Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-12
TRIAL OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.

TRIAL OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.
The COart 5n which he is 90 be AR
Faigned-The GraBd Harry Composed
of Negroes and whites, and the
charge 40 1.-THE Jadge Himself
Law breaker = Highly Interesting
Facts and Details.
From the Richmond Times. 5th.
Judge John c. Underwood, Of the United
States Circuit Court for Virginia, arrived in
Richmond yesterday afternoon at 100
o'clock, BY the Fredericksburg train, land
ing at the Petersburg depot and walking
thence to the Spottswood Hotel. He was
escorted from the depot to the hotel by COL
lector James, who walked on his right hand,
and the Assistant District Attorney, who
walked on the other. He was followed by
a large and very black negro man, who bore
his travelling bag and a ponderous law book,
nearly as big as a Webster's dictionary.
Three negroes, supposed to be the African
I quota Of the grand jury, followed behind
and arrivingai the SpOliswood corner were
informed by the Clerk Of the Court that
Judge Underwood would open his court at
o'clock precisely. Not being invited to
accompany the Judge into the hotel they
proceeded up Eighth street. The distin-
guished arrival produced no excitement.
A few minutes after three O'Clock the
grand jury came in by twos and threes and
took their seats, Mr.. Bolts taking the posi-
ton of foreman.
Alta quarter past three Judge Underwood
came in and took his seat, and ordered the
calling Of the following list Of grand jurors:
LIST OF THE GRAND JURoRs-BoFrs
John Minor Bolts, Joseph Segar, Lewis
Mckenzie, J. T. Baldwin, Rozier Delaney
Beckley, colored, David Lupton, Cornelius
Liggon Harris, colored, John Hawxhurst,
rsamas Davy, T. S. Tennis, William Bart
letts George w. Simms, col0red Fields
Cook, eolored, John Oliver, eolored, Gil
lett 7. Watson, Micheal Umbarger, Jacob
n. Trolh, John w. Gregg, Joseph r. JAN
Bey, John Wissler, ii. Il. Bond, William
@ Mansfield.
The lisa being called, all responded ex-
cept Lewis Mckenzie, William Bartlett,
Fields Cook and IT. Baldwin.
The Judge ordered that Mr.. Bolts be
sworn az foreman, and hewas sworn, taking
a number Of oaths The rest were then
called up By fours and sworn, negroes and
whites together. There was nothing re-
markable in this ceremony except the
avidiiy Of the negroes TO kiss the book,
they eonld scarcely be restrained till the
clerk got through repeating the oaths,)
and the JUNCTION with which they smacked
their lips over the sacred volume when
permitted to get at it.
The grand jurors having been duly
sworn and having resumed their seats, the
Judge turned in his seat, and, facing them,
proceeded to read il a harsh and rather in
distinct voice, fumbling the sheets of his
manuscript neryously the while, the fol-
lowing infamous diatrihe-the most abom-
Unable, without doubt, that ever disgraced
a court Of Justice. During the reading,
which was interrupted only by an occa-
sional halfsuppressed snort from an Ethi-
| opian grand juryman, Bolts shut his eyes,
and, COMPRISING the lids violently, looked
as if attempting TO imagine himself some
| where else,
"GeAflsmen aftAs Grand Jarg The cireumstan-
/ ces surrounding us demand devout than ksgiving
20 Almighty God that We. the friends and repre-
| sentatives Of the government of the United
! States, who last year we're threatened with de-
struction, and hunted by assassins in this city,
for attempting 20 execute the laws Of our coun-
/ Try, Gan nOW meet in conscious security under
the wines Of the starry banner which our patriot
Congress has raised for our protection That We
| are permitted TO meet in this building of ever
lasting granite, so emblematic Of the power and
strength Of our government standing alone and
| uniformed amid the great eonfagration that
swept, as with bosom Of destruction, all around
| it.
And what solemn associations are suggested
| by rejecting that III the very rooms We now oc-
| cupy dwelt the fiery soul of treason, rebellion
and civil war-hence issued that fell spirit which
/ starved By Wholesale prisoners for the crime Of
i defending the Tag Of our common country; as
Il sassnated eol0red soldiers for their noble and
] trusting iabors in behalf Of government that
/ had o. vet only promised them protection /;
/ burned towns and cities with barbarity IN
/ known TO Christian countries; scattered yellow
fever and small pox among the poor and helpless,
/ and finally struck down one Of earth's noblest
| martyrs TO freedom and humanity.
| Another subject of thanksgiving is presented
| in the very constitution of your body. furnishing
| ocular evidence that the age of caste and class
| cruelty has departed. and the new era of Justice
and equality, breaking through the clouds Of
| persecution and prejudice. is now dawning upon
as. And strangest of all that this city Of Rich
| mOnd should be the spot of earth to furnish this
| gracious manifestation. Richmond, the beauti-
| full Had abandoned seat Of the rebellion, looking
| as comely and specio1s as o goodly apple or g
| nlded sepulchre, where bloody treason -four
ished lis whips Of scorpions. Richmond, where
the slave trade so long held high carnival
where the press has found the lowest depths OF
prohigacy; where RIGHTEOUSNESS has ruled until,
probably. majority Of births were Legitimate,
" without the forms Of law; where the fashion
able and popular pulpit had been so prostituted
tina, its fall fed ministering gay Lotharios gene
rally recommended the worship Of what they
most Tespected-pleasure, property or power
corresponding to the pagan Psychological ideas
o. Bacchus Mammon or Mars
Gods brutal. partial. passionate and unjust
| Whose attributes were rage, revenge and lust.
IL was as il the hends prevailed
Against the seraphs they assailed;
And fixed on heavenly thrones should dwell,
The freed inheritors Of hell.
So soft the scene. formed for joy,
| So Cursed the causes that destroy
But we are reminded that where sin
abounded. grace may much more abound" and,
| in the lirht of recent changes, may we not hone
a material and moral future for this city OF Rich
mond. ia strong contrast with its awful and
| atheistie and in harmony with the salubrity q
It's climate, the poetic beauty OF its scenery and
the magnihcenee Of its water power.
Il have sometimes found that, by the usage:
Of this State, which have given the selection Of
iuries 20 tho sheriis and marshals, or, in proies
si0nal language, have packed juries instead o.
drawing them from box of names selected by
other Offices Is done in most Of the States
there was danger Of getting different persons
| upon the panel. but the care and rare Judgment
| which our marshals have always shown in theil
/ selections. prove my fears unfounded, and an
truly granhed 70 find so many gentlemen o
| public and private worth upon the present jury
/ We 70 often hear. from reasonable source
around as. Of cruel acts passed by Congress since
! the beginning of the war-acts which we arr
/ called upon % entorce-that u Is well, perhaps
for one moment 60 consider the utter falsehood
/ of such charges, aud 20 find, on examination
the unparalleled clemency and t0rbearanee o.
| the victorious government, which, but for the
| cost of the rebellion would now be felt only IN
| its protection and its blessings, While IL hai
heretofore been the common law OF all nations
! our own included. 20 punish treason by death, il
| was reserved for the American Congress, in the
| midst Of a gigantic rebellion, on tue 18th day 81
July, 1852 10 reduce that punishment, ifcourt'
| should see 6t. 20 fine and imprisonment, Again
il has been the usage Of oil nations, IN peace a
well as war 20 make the wrong doors. even il
the most trivial trespass, respond ont Of his pro
I perry % the full amount Of the damages be has
committed: a practice and usage also OF yictorl-
Gus governments In all ordinary wars-and yet
/ we have seen a patriot statesman, remarkabl lie
| alike for has age and the blessings of education
| culture and improvements he had cOnferred
upon his State and country-s tesm2n greatly
eminent among his fellow Legislators. and. by
/ common consent Of successive Congresses, &c
knoNledged as q leader and father with defer
ence thai neither Clay. Fox, the Pitts, nor even
/ cicero had ever known. This noble man We
have seen assaulted with a bitterness aud false
hood peculiar 70 the authors and leaders Of tbs
rebellion its pimps and apologiEis, and for what