The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-04-30
REPLY.
New YORK. April 9, 1868.

REPLY.
New YORK. April 2, 1868.
Ny DEAR SIR: I duly received your
telegram inviting me tospeak in Danbury
in company with Vice President IIamlu,
IN Friday evening Eext. [ had prior
engac ement for thar evening, yet | pre-
sumo | could have been released from it
had the necessity been ur.ent and palpa-
Dle. But had already decided not to
speak in Connecticut this spring; and it
seems due to fraukness that | should say
why.
In May last. Jefferson Davis. having
been two Years a state prisoner in Fortress
Monroe. was taken thence to Richmond as
if Tor trial. Or his arrivalthe prosecution
was not ready to try him, rs it had not
been 1T any time during his detention. l
did not then know, whatever | may have
suspected. that Judge Underwood. Of that
district. had already testified before n
committee of congress that to try him
would inevitably result in defeat, unless "A
Jury We're packed expressly to convict.
The result Of the trial of John Ii. Surratt
~ Washington is AT impressive commen-
tary os Judge Cnderwo0d's extor:cd aver
ment
In the eyes Of mankind and in verify
the republican rar.y WIS and is the re-
sronsible prosecutor OF Jefferson Davis
ain not aware that Andrew Johnson and
his cabinc. had inicrmedalcd in any way
with the course OF justice in The premises.
Ii the chief justice. whose district includes
Virginia; or ,he district judge Of that
state, had seen fit to try this prisoner, he
would of course have been tried long ago.
Why they did not | can only infer; but
the testimony drawn irc,n Judge Under
wood as aforesaid conyinces me that Meth
er Of them deemed it wise or sau.ary to
invoke 4 failure which would be widely
hailed as proving the rebellion legally
right. the nation essentially wrong, in our
la;e arduous aud bloody struggle. quite
concur in the suggestion Of scme one who.
with reference to this matter, observed
that "a good lawyer having won his case
IN one court, never appeals it,
The federal constitution expressly pro-
vides that, :. Ia all criminal prosecutions,
the accused shall enjoy the right of a
speedy and publ, triai By an impartial IN
ry OF the state and district wherein the
crime shall have been committed" Here
was man two years in prison demanding
i trirl, and persisientiy refused it. The
Judge Of his district had testified that to
try him according to the aforesaid pro-
vsiohs would result in defeat Of the
prosecution. That he was OF likely to be
uiei soon, # ever, was plain. thought
hc had ri ght, If not tried, to be ba;lcd
and had already said that while l should
prefer not to be required to do SO, would
sign his bond if that should be fou Id
necessary. Being ass red that it was
necessary that the thousands Of RESPONSE
bic men xho would gladly have signed in
my stead would not answer the same puc-
pose-I made good my rroffer.
| have never seen Jefferson Davis so as
TO know bin. I have never held any sor,
Of intercourse with him. There are prob.
ably few men more antipathetic in all their
views, opinions, convictions and purposes
than he and |. After | had signed the
bond. he asked an Introduction to me,
and we civilly greeted each other. We
hive not met nor exchanged word since
ti.at day. and never may. | did in his
case what would readily have done for
Maximiian. if | could thereby have saved
the republicans of Mexico from the blum
,, der and reproach of needlessly taking his
life. would have gladly moved them to
,, set an example to the 'lespo,s of Europe
10y paroi'ag MaximIian never again to
lend himself to amy plot aeain-t Mexican
liberty and independence, and thereupou
cpntemp'uously dismssing him from cul
hemisphere.
In either case. considerations Of fairness
of justice of humanity, would have much
: weight with me. In neither would have
been impelled by these alone. | believe
that the republicans OF Mexico could not
really aifGr,. TO shoot Nlaximilian. | be-
lieve that the republicans of this countr,
could not afford, after he had lain tvs
years III prison, 10 try, convict. and exc
cute jefferson Davis f; still! less could the,
aii5rd 10 make the attempt ard fail Had
he been executed, believe his death woulc
have been bloodily avenged or thousand
: Of unoffendng unionsts. especially black
! and would have made thousand, of vote
lDi tHc ttUiuiOt tdu~C VI ICDSttltn an
U sham democracy. Had the republican
been beaten IN an earnest attempt TO con
Wet and hang him, | think tho conseoueu
ces would have been different, but equal
u baeiu.
'' The convictions were not lightly form
ed. | acted on very full consideration
p" and have seen no reason either to chang
my view or regret my action. l was quit
'c aware that my action would be ccnsure
= aud my motives impugned. The clamo
actually raised somewhat transcribed m
expectations. alike in its extent and fcrc,
:" ness; but | attributed this in part to +
:, valry in business, aud ra.cntly waited f
the gale to exhaust itself
1t my recollection IS not at fault. mo;
- of the republican journals of Connectcu
including those OF staieliest prctension
we're prominent in thus assailup and 4,
We nouncing me. think full proportion
to the orders to have the TrsJnne stopne,
" because Of my action aforesaid. came fro,
your state. AS late as last Janurly.
to received thence an insulting message nu
sc porting that since had sold out to Je!
&c Davis. my paper was no longer wanted.
ch OF course, | do not question the sup