The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-02-02
JEFF DAVIS PATRIOTISM.

What Bradley T. johnson Says of the
Legal status of the Confederate
Chief
An American reporter scrambled up
the street leading to the law Offices of
Gen. Bradley T. Johnson, on CORTLAND
street, yesterday, and found two closed
doors confronting him. Very naturally,
he raped at the wrong door fir st. A
loud voice, apparently from within, ex-
claimed, "Come i'm Into the room
bounced the reporter, and saw only
chairs and desks, but no general. cover
this way" repeated the voice in tones
that sounded like the command to reg
iment. "0ver this way" went the re-
porter and stood before Gen. johnson,
who, behind his desk was carefully at
tending to his law business.
"Well, what can / do for yo,iG" asked
the general.
The reporter stated that he hal come
10 ascertain the generals viewsaS 30 the
| life and character of Jefferson DAVIS
"Take a seat" said Gen. johnson with
great slacrity, and | will crafty tAu
Americans curiosity"
! Gen. johnson then, with much spirit
and force, said: ain my opinion, Mr..
Jefferson Davis is statesman and pa
triot. In his long life, devoted to the
service of his people, no has always been
faithful and above criticism. While
opinions do differ as to the wisdom of
his administration OF the affairs of the
confederate states while president, no
man can question his fidelity
to the principles he had main
tanned all his life or the cause he
had espoused. The ostracism OF Mr..
Davis by Acknowledgement twenty years
after the war is disg ace to the people
who insist upon continuing it. He was
neither conspirator nor traitor, and |
have the best Of reasons for asserting
that the Federal administration was
afraid to bring TO the test the question
OF treason by trial or judicial determine
ton. The principles laid down by the
supreme court of the United States, in
a long series of decisions, establishes
two propositions:
"First. That in ciyillwar citizens,who
take side with either party can not
afterward be convicted of treason by
civil courts. This is az old as the
Statute of Treasons.
"Second-That the war between the
/ states was acivil war, with all the con-
sequences to its adherents of war inter
gentes. Therefore, the war was war
between the states, and its supporters
were not traitors. In the opinion of
Chief Justice Chase, this was admitted
and established here by the third sec
ton of the fourteenth amendment to the
constitution of the United States, which
t was a declaration by all the states that
participants in the civil war should be
punished by disfranchisement, and in
no other way. The recent attack upon
Mr.. Davis was An indecent attempt by
the perpetrators of it-disgraceful to
, themselves-to stir up the dying embers
OF sectional nate for miserable parti-
san purpose. 1t was unpatriotic, and
deserves the Reproduction of all good cit
liens, which / believe it will receive.
The eX-Confederates are as much de-
voted to the Union under the constitu-
ton, to liberty, to Republi-
/ can institutions and to DEM
ocratic principles as those who
/ supported the Union side. Many have
distinctly renounced all belief in the
old constitutional doctrine that the
states have the right to Judge of the IN
fractions of the constitution and to de-
eide upon the mode and measure of re-
dress; and they all agrees that the fed
> eral Judiciary Is the supreme and only
arbiter. They have entirely repudiated
, all desire for "a separate autonomy, and
! they are as determined that the Union
4 shall be maintained, that its honor, its
. glory, its power and its prosperity shall
4 be supported and extended, AZ any citi.
a zen of our common country. They are
OF the Union and the Union is OF us
f We will carry the flag as far, and stand
/. by II as calamity, as we did the stars
+ and bars, and there is no reservation
"a Whatever In our sincere devotion 10 it,
a We desire TO be on fraternal terms with
: all our fellow citizens, north and south
;. Union and eX-Confederates Republican
/ and Democrat. Good feeling is growing
4 daily. The wounds of the war are
r nearly healed, and / denounce as un
2 worthy Of American citizenship the sen
2 ators who made this wretched attemp
to revive malice by preaching the doc
3 trine of hate Baltimore American.