New-York tribune., 1872-09-13
TIE BAILING OF JEFF. Davis.
TIE CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH TIE Ac
MIR. GREELEY'5 COURSE OF CONDUCT DE
TENDED.

TIE CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH TIE ACT
MIR. GREELEY's COURSE OF CONDUCT DE-
IRON ne Cincinnati Yolssbtaa lrnd)
Some of Our readers wish TO know how the
case stands with the bail bond which Horace Greeley
erncd for IcT Davis We viii therefore recapiulato
the circnmstapces The capture OF JefI Davis was
source OF embarrassment fOr the Government Whlcn
thereby came IN possession Of an elephant Of which
did not know how 10 dispose. II the exPresidont mad
either been shot down immediately after ls capture or
n me had been allowed to escape the Government would
have been saved an unpleasant dilemma. lie could no
longer be tried by cOurtmaral atof the WatWas over
civil proceeding Virginia would have proved farce
II would have been impossible 20 bring together
enough white iurymen in Virginia who had not already
formed q judgment tho case. We also scarcely be
lieve that in insurrcctOnary Virginia. white jury
could have been found TO condemn him Naturally tue
Government was not disposed to nave bn eOnuolneu
by packed Jury Of negroes. The question therefore
arose what should be done with him Even the great
est criminals cannot be perpeluduy inPIIsoCu
due process OF law. According TO me COnsutlIlOh
every person accused OF crime Is ented 20 SPECIFY
ton before a competent tribunal. To imprsOn Jeh
Davis for two years without granting him trlal was
not only infringement ot the C0nsuiulloh' 9uI VIZ
also opposed to the spirit OF Institutions IL won9
have been just unwise 90 begin trial when wou1
have terminated with the acqutal OF the accused OF
failure of tic Jury to agree upon verdict, or flsco
through leg inioImaiity. Such ulal "ouIu H"'o
done more harm morally than good.
But something must be done. So in order 10 prepare
the public mind for the approaching Derasmoh on Oh in
Davis on the 22d OF March, 1861 MI wilson OF as-achu
setts the present Republican candidate Tor EcefIes
dent proposed resolution in the Senate IN wch IL Wa5
declared that Jeh DAVIS was accused o. gI treason an @
participation in the murder OF MI Lincoln, ana hau
bppn "A prison; thdJ ne asserted hS lllO
cence through his counsel and stood on his constt
tonal right TO prompt pnDlI IrIai anu N ~,
grnmept would do we'll 70 liberate him on formal
bail on his own security; we nave not yer ye1
heard that any person whatever has reprOached Mr'
Henry Wilson this proposition On the contrary, the
proposition was entirely IL place. Inc long lprI9%on %
already been made reproach to rs in foreign countries
IS our Minister ia EginG PgT PaTtcS'I Fa and de
manded the British Government that they should
either tried released, the British Government re-
pled that we had no right TO complain OF the long I'M
prisOnment of political subjects as we had held Jefferson
Davis two years in prison without granting hlm tral'
1t was therefore, determined on the pait "a me Gov
ernment not to release JEFF Davis o. bis own bond as
Mr. Wilson had proposed but on adequate security.
This resolution formed at the nsdgatlon OF the
men who subsequently became his suretcsi IL WOud Ge
incorrect 10 that these suretes liberated Jeh
Davis. His release first determined upon by the
Government, and not TIL then were the surees sought
greatest ease-n the south Itself His Rebel friends
would have hasened to procure the necessary security
amount Therefore il not at all necessary
IA apply 10 Northerners, and even po-
- S,ltI aud Horace Grceley Nevertheless, several
sides the view was expressed that 1t would mako ben
eXraordinary degree If some prominent AbOlitionsts
OF the North TO add their signatures To he DOn
hnr this entire baiing was an empty and in fact
unnecessary fcrmality, and the liberation OF DAVIS hau
assumed that the hOughtess masses would regard such
an act i'm the light OF declaration or sympathy, a.
erneTs was simply sign tDat the NOfth was
ycocbng the hand to South in reconciliation Men
lad therefore be sought who were not accustomed
TO shrinking back from the clamors OF those VINO were
Incapable of reflection. Such man was lOund IN Ie
nnIduned Gerrit Smith, OF the pioneers OF Adolf
tonsm who had fought Slavery at time when s9en
STRUGGLE even in the North, dangerous 10 me- ouch
man was found i'm the person OF Horace Greeley WhO
whatever might be- his other weaknesses IN goo1 eau9
never asked whether his conduct would bring nm da
vantage or HARM His becoming surety for JeH DAVIS
has him great injury as he tOies4~. hlS Joui
TUF TRBINE thereby lost thousands OF SUBSCRIBERS ana
tbe Legislature Of York which was on the point OF
eectug him United states Senator, abandoned nm III
conseGneuce of thi, bond and elected another. 80 go
Peope may think Of Horace Greeley as thev Will TINS
soIfsacr6cng act of becoming surely FOR Je Davis -
among all his acts the which. least OF all can DC
made reprOach for him. He did not 10 y OUT OF sym
Int IN order to give the country an example OF recon-
ciIatiOn. which was necessary after long ahl
IiooJ var And he did e. although he very well knew
mat his course conduct would be university ms
dcrstOod and misinterpreted and he wonId hlhseii
thereby suffer great pecuniary and personal INJURY