The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-10

Cyo,bip0 can be more instructive than TO
Nro,cb the rapid growth and development OF
Sublio opinion, in support of the position
ssenmed by Mr.. Greeley, when recording him
ro,e 40 one of the bondsmen for JEFF. Davis.
Tbe first clamors raised against him were
made by interested enemies, numerous ana
S,owerful-men in his own party either hostile
g him from envy of his superior weight in
ahe party councils, or by personal enemies
with whose schemes Of corruption, or Tor con-
solidated and selEperpetuating control, his
men has levied relentless and successful war
during the past quarter OF century ana
now contemplate in this contest has been the
attitude of nearly all the organs assum-
7no to represent Democratic opinion
Tbev were either too cowardly or. TOO
Soersonally venomous to assume tne re-
Sponsibility of endorsing any act with hr'
Greeley's signature appended, AT pest tney
damned his generous deed with talntest praise,
Snstead of giving due credit to his gallant pro-
9est in behalf of personal liberty, and acknow-
Hedging the noble motives of his self-sacrihce;
while at worst-but we can hardly think with
Snatience of their worst-they Indignantly
sneered at his appearance in Richmond, as
f'partly trick of Philosopher Greeley for
gratifying his insane passion for personal
Dotoriety, and partly trick for securing some
circulation down South for his failing and de-
1ested paper" Faughl There is moral
grandeur in Greeley's attitude in this affair,
which growing in nobility and stature with
each month that passes, will bring these
pigmy detraotors grovelling to his feet before
another year. and employ them all in hunting
MP certificates that they were among the first
and loudest to applaud his act.
thousands thOnSanda thn9n
who took part in the first obiurgations of Mr..
Greeley were actuated by worthy but mis-
guided motives, we do not merely admit, but
can prove. They must be pardoned, for,
blinded with passion, "they knew not what
fhey did" They really meant to express
horror of the late Rebellion and sense of
regret that it was found or thought to be
impossible to bring the chief of that great
conspiracy to justice-in which they have
our sympathy. But they did not mean, we
both hope and believe, to express desire
ahat the crowning provision of our fRnda-
mental law, which guarantees that every
prisoner accused of any ofense shall have
either trial by his peers within some rea-
sonable time, or be entitled to his discharge
from close arrest, either totally or on BAIL
should be abrogated. They did not mean that
Ehey wished to perpetuate arbitrary imprison-
1nent in time of peace, without trial or convic-
tion-thus rendering our Government a
despotism not less absolute than that of France
in her days of LettreS de cachet, and before the
destruction of the Bastile; and yet now that
sober judgment has come to replace the die
tates of passion, they must see, and we be-
Geve that nine e-tenths of them do now realize
Chat this very thing must have been the result
of any decision holding Davis in permanent
confinement, while refusing the appeals of his
counsel for trial under due pro-
cess and the forms of law. 1t
was against this establishment of an abso-
1ute tyranny on American soil-against the
sanction of a precedent, placing the liberty
and rights of every citizen through all future
time at the mercy of an arbitrary Government,
that Mr.. Greeley's appearance at Richmond
was an emphatic and successful protest. He
was not helping Jefferson Davis to escape trial,
but demanding either that he should be tried
or discharged on bail, as prescribed by the
Constitution. He was contending for the civil
rights of all Americans, in the North as well
Rs in the South and by maintaining this prin-
ciple in the most extreme and odious case that
gould be presented, he gave to his protest
against arbitrary rule the most emphatic and
powerful illustration Of which any example
could be found.
That he sought as a volunteer the unenvia-
bile nOtoriety which must be the first imme-
diate result of such a position, is net only
Mntrue, but the violent reverse of truth. We
wently-that if possible this cup might pass
away from him; and we know that it was only
when he found, on unquestionable authority,
that without some such action on his part the
dangerous and disgraceful precedent of per
manently combining prisoner without tria
must be established, that he finally consented
nnder sense of duty-with reluctance, bu
without .fear-to sacrifice himself, as die
Curtius Of old, by leaping into the yawninI
Rnd overwhelming chasm which could no
otherwise be closed In taking the leap h
well foresaw-none better-the powerful
weapons Of popular passion and prelu
dice which he was thus temporaril.
placing in the hands of his enemies
He heard in advance their yells of reveng
and exultation, as they watched their mos
dreaded and detested foe descend into tn
chasm. But it was his noble courage also
not to be turned from his task of immediat
sacrifice by any personal fear; and it was hi
noble faith in the final justice of the people
which made him see not less clearly tn
laurel crowns, and hear not less distinctly tn
peans welcoming a moral victor, which hav
already commenced to hail his rapid resurreC
zion and reascent from the gulf of wrongly fol
feited popularity. Had President Lincol
lived, we believe that Jefferson Davis woul
have either been tried or totally discharge
within six months from the day of his caI
fure; and that Mr.. Lincoln regretted the oaI
Eure has already been made part of histor
by his famous anecdote of the "White Ell
phant," when first informed of the arres
made by Major-General j. II. Wilson.
IL was felt by every one in authority-W
Soelieva by Chief Justice Chase as well &
Others-that the continued Imprisonment
Davis without trial was most lamentab
Hnlot u1oon orr ,stianal suoeaaa Rut thas