American citizen. (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, June 14, 1865, Image 1

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    VOLUME 2.
The Gonspirators Trial.
THE PUBLICATION OF THE SUPPRESSED TESTI
MONY.
IMPORTANT FACTS ELICITED.
WASHINGTON, June 5.
Several witnesses were called to-day to
show the disloyalty of Fred. Jenkins, a
near relation of Mrs. Surratt. One of
tlw>m said after Jenkins lost a negro he
abandoned all his Union principles.
Another testified to the disloyalty of
Mrs. Surratt.
Rev. Wm 15- Evans, a Presbyterian
minister, testified that he saw Dr. Mudd
go into Mrs. Surratt's house betweeu the
Ist and 4th of March.
He was rigidly cross-examinedby coun
sel for defense, and excused himself 112 r
his confusion of ideas, and embarrass
ment, by saying ho had been almost crazy
since the assassination of President Lin
coln.
Witnesses were produced to show that
Dr. Mudd was not at the National Hotel
on the 3d of March, but at home.
The record of the previous day having
been read, the examination was contin
ued as follows: Examination of Rev. V
B. Kvans, Past red' the 15tb Street. X,
Carolina Colored Church,of Washington,
D. C.. by Judge Advocate Holt. '1 ho
testimony of this witness was to the cf
fect that ho was well acquainted with J.
Leeds Jenkins; knew his general reputa
tion to be that of a disloyal man. though
in 1801, and previous to that period, lie
pretended to be in favor of the In
ion; had known him to be open and out
spoken in his sympathies with the rebel
lion. He was sightly acquainted with
the Prisoner. Or Mudd. About the Ist
or 2d day of March, while coming to
wards Washington-, the prisoner passed
witness, coming in the same direction,
and entered the city just before witness. ,
Did not see the accused in the city on ,
that occasion, neither saw him return,
nor know where lie stopped while in the j
city.
On the cross examination of the wit
ness by Mr. Clampitt, the following evi
dence was adduced : Have been acquaint
ed with Mr. Jenkins about filteen years.
He pretended to boa I nion mail in 1801,
but witness believed him a hypocrite;
knew from his actions that he was oppos
ed to the Government. Those action/
consisted in his betting that the South
would succeed and that the country would
goto ruin. Did not h. ar him use these
expressions, but only heard from others
that be had made use of them. Do not
know that he was a loyal man in 1803, or
that he attempted to procure Union votes
an the occasion of the election in Mary
laud. Knew him to attempt to raise a
disturbance at the polls, in order to keep
Union men from voting, in consequence
of which he was arrested.
Tow nicy P>. Rodey test ified as follows :
' Have known J. Leeds Jenkins for sever
al years. From my personal knowledge
of his uniform conduct and conversation,
have known him to be ouo of the most
disloyal men in the country, open and
out spoken in his hatred of the Govern
ment. Heard him our.se the President of
the United States, and say old Lincoln
offered him an office, but lie would not
hold an office under such a damned is v
crnnient.
' Cross-examined —I have known Jen
kins four or five years; knew him as a
Union and Nothing, until he aban
doned the Union party, which he did im
mediately upon losing a negro servant
which lie held as a slave. Never heard
of any attempt on his part to secure Un
ion votes. Ou one occasion he hoisted
the Union flag in 1801. Never had any
suit against Mr. Jenkins, but he had com
menced a suit against Andrew B. llobey,
witness' son, for alleged false iuipriaou
tnen t.
John M. Thompson testified that he
had known Mr. Jenkins for many years ;
four years ago he v.'as reported loyal; for
the last two years and a half his alleged
disloyalty was open and outspoken ; he
himself had been loyal to the government
throughout the rebellion; witness had
lived in the family of Mrs. Surratt two
years, and from the conversation of that
lady, she Was invariably against the gov
ernment; he believed her disloyal.
Cross-examined —In 1801 and 1862
Mr. Jenkins was considered a Union
man ; in 1803 he was not. Witness nev
er knew of bus potping to Washington,at
any time to procure votes of Uuiou citi
zons. Jenkins raised the Union flag in
1861, when he had the reputation of be
ing a loyal man ; witness had heard him
say he hated tlia Government, but not
heard him state any cause for hi» hate.
In regard to the emancipation policy in
the State of Maryland, Jenkins said it
vas all wrong. In case ha was forced to
AMERICAN CITIZEN.
fight, he said he would go with the
South.
At the instance of the counsel for Dr.
Mudd, WB. \V. Evans was recalled, and
testified that he was acquainted with Dr.
Mudd. Saw him at the Catholic church
at Bryanstown in 1800, and saw him at
different times after that in Washington,
in.the street and about tHo hotels, and
last winter at Mrs. Surratt's house. Could
not say at what time unles» he referred to
his journal. Was riding down street at
the time, and was going to see Rev. Mr.
Hutler, of the Lutheran church. Did
not see him, but went to prayer meeting
at his church. When I saw Dr. Mudd
entering Mrs. Surratt's house, he was
dressed in dark clothes, and soft felt hat.
Have seen his father there within three
years on the road coming to this city; 1
mentioned the fact of my seeing the pris
oner, Dr, Mudd, 011 the road near Wash
ington to my wife only ; the fact of see
ing him going into Mrs. Surratt's house,
I mentioned to my father-in-law; I hold
a secret commission under the govern
ment, and am a detective officer.
Miss Fannie Mudd, examined by Mr.
Wing. Prisoner is my brother; am fa
miliar with his whereabouts during a por
tion of the time from the first to the sth
of March last. On the arst, my sister
was taken sick ; on the second, accused
and my brother took breakfast with us;
on the third of March h came to our
house from his barn, where he had been
stripping tobacco, at eleven or twelve o'-
clock in the morning; be took dinner
and stayed until about two o'clock, when
he went away; but returned about four
o'clock with some medicine for my sister.
On the 4th ol March he came to dinner.
On the sth he visited us in the evening,
in company with Dr. Blackford. I atu
confident the accused was not absent from
home during the Ist and sth of March.
I have been in the habit during tilt last
four years of visiti tiir my brother's house
frequently ; never heard of John 11. Sur
ratt being there. Heard of 15ooth being
at the hiiusc about the 9th of last Novem
ber. In ttfttl there were thtee gentle
men stopping in the pines and around my
brother's, house —Jerry Dyer, A. Gwynn
and B. Gwynn.
Miss Emma Mudd examined by Mr.
Ewing, testified that she lived at the house
of Dr. Mudd's father. She corroborates
the testimony of Fannie Mudd, in rela
tion to the prisoner's movements between
the Ist and 3d of March. Never know
of Confederate officers stopping at Doctor
Mudd's house. Saw Dr. Mudd ride to
Bryantown the Saturday after the assas
sination and return about two hours after
wards.
ThoQias Bufal testified that he lived in
Washington, and vhile recently in More
head City, North Caro'ina; piek«d up a
letter addressed to John W. Wise. TI a
letter was floating in the water near the
Government wharf. It. read as follows :
WASHINGTON, April 15, 1K65.
DEAR JOHN—I aui happy U» inform
you tl»t pet has done his work well. He
is safe, and old Abe is in hell. Now, sir,
all ey»3 are on you. You must bring
Sherman, (irant is in the hands of old
Gray ere this. l»ed shoes shows a lack
ot nerve >n Scwurds case, but he fell back
in good order. Johnson must come. —
Old Crook has been-on charoc. Mind
ifell that brothers' oath, and you will have
no difficulty. All will be sale, and wc
can enjoy the fruits of our labors.
Wc had a larjie meeting last night.—
All were bent on carrying out the pro
lamine to the letter Hails were laid
for safe exit. Old L. always behind, lost
the facts at City Poiut Now, I say
agpin, the lives of oiy brothers of force,
and the life of the South depend upon
carrying this programme into effect. No,
I w ill join you. It is ordered that no
more letters shall be sent by mail When
you write send no real name, and seud by
some of our friends who was coming
home. We want you to write us how the
news has bceu received there. We re
eeive great cucouragement from all quar
ters. I hope there will be no getting
weak in the kuees. I was in Baltimore
yesterday. Pet had not got there. Your
folks are well, and have heard from you.
Don't lose your reason.
Witness knew nothing of the person
to whom the billet was addressed. He
said we knew nothing of the key to the
cypher, but that they commenced with
the date, and began " make out." Had
no acquaintance with cypher until he
came to Washington. The letter did not
seem to be long on the route.
James Fcrgusou testified that he was
with the last witness whep the letter was
found. Ferguson saw it first and called
Dufals attention to it, This was on the
Ist or 2d of May.
John L. B#rr testified that Atzerott
called at his shop on the of April
They took several drinks together, sod
"Let us have Faith that Right makes Might; and in that Faith let us, to the end,dare to do our My as we understand it"~ A - LINCOLN
BUTLER, BUTLER COUNTY, PA., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14 1865.
then Atzerott took his horse out of Pope's
stable and rode away.
Betty Washington, colored, corrobora
ted the testimony of Fannie and Kmuia
Mudd in relation to Dr. Mudd's move
ments between the Ist and sth of March.
Never knew John Surratt to be there
Witness thought Dr. Mudd took break
fast at home on the 2d of March.
Wm. S. Wood, Superintendent of the
Old Capitol Prison, testified that he knew
J. L. Jenkins five or six years; Jenkins
was au opponent of the Democratic party
and was one of the Union party, when it
was formed in 1801. He wasconsidered
one of the most reliable men. In ISO 2
witness called upon Jenkins in reference
to supporting Holland for Congress.—
Jenkins labored to keep the State in the
Union 'O2. lie opposed Harris because
he considered him a secessionist. Jen
kins hoisted the Union flag in 'Ol. Wit
ness knew llobey as as a friend of the
Administration. Witness received infor
mation from Jenkins which led to the
capture of Rootli; thought that a
loyal act, and believed he was a loyal man.
On cross-examination witness said he
had not seen Jenkins often lately, and
did not consider him sound as formerly.
Frank Washington, colored, testified:
Doctor Mudd was at home from the Ist
to the sth of MArch.
John Acton test.tied that he saw Dr.
Mudd riding toward Bryantown on' the
15th of April; when Mudd passed his
house he was riding alone, but another
m ill overtook him, and then rude b-.'ck by
himself in about three-quarters of an
hour; witness could not identify llarrold
as the man, but that he looked like him.
Mason D, McPherson, who was in i>ry
antown the day after the assassination,
testified lie heard there that a man named
Boyle had murdered the Secretary of
State; didn't hear who assassinated the
President, though he made inquiries id
citizens and soldiers.
John M< Pliei son testified to the same
effect. Did not hear till Monday that
Booth as the assassin*
John D. I.angden and Peter Trotter,
testified similarly.
Thomas Davis testified that Mudd was
at home from the Ist to sth of March
Mr. liwing offered in evidence a tele
gram from John McCullouyh dated Mon
treal, June 2d, stilting he left Wash ng
ton March 20, had not been there since
offering bis tes imony before American
Consul at Montreal, if requisite.
John Davis testified that Mudd was
at home on the 3d March.
The court went into secret, session, and
finally a Ijonrned until to-morrow.
The Tribune states that Mr. Counover
wliosa testimony concerning the complic
ity of the rebel leader in the assassina
tion u now made public loft Washing
ton for Canada a fortnight ago, to return
in a few days, but has not been heard
from since, though his presence in Wasli
ngton is urgently demanded. It is fear
ed he has been foully dealt by.
A BRA in IIT I. SKNTlMKNT.—Shortly
after the depaiturc of the lamented lie
ber for India, he preached a sermon which
contained this beautiful illustration :
" Life bears us on like the stream of a
mighty river. Our boat at first glides
down the narrow channel—through the
playful inurniurings of the little brook
and the windings of its grassy borders.
The trees shed their blossoms over our
young heads, the flowers seem to offer
themselves to the young hands; we are
happy in Ivpe, and grasp eagerly at the
beauty around us—but the stream hur
ries on.and still our hands are empty. —
Our course in youth and manhood i: along
a wilder aud deeper flood, amid objects
more striking and magnificent. We are
animated at the moving pictures and en
joyments and in Justly around us; we are
excited at some short lived disappoint
nient. 'l'die stream bears u- on.and our
joys and grief* are alike left behind us
We may lie ship-wrecked, but we cannot
be delayed ; whether rough or smooth,
the river hastens to its home till the roar
of the ocean is in our ears, and the tos
sing of the waves is beneath onr feet, and
the floods are lifted up around us and we
take our leave of earth and its inhabi
tants, until of our future voyage there is
no witness save the Indefinite and Eter
nal."
—Au individual in New Vork has
swindled several parties of considerable
sums of money on pretense of being a
Mexican "emigrant ' agent, with large
sums of gold at his command. Upon the
discovery of the character of his opera
tions, he eacoped to a foreign country—
New Jersey—considering himself safe
there from all pursuit.
. The Log Cabin in which Mr. Lincoln
resided when he split rails and learned
to write aad studied law, is to be eghidi
ted at the great fair in Chicago, to be
held nest uion-tW.
BNEEZIMG.
Like a do* and a tin kettle.
Like a t'ill a man can't settl*.
Like a hat without a crown,
LJko a bottle upside down.
Like a coat that doesn't fit,
Liko a piece of would be wit,
Like a pjt of ale that's dead,
Or like pasteboard gin pel bread,
Like the que»re«t thing yon please,
Is the checking of a sneeze 1
Like the squinting ladj's leer,
Or a croM-eved auctioneer;
Like a hat blown off a head
When the hair is very reu,
And the hat along the street,
Runs a race 'tis hard to beat,
With the owner running after.
Amid roaring peal* of laughter!
Half a "neere i* just liko that—
Liko the in-»n without the hat-
WIjTA^DWISPOM,
—Richmond has had her spriug and
fall simultaneously.
—" Gently the dews are o'er uie steal
ing," as the "ian said who had five bills
presented to liiui at one time.
—A " downeast" Yankee has invented
a rat exterminator, consisting of snuff.—
The animal jerks its head of! at the third
sneeze.
—Dobbs says he has one of the most
obedient boys iu the world. He tells him
to do as he pleases, and he does it with
out murmuring.
—lt was a pretty conceit of a father
named Rose, who named his daughter
" Wild," so that she grew up as " \*'ild
Rose." But the romance was sadly spoil
ed when she married a man by the name
of " Hull."
—" I say, granny, is there anything
good iu the paper?"
" What do you call good, try child?"
"Oh, you know; something jolly—
about a murder, or a fire, or anything of
that sort."
—•' Brudder Bones, can you tell me de
difference 'tween dying and dieting ?"
" Why,obcourse I can. Samuel. When
you diet you lib on noffin, and when you
die you hah uoffin to lib on."
Well, dat's different from what I tort
it was:—I tort it was a race 'tween de
doctor stniF and starvation, to see which
will kill fust."
—At a large dinner party in a certain
city, lately, the frosty weather had done
considerable duty in supplying con versa
ti. n. when a plump, happy looking mar
ried lady made a remark about cold feet.
"Surely," said a lady opposite, Mis.
you are not troubled with c Id feet!"'—
Amidst an awful pau-e she naively an
swered, " Yes, indeed, I am very much
troubled ; hut then they are not my 6wn.'
—Mr. Rees, the well known street
preacher, was accosted by a would-be
wag the other day with the following
question ;
" Do you believe what the Bible says
about the prodigal son and the fatted
calf ?"
" Certainly I do."
" Well can you tell me whether the
calf that was killed was a male or fe
male ?"
" Yes, it was a female."
" How do you know that ?"
" Because," said Rees, looking the
chap in the face, " I see the tnaie is alive
now."
A TEMPERANCE LECTURE. —At an
Arbor, bein seized with a sudden faint
ness, I called for a drop of suthin to drink.
As I was stirrin the beverage up, a pale
faced man in gold spectacles, laid his
hand on my shoulder and sed—
" Look not upou the wine wdicn it is
red I"
Soz I, " This ain't wine. This is Old
Rye !"
" It stingeth like an adder, and bitelh
like a serpent!" Scd the mm.
" 1 guess not," sed I. " when you put
sugar inter it. That's the way I alter
take mine.'
" Lave )Ou sons grownup, sir?" the
man axed.
'• Wall," I replied, as I put myself out
side my beverage, " my son Artemus jun
ior, is going on 18."
" Ain't you afraid if you set this ex
ample b4 him he'll cum to a bad end ?"
" He's cum to a waxed end already
lie's learnin the shoemakin biziniss,"'l
replied. •' I guess we can both on us git
along without your assistance, sir," I ob
served*, as he was about teopen his mouth
again.
'• This is a cold world," sed the man.
'• That's so. But you'll git into a war
mer one by and by, if you don't mind
your own biainiss better."
I was a little riled at the feller, beeaws
I never take anything only when I'm on
well. I afterwards larued be was a tem
poranee lecturer, and if he caij injuce
men to stop scttjn their innards on fire,
with thcfrghtful lickcr which is retailed
around the country, I shall heartily re
joice.
Better give men Prusick Assia at onct
than to piiseu 'em to doth by degrees
Artemus Ward.
Taxation and Representation
"Consistency is a jewel," yet inconsis
tency marks individuals and nations.
The Puritans fled from persecution to
this country that they might here enjoy
religious liberty—freedom to worship
God according to the dictates of their
conciences, and soon they persecuted oth
ers who differed from them in religious
belief. Our fathers fought for represen
tation. a good piinciple. The)' contend
ed that it was tyranny to have men ma
king their laws and imposing their tax
es entirely irresponsible to them. They
could impose on them burdens' grievous
to be borne without being called to any
account. We will not, said they, eon
sent to be taxed unless we are represented
in that assembly which taxes. For this
they fought and conquered. Yet we
find millions of people subject to taxa
tion without representation. They have
demonstrated their ability—their capaci
ty. Some of them are refined and scho
larly and eloquent. If, as a class, they
are inferior, the cause may be found in
the condition in which they have been
taught. The Egyptians while oppress
ing thelsraelitcsiegurded them as inferi
or. So the Spaniards, the Moors,. So
the, Knglish the Irish. Give them the
privileges long enjoyed by their oppres
sors and one century will see a great
change in thoir character. But they
are colored. Somo 'of them are not.
Some are as white and some whiter than
the so called whites. There are white
negroes and black white men. • If color
is the test of right and. suflftige then
what shade is required ? There are all
tints from the raven black to the white,
and in the veins of many oft hem courses the
blood of the proudest an I haughtiest of
our land. In our own city there are
those who are paying taxes on property
valued at from fiiteen to thirty thousand
dollars yet they are allowed no voice in
oui elections. I hey are natives of our
soil. The oppre--ed of other lands, poor
and ign.-.aui, hum find an us.-ylum, are
naturalized and vote, while unacquainted
with our institutions and leaving nothing
at stake. Why should not the shaded
race have the game privileges? But
there are dillicujt.ies in the way, it is
-aid. So there wore difficulties in abol
i-dling slavery, but God lias removed
those difficulties with an avenging hand.
\n I it has been fftund that these difficul
i-ultios have gradually vanished us we
were ready to do right. The slaves
could not be free and they could not
light our battles and they could not main
tain themselves. Give colored men here
a vote, and they will show their capaci
ty in voting us in other respects. The
truth is there is a fear that they will do
justly and vote correctly as they have
done, in other things.
A POSER. —Rufus Choate, the great
Boston lawyer, in an important assault
and battery case at sea, had Dick Barton,
chief mate of the clipper ship Challenge,
on the stand, and badgered him so lor
about, an hour that Dick got his salt, wa
ter up, and hauled by the wind to bring
t||p keeu Bostoq lawyeu under his bat
teries.
At the beginning of his testimony Dick
said that the night was as "dark as the
devil and raining like seven bells."
Suddenly Mr. (Jlioate asked him :
" Was there a moon that night ?"
'' Yes, sir."
" Ah yes! ,1 moon "
I'Yus, a full moon."
" Did yon see it ?"
" Not a mite."
" Then how do you know there was a
uioon ?"
't The nautical almanac said so, and I'll
believe that soono'r any lawyern'n this
worll."
'• What was the principal luminary th;it
night, sir?"
" Biubacle lamp "board the Challenge."
'■ Ah. you are growing sharp Mr. liar
ton."
" What in the blazes have you been
grinding pie this hour for—to make me
dull ?"
"Be civil, sir. And now tell me what
latitude and longitude you crossed the
i-.quator in ?"
" Sho' you're joking.
" No. sir ! lam in earnest, and I de
sire you to answer me."
" I shan't." .
" Ah, yon refuse, do you ?"
" Yes—l can't."
'•lndeed! You are chief mate of a
clipper ship, and unable to answer so sim
ple a'quastion."
u Yes, 'tis the timplett question I ever
had asked me. Why, T thought every
Ibid of a lawyer knew that there ain't uo
lahftt'/t at the Kquator."
That shot floored Hufus !
~Jieautit ut—the orope.
Effects of the War on Population,
There can be no room for doubt, that
the effects of the late dreadfuj conflict
will be manifest on the census of 1870.
If the census were to be taken this year
or the next, it would show tht..e effects
still more strikingly. The coming four
or five years, previous to tRe geneaal enu
meration, will shade off the outlines of
the change in the ratio of our increase,
so that the abrupt check of population
occasioned by the war will not so sensibly
appear. But that deaths have increased,
and marriages and births decreased, be
yond the ordiuary ratio, is evident. And
;t is equally evident, that, as a necessary
consequence, a check has beeu given to
the growth of population.
Ilow extensive this check has been,
cannot, for want of an accurate euutuera
tion, be determined. If we had the ex
act number of births aud deaths, it would
only afford materials for an approximate
estimate, since a large proportion of the
deaths caused by the war was made up
of young men of marriageable, and vig
orous constitution, who, but fur the war,
might aud probably would havo been
heads of families and fathers of children.
The only authentic figures that wo
have seen on this enbjeet are those cf a
report to the Legislature of Massachu
setts, embracing the registry of marria
ges, births and deaths in that Common
wealth. Before proceeding to consider
the statements of that document, it is
proper to uotice that it embraces only
the year 1863. A report of 1804, the
most destructive of life, probably, since
the war began, would exhibit the same
general feature in a more striking degree.
The decrease of births would also becom
uiuutative from the deaths of the previ
ous years of the war.
In 1833, with a population of one mil
lion and a quarter iu the State, the births
were less than 1860 by the number 5,-
737, while the deaths exceeded those ol
18GU to the number of 0.052. There
was, it is true, still an increase of popuia
tiuu, exclusive of emigration, but this na
tuial increase was much less than in for
mer years, being only. 2,503. This is
less than the natural increase of 1802 by
the number of nearly 7,000, and less
than that of 1 SGI by ovpr 10,000. The
wholo number of birth in 1803 Was 30,-
271 jin 1800 it was 30,008. The re
duction of number is large. The effect
can be attributed to nothing but the war,
involving the death of many men aud the
absence of more.
Marrying and production havo not,
however, been wholly neglected in the
old State that ''builds school-bouses and
raises men." Ten thousand eight hund
red. and seventy-three pairs of hearts
have been united iu the matrimonial
bonds, silken or otherwise. But, alas!
this happy and hopeful number is less,
by fouf huudred aud five, than that of
1800. Mras frownerson matrimony. If
wc had the figures for 186-4, they would
present still more startling results Wc
hope by the return of our brave men the
marriage statistics of 1805 will show a
decided progress towards their old nor
mal condition.
But the effectsof war on population are
not confiucd to Massachusetts. Proba
they are not greater in that State than
in many others, especially the insurrec
tionary States which have been tho thea
tre of the contest. Applying tho same
ratio to tho white population of the Uni
ted States: say twenty times that of Mas
sachusetts, wc shall discover that the
whole number of births in 18G3 was less
than in 1800, by nearly 115,000; that
the deaths were more, by 131,000 ; and
thenaturaliocrea.se of population ; that
is, by excess ol births over deaths, was
diminished, by more than 208,000. By
the same process the marriages are shown
to have been less by over B,OUO.
This condition of things is far from
agreeable to contemplate. But now that
tho war is over, wo expeot our virtuous
young men aud women to place matrimo
nial interests on a proper basis.— fiUs.
Com,
Trow California,
SAN I-'KANCISCO, May 31,
The Overland mail is arriving regular
ly making three trips from New York in
twenty-aix days. A public meeting of
sympathy with Juarez and the Liberals
of Mexico is called for to-morrow. Con
siderable feeling exists on the subject.
The community will sustain tho authori-
I ties in their effort to maintain neutrality
so long as that is the policy of the Gov
ernment.
The Author's Name of President
Lincoln's favorite poem, of whi.lh there
was no much speculation, was William
Knox, an Ir'rtth poet of considerable tal
ent, who died at Ediuburgin 1825, aged
$0 year*
NUMBER 2t,
The Election in Virginia,
The election held a few days ago in
Virginia is attracting a good deal of no
tice aud discussion to little purpose, fho
olection returns are not all received jet,
and their legality remains to be determin
ed. It is claimed that persons returned
were elected by those who were not enti
tled (e the exercise of the elective fran
chise—no one who had ever given "aid
or comfort" to the rebellion were to en
joy the privileges of voting. It is true
that we have an interest in the present ,
political status and the antecedents of the
members chosen, but we must not forget,
that the people of Virginia have a still
stronger interest than we have. We of
other States, can only demand that our
citizens shall enjoy security and equal
rights, and that the laws of the genera!
Government shall be respected. It is
not improbable that a large part of the
New Legislature may be pretty strongly
tinctured with secession proclivities, but
they cannot euter upon their duties with
sut taking an oath to support the Govern
ment of the United States- If they are
simple enough to attempt to inaugurate a
new rebellion we guess they will find Un
cle Sam ready for them this time. That
their influeuce upon their local policy
may be very pernicious is easy to believo
but it is more their affair, than ours. The
Constitution as it is, does pot prevent the
people of any State from exacting unwise
laws even to the extent of impoverishing
themselves and ruining their own inter
ests. If they do not interfere with tlio •
rights of the people'of other States; they
can, ftithin certain not very definite limi
tations do pretty uinch as they please with
their own rights aud interests. "We
might suppose that by this time they
would be getting tired of a blundering
and suicidal policy. We may be pretty
sure that if only the enlightened Union
ists will stund their ground fearlossly,
discussing the principles of government
freely, constantly aud forcibls before the
people, very little time will bo required
to set public opinion right.
The rebellion in Virginia and the
Southern Slates, was the offspring of ig
norance. Had the people bpan well in
formed in regard to public affairs the eon
spirators never ci uld havo fired the South
era heart to a pitch of open rebellion
As it was they had first to muzzle the
press, and restrain all free discussion.
This kind of tyranny and preparation for
rebellion is euded in the South. No
doubt there will be many illiberal and
tyranical laws enacted in the South for
a long time, but with free speech and
free press we may pe sure that all will •
in the end come out well.— fills. Com
mercial
Anglo-Rebel Pirates—Our Claims
Against England,
It is known that at the close of the war
Mr. Lincoln caused the British Govern
ment to be informed that rigid accounta
bility would bo exacted on the score of
damages, inflicted on American commerco,
by the Alabama , and other ships fitted
out in liritisli waters, sailing under tfie
British and Confederate flag, according
to circumstances. On the accession of
Mr. Johnson to the Presidency, he caus
ed the notice to be renewed, with the as
surance that there would be no' ehanga
in the policy of the Government. No di
rect response has been made by England
to this demand, but counter claims havo
boon made aaginst the United States,
which, although trumped up and ground
less, in fact amount to an acquiescence
in, rather than a denial of, the principle
involved. It being, therefore,a question
of dollars, it is'for an auditing commis,
siou to decido the amount, and it ig prob
able that an examination, and it is to be
hoped, an award also, may be expected at
an early day.
Kuglaud has on her side every motive of
interest, as well as of honor, to act fairly ;
for should she decide against the princi
ple indemnity, she would lay herself lia
ble to become the victim of a principle at
the hands of any nation or even petty
power that might choose to assist the
New Zealanders or the Japanese ipreaist
i ing British rights, or wrongs. We arG
perhaps less interested than she is ; and
although it will not do to rely too tnucl»
on British justice, we still may havar
strong expectations' in British cupidity
and British fear pf consequence*.— Pitts
Commercial.
—Wonder if the Prophet Jnremiah
had in hia prophetic vision such a
personage as Ifreff. Davis when ha
wrote the 22nd verse of the I3tfc
chapter of his prophecy, which
r ads as follows:
"And if thou say in thine heart,
whereforejeome these things upon me?
For the greatness of bhine M&iquiiy
are thy *kirts -discovered, ami thy
Aee&intxle bqre."