, a tub thrown to the
whale. Mr.. Davis may congratulate him
self that two years imprisonment wlthou
trial is all that the political coN'ardice O
the administration and the courts has cos
him. Had he been tried two years ago by
a military commission, like poor Mrs. Sur
raft, and hurried into his grave, the public
opinion of that excited period would have
sanctioned the proceedings.
The backing down of the Government
so far as it has yet backed down, has beer
in a sneaking, discreditable way. The uni
form method of proceeding has been, tC
apologize by q lesser scandal for not com
hitting greater one. The Government
did not wish to try Mr.. Davis by a military
commission, so they loaded him with irons
and tormented him with the perpetua
presence of sentinels When the public
passions had somewhat cooled, they fell
THAI LQ6Y COuIu uOG ulccG VIC DuDlIC uS
mand for Mr.. Davis condemnation, so they
sought to appease it by illegal detention
without trial. When it had been secretly
decided that he was to be released On bal
at this term of the court, they affected &
hesitation and uncertainty which they die
not feel, and Judge Underwood sought tc
propitiate the Radicals in advance by the
abusive TRADE which he delivered at the
opening of the court as charge. They
burst not enter nolIe prosequi, SO they pre-
tend the trial is to come off in November
They feared the odious lenity of releasing
him on his own recognizance, so they re
quired unnecessary bail with superfuous
precautions respecting the residence of the
bondsmen. It is supposed that the feeling
which these cowardly man@uvres are de
signed to propitiate, will gradually weal
out, when nothing more will be heard o.
the pretended trial of Jefferson Davis.
From the New York Tribune May IA.
jefferson Davis has been released, and il
will suggest comment upon the past action
of the Government that his release has
been effected without the slightest trouble
Between the military and civil authoritie;
there was no conflict, no hesitation on the
part of the court in admitting him to bail
and no difficulty i'll obtaining, even from
l.; ox-frop,a onnnnpOtS tho amount of hail