| Portion of title |
Treason prosecution of Jefferson Davis |
| Series |
Studies in legal history
Studies in legal history. ^A58211
|
| Contents |
The imprisoner's dilemma -- Two lions of the New York bar -- O'Conor's bluff -- The Civil War as a trial by battle -- The return of the rule of law -- Speed issues an opinion -- Public opinion and its uses -- Thaddeus Stevens, secession, and Radical Reconstruction -- Underwood and Chase -- Secession and belligerency in Shortridge v. Macon -- Richard Henry Dana comes on board -- The reach of the Prize Cases -- Two embattled Presidents -- O'Conor's triumph -- Epilogue : Texas v. White and the "settlement" of secession's constitutionality. |
| Abstract |
This book focuses on the post-Civil War treason prosecution of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, which was seen as a test case on the major question that animated the Civil War: the constitutionality of secession. The case never went to trial because it threatened to undercut the meaning and significance of Union victory. Instead of risking the 'wrong' outcome in the highly volatile Davis case, the Supreme Court took the opportunity to pronounce secession unconstitutional in Texas v. White (1869). |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Genre/form | History. |
| LCCN | 2017009820 |
| ISBN | 9781108415521 hardcover |
| ISBN | 1108415520 hardcover |
| ISBN | 9781108401531 paperback |
| ISBN | 1108401538 paperback |
