Roger Brothers
crown of thorns
Tue May 8 11:48:56 2001


Wayne,

I believe that was exactly the symbolism of Pope Pius' gesture. Pope Pius wrote Davis in 1864 addressing him as President of the CSA. The Vatican thus became the only foreign power other than the five civilized Indian Nations to officially recognize the Confederacy. The CS government latter sent an ambassador to Rome. Davis was held in prison for two years after the war was over under deplorable conditions. He was never tried for any crime. The Chief justice of the US Supreme Court at the time said "If you bring these men to trial (meaning Davis, Semmes and others) it will condemn the north for by the Constitution session is not treason". The Pope sent the Crown of thorns to Davis to console him in his time of unjust persecution