The crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1877-1878, 1877-10-18
appropriate work for the State Histori-
cal Society to encourage such investiga-
tions. Yours, truly,
T. G. ADAMS.
ANDY'S WHITE ELEPHANT.
Troubled with the Problem Of What TO
DO with JEFF. Davis.


set the newspaper sketch writers all
over the country to picking up material
for the obituary and biographical mott
ces that are to accompany theannounce-
ment of his daily expected demise. We
have one to offer which should not bo
lost sight of by these historians.
A distinguished Northern statesman,
in writing to Andy johnson when Presi-
dent, and Just after the bailing of jeff
crson Davis, referred to that distinguish
ed state prisoner and congratulated Mr..
johnson on his happy "riddance of his
white elephant"
1t will be remembered that while Mr..
Davis was in prison in Fortress Monroe
he was Il source of very gleat anxiety,
not only to President Johnson, but to
the Federal Judiciary and the leaders of
the great Republican party. The man
ner in which to dispose of him was
constant question of debtae with them,
and it is certain that no two of them
fully concurred in their estimate of
what would be justice in his case. The
American people looked anXiously to
see how TRAITORS were to be punished
and treason made odious," and who
were ready to be made responsible for
the fate of jefferson Davis. Europe
looked on to see the end of "the great
rebel, and to Judge of our honor and
magnanimity by this unparalleled oc-
casion and its incidents.
The War Governor appears upon the
scene at this juncture and i'll this CON
nection. At this time he was Governor
of Indiana, and not regarded rs a man
of such violent hates and desperately
revengeful character as he has been in
the light of his higher station and tho
influence of his greater power.
Among the papers of the late Prcsi-
dent Andrew Johnson are the originals
of the following papers, which are truo
copies. The first is n telegram, as fol-
| lows:
Received :15 p. m.-cipher.
INDIANAPOLIS, November A. 1865,
1890 Il mills EXccllency Andrew
johnson, President of the United States:
If there is no question of jurisdiction in
the way, Davis can be indicted and
tried in Indiana, as the rebel army
5000 strong, under the command OF
Gen. Morgan, invaded the State.
The Court and Grand Jury are now
in session, and if Davis will be sent here
for trial, in case he is indicted, he will
be tried. There will be no difficulty
in getting Il jury that will do justice to
the Govcrnment-and to Davis.
o. =. morton, Governor of Indiana,
10 this startling proposition to shoul-
der "the white elephant" and relieve
the Government of all further anxiety
on his account, President johnson made
the following cautious Ercply in cipher:
WAsHNGToN, November IA, 1S65.--
Gov. o. p. Morton, indianapolis, India
ma; Jurisdiction is one of the questions
which has been much in our way. The
place of trial must be determined here
after. If the Court and jury find true
bills against him it would not interfere
with trial at any other place. Bills
have been found against him at some
two or three places in Tennessee and in
this District. ANDREW JOHNSON.
We do not know whether Morton
went further in the matter, and had, or
attempted to have, bills of indictment
preferred against Davis or not, but it is
very apparent from the tone of his tele-
gram, and particularly his last sentence,
that he was anxious to get his hands up
on Davis.
We once asked the cx-President what
Morton meant by his telegram?
Il suppose" replied Mr.. Johnson, "he
thought wanted Davis hung"
That Mr. johnson did not want Davis
hung, and the reason why he did not,
we may make plain at another time.
Gen. Robert Toombs, reading this
telegram was of opinion that Morton
was then fully informed as to Mr.. john
sons intended policy toward the South,
and sympathized with it, and sent the
telegram in the hope that Mr.. johnson,
before the assembling of Congress in
December, would accede to the PROPOSE
ton and turn Davis over to the Courts
of Indiana and thereby relieve himself
of the white elephant" and Congress
ional interference on his saccount. Gen.
Toombs seemed to think that Morton,
at that time would have quietly let the
law take its course, whatever the result
to Davis, and that result Gen. Toombs
thought would have been acquittal.
1t may be proper to say that Gen.
Toombs' idea of Morton's agreement
with Mr. Johnson's Southern policy is
fully borne out in strong and lengthy
letter written by Morton from New
York on the 7th of December, 1865, to
President Johnson, fully indolsing his
message to Congress and his announced
policy for restoring the country to its
normal condition.
Hon. Alexander H. Stephens, upon
the other hand, is of the opinion that
the telegram was plain business pro-
position to get away with Davis by n
quick and certain process, commonly
called hanging by the neck until you
are dead, dead, dead!"
Other distinguished gentlemen, in
cluiing Postmaster General Key, lean
to the one CT the other of these opinions.
We leave it to Senator Morton's bio
graphers and the reader to Judge what
the true purport of the telegram was,
but again we ask:
"Did the War Governor have sour
apple tree?"