The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-04-15
TrtaI a( JEFF. Davis. =.

\ Trfal ~ Jeff. Davis. -
SIa the following ietier, ST stacs Gree
ley gives his reasons for deferring tn
trial ef.Mr. Davis. Read it r. EC
Telegraph j =
. - DANBURYyCoNN. D.
March 3I,N1s5s:
To tie Hon. Horace Greeley, IffJun'
Office, NeD York:
Can you speak here with Vice Pres
ident Hamlin on Friday evening next
Yours, JoHNTWEEDY.
New York, April 2, 1868.
MY DEAR SIR:-I duly received
your telegram, inviting me to speak il
Danbury, in company with Vice Pres
ident Hamlin, on Friday evening next
I had a prior engagement fer that eve
ming yet I presume, Ioould have been
released 'front.' bad the necessity been
urgent and palpabie. But | had al
ready decided not to speak in Gonnect-
lieut. this spring ; and it seems due to
frankness that l should say why.
In May last, Jefferson Davis, having
been two years a State prisoner % Fort-
ress Monroe, was taken thence to Rich
mond as if for trial. On his arrival,
the prosecution was not ready to try
him, as it had not been at any time du
ring his long detention. did not
then know, whateyerf may have sus-
pected, that Judge Underwood OF that
District had already testified before a
GmmiHee;@ Congress that to try him
pould inevitably result an defeat, asntess
a jury Uere packed 70 conoict him
The subsequent failure to convict John
H. Surratt ct Washington is an im-
pressiye commentary on Judge U.'sex
tortcd averment.
In the eyes of mankind and in yeri-
ty, the Republican party was and is the
responsible prosecutor of Jefferson Da-
Wis. I am not aware that Andrew
johnson or his Cabinet had informed
dledinl any way with the course of JUS
tice in the promises. If the Chief
Justice, u0hose district includes Virgin
ia, or the District Judge torethat State,
had seen fit to try hfs prisoner, he
Uoufd hare been tried long ago. Why
they did not, I only infer bat the tes
tfmoay drum from Judge. U. as afore-
said, c~onpinces me that neither of them
deemed 1T wise or salutd7y to oinUoke a
failure aoh,ch loould be 4oiaeW hailed
as proving the rebellion legally right,
The nation essentially aorong, an our late
urduous and bloody struggle. 1 quite
CONCUR In the-suggesiien-ef someone
who, with reference to this matter, OBJ
served thatJAtA good lawyer, having
won his case in one court, never APP
ncals it,"
The Federal Constitution expressly
provides that ain all criminal pTosecu-
tons, the accused shall enjoy the right
to a speedy and public trial by an nm
partial jury of the State and District
wherein the crime shall have been com.
mitted." Here was a man two years in
prison persistently demanding a trial,
and persistently refused it. The Judge
Of his district had testified that to try
him according to the aforesaid provis-
ion would result in a defeat of the pros.
eaution. That he was not likely to be
tried soon, if ever, was plain. thought
he had q right, if not tried, to be
bailed; and I had already said that,
while L should prefer not to be required
to do so, I would sign his bond if that
should be found necessary. Being as
surcd that it .l5as necessai y-that the
thousands of responsible men who would
gladly have signed in my stead would
net answer the same purpose-I made
good my proffer.
/ had never seen Jefferson Davis SO
as to know him. I had never held any.
sort of intercourse with him. There are
probably few men more antipathetic in
all their views, opinions, convictions,
purposes, than he and l.. After 1 sign
ed the bond, he asked an Introduction
to me, and we civilly greeted each 9TH
er. We have moi met nor exchanged
a word since hat day, and never may.
[ did in his case what 1 would have
done for Macmillan, if l could there
by have saved the Republicans of Mex
leo from the bIunder and reproach of
needlesslY taking his life. | would
gladly have moved them to set an ex-
ample to, the despets of Europe, by pa
rolling Max. never again to lend him
self to any plot against Mexican liberty
and independence, and tnereupou con
,emptuously dismissing him from our
hemisphere.
In either case, considerations of fair
ness, of justice, of humanity, would
have had much weight with me. In
beither, would l have been impelled by
these alone. I believed that the Re
publicans Of Mexico could notafford to
shoot Maximillian. I believed that the
Republicans of this country could not
AFFORD, etie7. he had lain t,oo long years
prison, to try, conuict, and execute
Jefferson Davis; still Tess could they
afford TO make the attempt and full.
Had he been executed, I believe his
death would have been bloodily aveag.
ed on thousands of ~unoffending Union
lists, especially Blacks, and would have
made thousands of votes f. r the com
mon cause of Rebellion and sham De-
moeraey. Had the Republicans been
beaten in an earnest attempt to convict
duu uduS IT'LL L tniuA TUG SoHseq ucu-
ees would have been different, but equal
iy baleful.
These convictions were not lightly
formed. l acted on very full consider
ation, and 1 have seen no reason either
TO change my views or regret my ac-
was quite aware that nv act
be censured and my motives i'm
pugnAd. The clamer actually raised