Author: Howard, [Jacob Merritt]. (United States. Congress. Senate)
Title: In the Senate of the United States. Mr. Howard Submitted the Following Resolution. Senate 39th Congress, 1st Session. Mis. Doc. No. 39. January 16, 1866. Read, and Ordered to Lie on the Table and Be Printed... It Appears That Jefferson Davis, Late President of the So-Called Confederate States, Is Now Held in Custody, Charged with the Crimes of Having Incited the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln... Resolved by the Senate, (and the House of Representatives Concurring,) That It Be Respectfully Recommended to the President That Said Jefferson Davis and Clement C. Clay Be, without Unnecessary Delay, Tried by a Military Commission Upon Said Charges
Description: [Washington, D.C.], n.p. 1866. First edition. Broadside. 6 x 9 1/2 inches. Michigan senator Jacob Merritt Howard (1805-1871), who had worked closely with Lincoln in drafting and passing the Thirteenth Amendment, was a strong supporter of his measures, including "emergency actions during the secession crisis, and advocated 'severe, exemplary, and speedy punishment of the rebels. He was especially vocal on all matters pertaining to the confiscation of rebel property and the emancipation of slaves. He was also one of the most forceful advocates of the 1863 Conscription Act," (ANBO). His ire extended to trying for treason the Confederate leaders. In December he wanted to know why Davis had not been put on trial, and now, despite it being well-known that Davis did not have complicity in Lincoln's murder, he declared in this resolution that Davis be "charged with the crimes of having incited the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, and with the murder of soldiers of the Unites States held a prisoners of war during the rebellion, and other cruel and barbarous practices in violation of the rules and usages of civilized war." Clement C. Clay was also to be tried. It appears that Merritt's resolution never made it to the floor for a second reading as was required by law. Scarce. We could find only one in auction or dealer sales records, in 1964. OCLC locates only one copy: Univ. of Mississippi (OCLC669843127) in its "Civil War: Primary Source Publications Related to Mississippi." Owen: Bibliography of Mississippi p. 685. Eberstadt 165-210. ANBO 04/04-00529. A very good copy with inch marginal closed tear, light soiling, faint marginal stain.

Keywords: , Americana, Civil War Era, treason, Document


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