General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Is it possible to destroy everything of Confederate origin? [View all]Yupster
(14,308 posts)Davis went to prison. Lee was part of Grant's parole so he just went home.
Lee ended up taking the job of President of Washington University where he was quite influential getting rid of classical courses like Greek and Latin and replacing them with Agriculture and Engineering. He lived a quiet few years before having a stroke after coming home in the rain from a church finance committee meeting.
Davis on the other hand hired a high powered group of northern lawyers to fight his treason charge. His defense was pretty straight-forward. Secession was Constitutional, therefore the south was a conquered foreign country. If the union army would leave, he would start the heavy task of rebuilding his unhappy nation.
He spent the rest of his long life demanding his "open and speedy" trial.
A long time political enemy of Davis, President Johnson decided not to ever try Davis. The case would end up in the Supreme Court and the thought was there was a very real possibility Davis could win. Then what? Oops?
Better to just leave Davis indicted for treason the rest of his life and never give him his trial.
I have trouble calling a person guilty of something when he demands a trial and the government won't ever try him. Just calls him guilty without a trial.