The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-01-30
Z. D. Townsend,
Assistant Adjutant-Gene

| Z. D. Townsend,
Assistant Adjutant- General.
Probably there never was a Commits
tsion or Court convened which had a
larger proportion of men in whom the
American people had greater conh-
dence.
Maj-Gen. Lew Wallace was not only
distinguished soldier, but he was
prominent in other walks of effort; was
Governor of New Mexico. Minister &c
Turkey, and wrote a novel which has
been for years the delight of all Chris
tan people.
Maj.-Gen. Gershom Mott was a bril-
! liant soldier, and commanded the Third
Division of the Second Corps, which is
praise enough for any man.
Maj.-Gen. John w. Geary had ca
reer of peculiar distinction. He had
been a soldier in the Mexican War, Gov
ernor of the City of Mexico after capitu-
lation, Mayor of SAN Francisco, Cover
nor of Kansas and brilliant command
er of a division of the Twelfth and
Twentieth Corps, being appointed Gov
ernor of Savannah in recognition of the
good work done by his division in the
siege Of that city. He had therefore
been Governor of three cities at critical
times He was subsequently elected
twice as Governor of Pennsylvania
Maj.-Gen. Lorenzo Thomas was the
Adjutant-G General of the United States
army during the war period.
Brighten. Francis Fessenden is just
ly regarded in Maine as a type of its
very highest citizenship. A better sol
than Gen. Fessenden.
! Brighten. Z. S. Bragg, who was the
commander of the splendid old Iron
Brigade, was a soldier to illustrate the
best American manhood, was subse-
quently elected to the United States
Congress.
1t is impossible for any American to
conceive that such men as these could
do anything Illegal or unjust. BY the
order 1t will be seen that the Commits
sion was constituted by the direct order
| ia LIlt iG6di
beyond question.
| The Commission made q most extern
sive and thoro inquiry into the whole
subject, summoning 14S witnesses, many
of whom had served in the Confederate
army, and having before it also the
captured rebel archives.
Capt Wirz was arraigned on two
charges. the first being that of conspi-
racy with John II. Winder. Richard B.
Winder, Joseph White, w. S. Winder,
and r. r. Stevenson, TO injure the
health and destroy the lives of the sol
diers in the military service of the Unit
ed States. then being held prisoners.
The econd charge was still graver
and read:
Murder in violation of the laws and
customs of war.
This was supported by l3 specifca-
tons, alleging distinct and separate Of
fenses, and the Commission found Wira
guilty of ~ of the 10. This fact alone
destroys the whole case of the Daugh-
tiers of the Confederacy, and stamps
their inscription as utterly false. Il
destroys also the corollaries of the
case
! Wirz could not have been offered his
life if he would give testimony iinpli-
eating Jefferson Davis for two sufficient
reasons:
1. The general policy Of The Southern
IConfederacy towards its prisoners wa.
not under investigation nor the subject
before the court 1t was WirZ'S per.
sonal acts, done outside of orders an6
duplicating no one but himself. He was
convicted of personal and individual
acts iii violation of the laws and Gus.
toms of war. precisely as guerrillas and