Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-06-15

Correspondence of the New York News
TIE CONDUCT OF Mr.. DAVIS IN PRISON
CONSISTENT WITH HIS FORMER LIFE
HIS DENEAN0R AND LANGUAGE THOSE
OF A CHRISTIAN AND A GENTLEMAN
NO EXCUSE OR PROv0CATI0N For HIS
BEING PUT IN IR0Ns-HIs SAFE KEEP
ING DOES NOT REQUIRE CLOSE CON
FINEMENT. 1rf
WASHINGTON, June 6, 1865
Ineed not tell the readers Of the News that all
the ridiculous stories about Jefferson Davis, that
have been set afoat ever since his capture, are
pure fabricatons. without the least foundation
They have originated, and have been circulated,
with the sole design of making M: DAVIS ap-
pear ridiculous, and of depriving him OF the
sympathy which he otherwise would have re,
ceived. Mr.. Davis is our enemy but he has
been captured and is q prisoner anu never DC
fore in the history or any enlightened and
Christian nation, has there been an instance
where captive has not been treated with KIND.
mesa and gen.leness, with courtesy, and with all
that consideration which is due u the rank and
the position which be formerly held. II has been
reserved for this enlightened nation 10 treat an
illustrious captive, Christian, gentleman,
man Of rein. habits, in a manner 30 cruel, 80
barbarous, so unnecessarily severe, as viii leave
an Z upOu Jul hiot"iys
The falsehood about Mr.. Davis having been
disg USED 10 female apparel is now exploded, and
only brings ridicule upon those VINO relieved II.
Il served its purpose however, and probably Lot
one In q thousand CT these who heard The false.
hood have since seen its contradiction. The In
human treatment which Mr.. Davis has received.
however, since his Incarceration in the dungeons
of Fortress Monroe, deserves TO be placed before
the world in its true c0lors. herewith send you
the facts NJ have learned them.
The conduct OF Nc. Davis ever since he has
been imprisoned in the FORTE $, has been ex-
actIy what those who were his former assOcia es
in the United States Senate would have expected
from hia. lie knew that twas useless Tor him to
struggle against his fate or 70 Tepne at the mi.-
fortune that has beiallen him. lie mas, there
fore, accepted his misfortune in spirit OF true
Christian res gnation. He has never given ut
terance 10 an angry ointment nor used language
unbscoming in gentle nan. The man is to De
pitied, indeed, who Is credulOus enough 70 be-
leye that Jefferson Davis rallied at his JdiloIs, or
at the Government, that he threw his food at the
head OF the tendant, that lie knocked down
two of his gu ards in succession, and that he
violently res sted the guards while they were
placing the shack es aho manaclss o. his limbs.
Any man OF common sease would snow that 1t
would do no good to Act L1us aud Jefferson Da-
Wis has never, foe a moment, forgotten himself,
or the position which he occupies in the eyes OF
the world. At some tlme not far distant the
secrets of his prison house will be revealed.
Mr.. Davis is entitled by the usages of nations,
TO the tte tim mt OF q general OH .er and to the
food aud table service pertaining thereto. Every
Europeaa Government would nave re. ognized
that light C1d Mr.. ID Wis Knowing that II was
his, demanded il, IN bTm but courteous language.
He refused 10 eat the coarse food lrutAl.y thrown
down before him; and his hight 70 proper food
has since been grudgin6ly allowed. The placing
of the manacles upon his limbs is an outrage Tor
which there ID no excuse. He WAS not Olent !;
he did not knock down either one or two OF his
guard; lie had done nothing afiording the slight
est pretext or provocation for such an outrage.
1t was done 10 crafty the most Malignant feelings
of revenge anu hatred aud II was not authorized
by President johnson. 1t is pretenoed that tee
brutal act was ordered by General Miles, aud that
il WAS sanctioned by telegraph by secretary
stanton. No Iesistau ce, except by words, was
made TO this last indignty. Who, but crazy
man, would have thought OF resisting party "
men composed OF an officer, blacksmith, and
four strong soldiers, all armed to the teeth, with
eight more soldiers az hand All those facts,
reSeat win one day 30 kaownto the world,
And now, how much more would II comport
with the honor and dignity OF tie country; now
much more lustre would it shed upon President
Johnson's Administration, If General Miles had
been directed TO take the parole OF Mr.. Davis not
10 escape, and then to have allowed him the lib
erty Of she Fortress, and seat at the Generals
table presume great many Of your readers
have seen Fortress Monroe, aud remember its in
ternal arrangement. Guarded as The prisoaer
could be, even with this liberty allowed 10 him,
his escape would be literally impossible. With
guard OF sixty vigilant men, twenty on duty al
Iae time, wIIh oiders not tolet HIM be out Of
their sight for moment, he could not escape,
even without his p role. 1t is not too Late TO
change the manner Of his imprisonment. even
aovv IL cannot he dsnit d that up 70 tina time,
the indignities that Lave been heaped upon MIR.
Davis aud his rigorous imprisonment have not
been owing TO fears Of his escape buG In order to
wreak vengeance upon him ior some iancied com.
pllcIty OF nus in the assassination. Even to per.
NIT such things is unworthy Of mind like Presi.
dent Johnson's, and it may be hoped that he will
put Q stop to EN-. AALcoLN.