Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-11-10
CORRESPONDENCE.
letter from yEasisiuafOu.


Corps-Iadian Trcatics Dr.
The arrangements for tho execution Of Wirz to
| morrow are undor the immediate supeIintcndnncr
Of Major Russell, Provost Marshal of tho District
| They were nearly completed this afternoon. Since
the sentence was made known the Office Of the Major
mas been fairly heSieged by applicants for tickets Of
admission TO witness the execution, but beyond the
! members Of the press others will be admitted
| except called tlther by duty.
"n does not seem to fear in the least the physical
pam OF death. lie will die, he says with but two re
| grets-ono because of the gnomny which will reco
upon his relatives and frendsand the other because
ne fears that he will die with feeling of resentment
| against his so-cailed prosecutors.
The wound on his arm still continues painful re-
qulFIng surgical attention and last night he slept but
htle attrbutng it, however not to the dread of his
rapidly approaching DOOM but simply to the painful
| ness of his arm.
lie AYERS that he does feel the slightest resent
ment against the President or the court t-martiaj
winch convicted him. but finds it at times almost i'm
possible 10 repress similar feelings toward the wit
| nesses who testified against him.
lie is more diligent than formerly in looking after
hls religious interests, and has finally discarded Ger
man novels Tor books of more serious nature He
complains of the injustice of the Government in not
staying the proceedings OF the court until fourteen of
his most important witnesses could reach here and
says their evidence would have materially modified
the conclusion of the court.
lie emphatcally denies the recently nubIisbpd
statement that he was formerly railroad agent in
Switzerland and was discharged for fraud and as
serts positively that when he left that country no
railroads were in operation there He claims the I'll
Tie OF M d., having, he says, graduated at Medical
College in Switzerland and also received diploma
III THIS country. He is still in receipt of letters from
all parts of the country some of a syrpathizng and
Others Of a denunciatory character Among the lat
ter recently received was one from New York in
whc the writer. after saying that he considered him
the greatest criminal that ever cursed the earth
urged him to prepare himself for death. He closed
by quoting several passages of Scripture not of a
very consoatory character To this letter Wirz
thought proper to reply Yesterday telling the writer
that as specimen of presumption and impudence,
ms letter was unequaed. After referring briefly to
the evidence in his case, Wirz says:
IN conclusion, my dear sir, let me take the liberty
to follow your example and quote Scripture. The
passage TO winch would especially commend your
attention Is this Judge not that yc be not Judged
ms alone exhibits the extreme nervous irritab-
ty OF the prisoner. lie denies that there want Of
affection between himself and wife, and says that
when she hears OF The paragraph recently published
relative to her feeli"g towards him. it will cause her
much pain. He asserts that she left for Georria
simply to look after her children who had been left
unprotected by the deceaSe of their temporary guar
dan lie had intended to pray the President for a
respite of few days to enable his wife to reach here
previous to his execution, but has finally rcconsid-
cred his determination.
The following brief sketch Of the career of Henry
Wirz, now under sentence of death for the murder Of
Union prisoners at Andersonyillo may be interest
ing to the public. 1t received from his own lps
by gentleman who visited hn today and in
point of accuracy la perfect:
y was born in Zurich Swtzerland to the
United States in lSi2, at which time was unable to
speak English. tried to obtain position as assist
ant to some physician, but failed. Landed in New
York 2ty; attcrward went to Connecticut. from which
State went to Lawrence, Mass. where was engaged
IN shaw! factory. After remaining there for several
years; went to Kentucky where married. | after
ward went TO Philadelphia, and thence TO planta- !
ton in Louisiana. where employed as a physi
clan remained there until the breaking out of the
war, when enlisted IN an independent company as |
private; was atterward made clerk of the Richmond
prisons was soon af ter made Captain and Assist
ant AdJutant General on Gen. Wnder's staff. was |
wounded at Fair Oaks thc wound from which he |
now sufers was then made Provost Marshal of Man
the prisons in the South.
In 1868 went to Europe for the benefit of my |
health where | remained three or four months on
my return was put in charge of Andersonville ga
until the COnfederacy hurscd up admit that uris-
oners were brutaly treated hui deDv that am thc |
guilty party; have never shot man in my life.
Louis Schade, Esq, of the counsel for Capt Wirz
had an interview with the President to-day by an
pointment his object being to procure a commute
ton of the sentence The President listened atten-
lively to Mr.. Schades representations and said to
him that he would do the best he could This after
the Chancellor of the Swiss Consul General |
visited Captain Wir2 and informed him that the Con
sui General had prepared petition asking the Presi-
dent to commute the sentence. He inquired whether
the Consul could do anything for him, when the prs-
oner replied that he regretted to that the prof
fered assistance of the Consul came at the last hour
and that the refusal of the Consul to receive money
in behalf of his defence had done him immense
harm, the more SO, it from the representative
of his native country. While he was thankful for the
offer he could not accept it. The prisoner was asked
by lady to-day whether he had hope as to mother
world, when he replied: Madam, have hope. The
greatest sinner has hope and why should not feel
ing myself innocent of the charge for which | have
to suffer- Mr.. Schadc is to have a final interview
o-morrow morning before eight o'clock, after which
but his spiritual adviser is to converse with
him.
The Secretary of the Treasury has addressed cir
cuar to officers of customs nstrucng them to receive
IN payment of duties on imports gold certificates of
deposit issued by the Treasurer or assistant TreaSu
rer of the United States, but in no case to receive
such certificates for duties excess Of the amount to
be paid
All the government property in the following dis
manted forts north and east of Washington has been
disposed of at auction by Col. Luddington Fort
MeigS Fort Davis. Fort Wagner, Fort Ricketts,, Fort
Snyder and Fort Greble. 1t consisted of barracks.
guard houses, mess rooms and stables The property
at Forts Willard and Williams south Of Alexandria,
week property in the forts south Of the Potomac will
be disposed of.
1t has been ascertaned that s. per cent Of the 640
officers of the Veteran Reserve Corps have been |
wounded in battle, some Of them many |
times. Five per cent. became disabled from other
causes, and 10 per cent from diseases contracted in
the line of duty. Ninety-one underwent amputa-
ton. There were eight dissectons of the arm, and |
sixteen lost eye. There is probability that this |
Corps will be made permanent by the ensuing Con-
gress As they have rendered important service in |
war, it is not doubted they will efficiently perform
their duty in time of peace
This morning the Secretary Of the Interior received
a communication from Major General Curtis. of the
Indian Commission dated Fort Sullcy, October 20th
stating treaties have been made with the Chiefs OF
the Minnecongoes Two Kettles, Brues, Yanktorias, |
Sans Ac, Blackfoot, Sioux, and one Papas tribe Of
Indians The substance of the treaties stpulate per-
petua peace, right of way through their country,
the protection of our people passing &c. The Com
mission having agreed to give about $50 family per
annuIn, and about S25 lodge Ia those who enter |
upon farming-aIl payments TO be made in goods un-
der the direction of the Secretary of the Interior
Among the visitors at the Executive Mansion to- |
day was General Longstreet. The Star of this even
ing says: The rumor that the President contem-
plates pardoning this individual Immediately is with
out foundation his having more claims upon
the Government than those of other rebel Generals
whose applications for pardon filed away for fu-
ture consideration
The Grand jury have indicted the Mayor and |
Common Council for maintaining a nuisance in the !
shape of the Washington City Canal" alleging that
they have failed TO remove therefrom the mud dirt
filth and decayed vegetable and animal matter
Col. Sarmiento presented to-day his credentials to
the President. Minister Plenipotentiary from the
Argentine Republic, and made remarks indicative of |
the high estimation in which our country and her in
stitutions are held by that people. The President,
in the course of his remarks said that the pleasure
ofreceiving the Minister was enhanced by the fact
that the proceedings of the Republic so far have
had intercourse with have been eminently Just and
cordially friendly.
CHINESE AGRIcULTURE.-AW Washington let |
ter to the New York Commercial 4dreytiSer |
says:
Commissioner Newton, who is doing far
more practical good than any preceding head |
of the A ultura1 Danartman+ is racaivinr |