Year: 1866

| Mr.. Boutwelps Report Jefferson Davis.
The Judiciary Committee Of the House oi
| Representatives, to whom was referred the reso
luton, with instructions to ascertain whether


there is any evidence duplicating JEFF Davis in


the assassination conspiracy, have finally made
q lengthy report A large amount of private
correspondence, said to have been found among
the rebel archives, is incorporated in the re-
port, from which the committee draw the in
ference that it is probable that Davis may have


been guilty Of all that has been charged against


him, and therefore consider it necessary that
the investigation shall be continued. In the


meantime the committee start out with the
assertion that Davis Is guilty Of the crime Of
treason, and that there is no obstacle in the
way Of his trial But they fall to state whether
this trial should be by military commission or in
regularly constituted court evidently making
this omission for the purpose Of giving the
public the impression that some other party
besides Congress is responsible for the delay
Of the trial.


Having settled the point that Davis is guilty
Of treason, and that there Is no obstacle in the
way Of speedy trial, the committee then take
up the evidence In regard to his connection
with the assassination Of President Lincoln
The committee believe that Davis was "prlvy
to the measures which led to the commission
of the deed, but the Investigations have not re-
suited in placing the government in possession
Of all the facts in the case" It is then stated
that "it is probable that the further proseou-
ton OF the investigation will result in full
development Of the whole transaction" This
investigation, it appears, they wish to make by
the examination Of the documents and papers
captured with the rebel archives. The COM
mittee have been at work examining these
documents for three months, and it would seem
that if they were only anxious to have an imme-
diate trial, as they pretend. they could have in
this time overhauled all of these papers and
ascertained whether there was any positive
testimony on this point or not. The first testi-
mony and evidence presented as the result of
their investigation is q series of papers in
reference to the general policy of the
rebel government, more especially in re-
gard to negroes bearing arms, rebel
prisons, and the treatment of prisoners Of war.
The facts bearing upon the first point were all
given to the public by the press at the time of
their occurrence, and therefore present moth
ing new. The evidence in regard to the
prisons is simply corroboration Of the facts
already given, while the treatment of the
Union prisoners is shown by the official docu-
ments to have been unprecedented In the civil
lied world. This we knew before the investi-
CATION Of this committee; but they furnish us
vast amount Of correspondence and official
data, which show that the rebel Congress and
the rebel officials were perfectly aware Of the
inhumanity that was practised towards those
unfortunate men who fell into their hands as
prisoners Of war. Still we find nothing in the
facts presented showing the guilt Of JEFF Davis
in this matter, or placing the responsibility
upon his shoulders, further than the inference
that may be drawn from his messages to the
rebel Congress and the absence Of positive
orders correcting the evil when 1t became
known to him.


Tho n1xt point taken up by the committee
is the evidence in regard to the plots and con-
spiracies organixsd in Canada by the famous
peace commissioners, Thompson, Clay, Hol-
combe and Sanders. The documentary evil
dence furnished ON this point is Of the most
extraordinary character, and presents chap
ter Of intrigue and crime equal to anything
recorded in the "Arabian Nights" OF the
deeds Of the evil genii. Il was claimed by
these men, when they were conducting their
peace negotiations with Greeley, that they
were clothed with powers, as agents Of the con-
federacy, such as the ambassadors Of q govern
mcnt were never before clothed with; that while
their duties were not defined in their instruc-
tons they yet had power to make peace or do
anything that they might consider for the bene-
ft Of the South. From the data given to the
public by the Judiciary Committee we can
readily see what they considered would
benefit the rebel cause. These facts leave
no doubt that they were the organizers Of the
numerous raids on the frontier, the burn
ing Of cities, destruction Of steamboats,,
liberation Of prisoners and the prime
movers in the attempt at an insurrccion In
the Western States, under the auspices of the
Knights Of the Golden Circle. Their connec-
ton with all these conspiracies is traced in this
documentary evidence 50 efYectually az to leave
no doubt Of their guilt, unless we reject the
letters IL toto, Notwithstanding the denials and
pretended innocence at the time. Il is some
what curious to see how the names of Ben
Wood, Singleton, vallandgham and other noto-
riou coppcrheads turn up in this correspond
cnce and to trace the extent OF their ramiAca-
tons in the Northern States. Whatever may be
thought sbons the connection Of JefF Davis
with these consprscies, II these letters are
true, there can be no room for doubt in regard
TO the guilt Of his agents in Canada in all these
transactions. The correspondence gives ms
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