The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-02-25
JacObin MOralists.

The elimination of the body of Mrs
Surratt, and the circumstances attending
its reburial, have recalled public attention
to her trial and the evidence upon which
she was condemned The belief is now
prevalent that the evidence not only failed
to convict her, but failed also to make it
appear probable that she knew anything
Of the plans of the murderers.
We are at present blessed with much
sound philosophy and charitable reason
ing concerning the trial and the killing of
Mrs. Surratt, from men and newspapers
who, when she was killed by order of a
court, seemed insane with passion and
consumed by hatred which could not be
satiated by any cruelty inflicted on those
for whom It was felt. IL is gratifying to
witness this growth in charity and dispo.
sitiOn to inquire after the lesson taught
in the transaction. The discussion at this
time shows that there is moral in il
which, though often pointed out, has not
until lately been discovered and appreci-
ated By nearly one-half of the men in the
country.
We are now told by those who Go not
attempt to justify the murder, but wish
TO make some sort of an apology for the
men responsible for it, that 1.-THE court
was a military court, ignorant of law, and
rejecting the popular impulse )" and this
impulse Is to hang some one on the heels OF
a great crime This is a condemnation OF
the mode of trial undergone by Mrs Sur
ratt, and of the Influence which CON
trolieQ the court, arising from its compo-
sitiOn.
We have at last the acknowledgment
from representative men," Who said the
-
that the trial was in contempt Of law
and that, had the prisoner fair and
lawful trial, she would have been &C.
quilted.
The men who make this acknowledge
ment, and deplore the killing, and the dis
grace It brought on the nation, do, many
Of them, still justify system under which
men and women are murdered by military
courts. The reconstruction scheme sets
aside civil courts, and makes the lives, lib
erty and property of American citizens in
three States the sport of such organiza-
tons as the one which ordered the killing
OF Mrs Surratt. In another State, that OF
Arkansas, bands of rnarauders and
Tuffans have been organized and called
State militia, and these have gone through
the State and robbed and murdered the in
habitants. They have taken upon them.
selves authority to try men by military
courts, and these very courts have carried
their verdicts into execution by killing the
accused
Clayton's militia is yet operating in
Arkansas, and its jurisdiction is held to be
right and rightly exercised, by the ruling
party in this country. Thousands of men
IN the United States who are fearful, elo-
quent, and sentimental in their reflections
on the trial of Mrs. Surratt, are ready to
defend ClaytOn's militia, and "the sum oil
all villainies which has substituted the
will OF distant commander for civil law
N the Southern States Why is it that
they can see so plainly the contempt fol-
law so conspicuous in the trial of Mrs
Surratt, and are blind to the annihilatIon
of civil law commanded by the reconstruc.
ton scheme?
To deplore crime, and honor criminals
to lament political prostitution and de-
hatchery, and sustain those who are guilty
Of them IN control of the Government to
weep for the defiance of law and atrocities
resulting therefr0m, and defend q system
which brushes civil and establishes mill
tary law; to pray for purity in the admin
lstratiOn Of civil affairs, and put impure
men in charge of such administrations
these are hypOcrisies and self contradic
tons only possible to ga party engaged in
the interests of God and humanity.-C chi.
cago Times, 1871.