The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-06-07
George Alfred Townsead Describes the
Bniling or Mr.. Davis.

eoo Ocos Vi eu6 6CoU0 Ot 606
bailing of Jefferson Davis by Mr.. Gree
ley has just been given by George Alfred
Townsend to the Chicago Tribune. He
represents the Cincinnati nominee as at
that time really outing the Gordiau
knot when the country was deliberating
whether to commit au act which would
be repent ever afterward. by hanging
Davis, Or keep him a prisoner, as Qleen
Elizabeth did Mary Stuart. "Hurace
Greeley took the public mind of Davis
and became in turn the best abused man
iu America. He played mercy and mag
nanimity, and closed up tue war without
shedding life to stain the victory Of
freedom" We quote from Mr.. Town
sends letter:
Monday morning the United States
grauite building was the town reudez-
vOus. 1t stood ut the foot of the State
Capitol hill. where the Davis Govorn-
ment ruled with brief but tremendous
energy, and where oil departments quar-
relied, and old jeff. hi.lself showed sll
the weakness and strength Of destruc-
ZIONIST. In this court room presided u
very forblddiDg-look Judge, by name
Underwood-a man apparently stuuted
and bleached by wrongs and fears, but
for all know, q consistent and persist
ent man-born in the North, welded to
a shareholders daughter for whom lie
was tutor, and now very ambitious aud
uncharitable to his beaten neighbors.
The charge this man had delivered to
the grand jury, few days before, was
strong instance of merely tantalizing
defamation, bad in spirit, mean in Ian.
guage, and without the tone or intent OF
justice in it.
The grand jury was composed OF
whites aud blacks-the usual intelligent
jury existing in half guilty dependence
between the Judge and the foreman
John minor Bolts WAS On the jury-a
bigbellied. hale fellow. farmer politi.
clan. two-thirtls demagogue, and one
third obstinaoy, with the varnish and
veneer of eloqnence over ell; q talker by
profession, who boosted that he had
never read book SINGS boybood. but
lived on newspapers aud other stimu-
lants. He is dead, and carved his page
ON the history of the country. Whit
contrary and heroic things mon do for
many years to get that page!
The light was fair in the court room,
and, in due time, JEFF Davis entered.
He wore common clothes, looked weak
eyed. was not an important looking man,
nd seemed to me not worth 30 much
hating and fuss He had been very un-
popular in Richmond, but the people
naturally felt that he was not vicariously
on trial for them. and they loyalty stood
by him. There are people. know, who
want the people To behave as Bancroft
Davis wanted England to behave-like
weeping hunk-eyes. runuing over at the
eyes aud lips with apologies. Our fel.
lOw-man is no swindler. When he
carries his musket four years bare footed
to keep up the interests and save the
necks OF politicians. he ls slow to cry on
order. Cnlossal infants, like Senator
Pratt, Of Iadlana, may go on to this day
hating the South for it's want of mean
contrition. This sort of man nature
meant to be an old maid. and write
treAtises on the bringing mp of children
What does he know about men and our
nature, b g as he il.
/ SAW there Charles O'Conor, of New
York. who was after wards to be- no poten-
tlal and independent IN prosecuting the
Tammany ring, and .hns iusensibly hesd.
ing the fraternal revoIntiop; Gen. limbo
den. who was to write q very beautiful
letter to the Cincinnati Convention in
Horace Greeley's favor. md. think,
= Aooo ASeCA hCot u IOilOW' Y Will
Greeley, Ivy birth, whu WAS to bear
Imboden's letter to Clnciunnti. Lastly,
[ saw Horace Greeley himself enter the
court room, aud become the focus OF
observation.
Mr.. Greeley had never spoken with
up to that day. He was II large, teshy,
mnrked-looking man. with u smooth,
healthy face, in which the colors were
brighter than meu usually keep. H.
bad deep, benevolent forehead, and
wore, l think, SUIT Of black broud-
cloth. He seldom wears d white coat at
any time, although cArlcature 80 repro.
sents him, aud his hit III his hand was
the rame quality aud shape he hos al
ways carried sinoe-u broad ri III med felt,
soft and fine, and sensible and dresey
enough for any person. >He was dressed
as we'll as anybody III R,onmDnd. He
Looked to me- like muu originally shy
and bashful, and iucnrably retiring 10y
native wish, and VINO. therefore, came
forward on public occasiuus from pro
pulsiOn rather than from Ell ,yment
HIS smile, at such times uf .xnibition,
il that Of good-humored boy who
would much rather 20 play IN the yard
than AZ ihIt hof "a