Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-09

and other acts. They could not. therefore;
be charged with treason, nor could one 81
their number be singled out and leSaliy
convicted Of the crime. =, !.
II YOU can find room for II shoulq DC
clad II Won would publish the whole OF the
extract from Mr.. McCulloch which l send
you. e. it gives a very interesting account
of his visit 10 Mir. Davis IN prison at IolO-
ress Monroe. II
The treatment Of Mr.. Davis by the
United States Government Is dark blot
on its history. go
He was charged with completely with the
assassination of Dir. Lincoln when there
was not the shadow OF evidence to sustain
il even before a military commission;
lie was charged with the crime OF IN
dersonville. " and vet with the Contede,,
rate records in their possession and band
Of trained uerjurers az their call they did
not dare 10 try him on this charge.
Stanton sent his emissaric9 TO poor
Wirz tho night before he was executed
and offered himareprieye i he would I'M
ulicate Jefferson Davis in the cruelties AZ
ludersouyille. " but the brave fellow re-
piled. Mr.. Davis had nothing to do with
Inc nor with what was done az Anderson
Vile. and ! would not implicate az inno-
cent man even TO save my own life.
One Of Hon. i. II. Hills most severe re-
torts on Mr. Blaine, IN his famous debate
with him on the treatment Of prisoners,
WAC. And what poor Wirz would not d.
even 10 save his own life the honorable
gentleman from Maine deliberately does q
q bid for the presidency
And so. after failing TO make out n
case" against HIM On these truInped-up
charges, and after holding him prisoner
for two years and subiecting HIM 10 indig-
mites, outrages, and refined cTnneIties
which arc a burning disgrace "a all con-
cerned thcv did not d1rc T. 90 into ne trial On
the indictment tor treason "hl'H d,
derwood's mixed (and packed jury had
found against him because hey L.ae7r thdt ne
cl0rge cCifd not BE- .7istds.Cd and thai lie coh1
not be 'eqQ' y connected
And vet we hear n great deal about "the
uapnanimitv Of the Government IN not
hanging JeH. Davis"; and this stun is
evcf Taught to our own children in some
Of the sO-called SCHOOL histories" which
some of our school boards are gulhble
enough to introduce into the schools. and
parents are welk enough 10 allow Their
children 10 study.
Has not the timo about come FOL, this to
cease. y. WILLIAM JONES.
Anapta Gu. g.
Hon. Hugh McCulloch, on his visit TO
President Jefferson Davis IN Fortress Mon
roe:
rrxtract from "Men and Mcasures.Tl
"TLo question, what shall be done
with Confederate leaders, was referred TO
But not discussed ut Mr.. LincOln's last
meeting with his Cabinet. Nr. Lincoln
merely remarked IN MS humorous manner
i am q GOOD deal like the Irisnmau who
had Joined q temperance society, but
thought that he might take drink now
end then If he drank uubcknoWn 10 HIM
self. A good many people think all the big
COnfederates ought 70 he arrested and
tried ne traitors. Perhaps they ought to
be. hut ! should be right glad If they
would get out OF tho country unbcEnOvn
TO me- This question came up III the
case Of jefferson Davis soon after BIZ
johnson became President. Mr.. DAVIS
had been captured while attempting 70
escape after Tho fall Of Richmond, and was
a pri onar in close confinement IN Crtress
Monroe. Some action must be taken IN
his case. What should it be? lie had
been the President of the Contederacy, and
therefore was the most conspicuous OF the
enemies Of the Government. Bv large
part Of the people of the North he was re-
earded az the arch-traitor upon whose
head vengeance should be visited. Should
he be liberated in the face Of the strong
feeling against him, or should be be ar
raigned for treason, and II arraisned.
should he be tried by military commis-
sion OF a United States court? These
were interesting and important questions,
recurring the most careful conslderatlon
both in their legal and political bearing.
THE LEGAL question. Has Air. Davis been
rujltv of such acts of treason that he can
lie successfully prosecuted was submitted
10 the General, who, after tho
rough examination OF II and consultation
with some of the ablest lawyers In the
country. came 10 the conclusion that Mr.
Davis could not he convicted of treason
by any competent and independent trlbu-
nal. and that therefore he ought not 70 be
tired. The conclusion was undoubtedly
correct. II was revolution which had
been attempted by the southern States-a
general uprising OF the people Of the south
against the Government. 1t was war IN
which they had been engaged--war of such
proportions that 5elligerent rights had been
accorded them 10y foreign nations. The
same rights had been acknowledged by the
Government IN exchanges Of the prisoners
and other acts. They could not. therefore.
be charged with treason, nor could one Of
their number be singled out and legally
convicted of the crime. Aside from these
considerations il WAS clear that whatever
reasonable acts Nr. Davis might have
been guilty of were committed IN the
southern States, where, under the Constl-
tuticn, the trial must take place. md
where conviction would be impossible.
The President was chegrned by the
decision, which was forced upon him
by the opinions OF tho ATTORNEY
General and other eminent lawyers.
II was the direct opposition 10 his COM
initials III the vlndictiye speeches which he
made AZ the commencement of his admin
istration but he saw the correctness Of It
and frOm that time he pushed his gene
rosty 20 those whom had denounced as
ira tors 10 az extreme. Mr. Davis was or. Y
Que OF many thousands who We're engaged
in war against the Government. His po-
sltion made hiln the most conspicuous. but
he was no more guilty than many Others
against whom 10 proceedings were con
templated. There was 40 evidence that
he was responsible for the horrors of An
dersonvlle, or the general bad treatment
to which Union soldiers were subjected II
southern prisons. He was, however. kept
IN confinement until the spring Of lsoii
when he was brought before the United
States Court a. Richmond. on charge OF
treason. and admitted 70 bail. He was not
tired. although he expressed desire t. be,
nor WAS he among those who asked 10 he
pardoned. While the question was pend
Ing, the Preside sent for me one day
and said that lac would ike TO have me 90
privately and unoficially 10 Fortress Mon
roe and ascertain whether or not the re-
ports that had reached him about the
treatment of Davis were true. He was,
said the President. the head devil among
the traitors, and he ought TO be hung; but
he should have fair trial and not be
brutally treated while prisoner A few
days after the request was made was
able TO comply with it. On nv arrival at
the Fortress Dir. Davis was walking upon
the rampsrts, accompanied by a couple OF
soldiers. was glad to notice that his gait
was erect, his step elastic, and when ha
came up where was standing that he had
not the appearance Of one who was suffer,
ing in health By imprisonment. spent
an hour or two with him in conversation.
: | was ne said, in the first two or three
months OF my imprisonment treated bar
barously, but now am permitted to have
q daily walk, and my present quarters. s.
you perceive. are such assprisoner charged
with high treason ought not TO complair
Of A cot, small pine table. and two
cane-bottomsd chairs. The cot and chairs