The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-06-02

80
Blackburn in he Role Of PliLuthropist-
Rerognits0H OF has Ssrgiccy b. rae BriEsh
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS from Viec Aauirai
Pope" Over Zeal ana "Tkc TcnsDta-
h0N Of the DeUiLn
From the Montreal Gazette Cpro-reheD Nav q.
The evidence respecting the yellow
Fever Plot which we insert in other
columns, was intended to be published
In our last impression, but It was crowd.
ed out BY the pressure of other news
In the affidavit Of Nj. Qeary. a South
ern gentleman who was resident here
for some time, in the capacity Of Sec
rotary OF MI Clay, we have the first
time, IN our opinion, any reliable evil
dence 70 connect DR.. Blackburn with
this affair. The accounts with which
some OF our contemporaries have for
some weeks past been filed, have not.
ID our opinion, had sufficient stamp of
truth IN them TO set against the char
acter OF DR.. Blackburn, and, therefore,
We took no more notice of them than
many others of the absurd fctions
which have SO long served as food for
the sobe m0ucheS. DR.. Blackburn was
Tor some time in Montreal, but the wri-
ter OF these lines never even happened
70 meet him, and does not know him
by sight We do, however, know the
high reputation in which he always
stood; and we did announce his going
70 bermuda as an event in the interest
OF humanity, from the great skill be
Was reputed to have, from long and
particular study of yellow fever. His
emfnence and his conduct in going to
bermuda were both officially recognized
by the Admiralty, as the reader may
see from the following dispatch to Vice
Admiral Hope:
ADMIRALTY, Nov. 10, 1864
SIR Referring to your dispatch of
the 18th ult, No. 308, bringing under
the notice of my Lords Commissioners
OF the Admiralty the philanthropic
condcct Of DR.. Blackburn, an eminent
physician ofNew Orleans, who proceed
ed to Bermuda for the purpose. of giv>
ing b medical men there the benefit
OF lis great experience in the treat
ment OF the yellow fever during the
Late prevalence Of the epidemic, l am
commanded by their Lordships TO re-
quest that you viii communicate with
DR.. Blackburn and express to him how
much mortified my Lords have been at
the reports Of his humane services, and
inform him that they are DESTROYS Of
testliylng their appreciation of them IN
some way which would be most agree
able to him.
My Lords have decided On making
a present to DR.. Blackburn of the sum
Of 600, and they would wish to know
whether he would prefer 10 have the
sum of money or some testimonial
equivalent in value to be chosen by
their Lordships. / am, &c,
(Signed) w. 6. ROMAINE
Nice-Admiral Sir James Hope, K.
c. B., &c, Halifax.
Such being the character of DR..
Blackburn, and such his mission to
Bermuda, it did require something
more than unsupported statements, or
the evidence ofs mere scOundrel, seek
ing to turn an ~ill-gotten penny, by try
ing TO obtain, alternately, the conf
dence of Federal and Confederate, 10
serve as a spy, for the purpose of be-
traying either or both, as might be
found most profitable But Mr.. Cleary
is a man of different character, and we
see no reason to question hiss depposi-
ton. What il established the reader
may see who will turn TO il in another
column. II corroborates Hyams; and
the same may be said of the deposis
ton Of Mr.. E j. Hall This evidence
being accepted, DR.. Blackburn must be
held guilty of having attempted to
damage the Federal cause by introduc-
ing yellow fever among the Federals
by means of infested clothing. Such
an act cannot he held to belong to civ
ilized war. 1t is an outrage against
humanity, calling for, and will receive,
the universal e~xecration of mankind
Civilized war implies an attempt 10 kill
ones enemy while he stands up with
arms in his hands, attempting on his
side 10 kill; but it shrinks from seek
ing the lives of non-combatants and
women and chil1Ten by insidious sick
ness. No punishment a be too Sc
we're for such an offence. For the rest,
il is an incident Of human life to be
most profoundly deplored, that a man
could fall from so high a position as
that which DR.. Blackburn held into so
deep an abyss as this evidence seems
to have placed him. 1t was an evil
hour for him in which over-zeal for the
cause Of his country, or desire 10 take
revenge for her injuries, or the tempta
ton Of the Devil, led him TO commit
himself to so foul a crime. He had
better himself have died.