After the war President Davis asked for a trial but was not granted one because to put him on trial would put secession on trial and it was deemed a losing proposition.
“After the war President Davis asked for a trial but was not granted one because to put him on trial would put secession on trial and it was deemed a losing proposition.”
That is an untrue statement, because Jefferson Davis was ultimately indicted in the case of The United States v. Jefferson Davis. Davis was released from custody on $100,000 bail with the assistance of Horace Greeley. The case was ultimately dismissed, nolle prosequi, for a variety of reasons. The principal reason, however, was the passage of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution and its punishment of former officers and officials of the rebel Confederate States of America. Davis’ defense attorneys persuaded Davis to abandon his efforts to go on trial to argue his case for secession, because the punishments provided by the 14th Amendment gave them an opportunity to escape trial for treason of some 34 other CSA officers on the grounds doing so would constitute disallowed double jeapordy.