New-York daily tribune., 1865-11-14
ANDERSONVILLE.
DIARY OF HENRY WIRZ.
Ills Protestations Of Innocence.
Compassion and Contempt for
His Accusers.
Running Comment on the Trial.
Special DisIs.eh to The ~ Y. Tnbun.
WASHINGTON Monday, Nov. l3. 1865.

Special DisIs.eh to The ~ Y. Tribup.
| WASHINGTON Monday, Nov i3, 1865.
The following is the diary kept by Wir
while III prison during the progress of the trial:
OLD CAPITOL Prison. Oct, !. ls65
| Everything is quiet aronnd No sound but the
measured steps OF the sentinel in the corridor can
/ ne heard. The man who is sitting In my room IL
nodding in his chair. Poor short tsghed moTials that
We all are This Is put In my room to watch me-
to prevent any attempt might foroiby make TO take
nv own LIE. Ny ie-wAat is il worth to any one e1
cept myself and my poor family that they should be so
al yious think understand II very well; they are
afraid might cheat them and the public At large from
having their revenge. and giving at the same time the
the benei, OF seeing man hung II that IL all
they are welcome. hayc desire TO live; perhaps
there was more willing victim dragged 10 the
scafold than I am. Why should desire 10 liyei a
beggar crippled. aud with ny health and spirit
broken-why. oh Why shcold desire to liver For
the sake Of my family My family win do as well
without me as with ne. Instead of providing FOR and
taking care OF them. would be a barden 10 them.
And si knowing all that, why do not put an end to
my life Because in the first instance, what suffer
nov IL the viii Of God God-how much Is not IN this
worJ-vbat tower Of strength OF consolation ies.
Heavenly Father IL was not Thy will would not he
n prisoner. would not be looked At. spoken OF rs
monster such as the world has seen and never
will see. II that what safer now was not put on
me BY you FOR some wise purpose would be as iTee
"a .ho bird in the air Thon and I've two alone
know that / am innocent u those terrible charges
Thou and l. both know that never took The NE oil
n follow man-that never caused man tn suffer ana
n AT mai
| =, ul am tried for murder. Men have sworn thSt
they saw me do IL, they have called on Thee to wit
Ne. that they would tell the tfnh the whole truth,
and nothing bat the truth. aud still they told he-a
n, black ar he'll tsef. Why did yoa NO; send thun'
d.rtoit from the high bcayens-wby. oh God Why
Because /, s Thy holy VIII and in humility Kiss the
rod with which Thou seest proper TO ehasti'e me-
The second reason why did not destroy life which
is burden to ne. is because owed II TO myself my
family my relations the world at large to prove
that there existed man 70 utterly devoid ot all
humanity such 6end iucsrnite. AS II has been
attempted 20 prove me to be. ! see very well that
have no earthly show-that am a doomed man; put
thanks be to God that AN enabled To SAY with holy
Steuhanns Lord lay not this sin To my charge. ihey
ludge from what they hear and must abide by ii.
II makes me feel very sorry, and at the same time
oorld ,lpo,, smile when see men ike Col. Parsons
and Cant Wright give their testimony; how careful
they first weigh every word how afraid they are 70
say something which might. perhaps. implicsc them
selves, pity them day will come when they VIII
be- ,orry that they tcok not more manly stand than
,hev did Perhaps one Of the hardest things have 10
hear il when hear such men speak nov and recoect
what they have said and how they acted "a year ago
Then hey did not say that they did not wish to asso'
ein,e with me- oh 10; tlen they visited my honse
and inv ted me 10 theirs Bat enough. despise and
always have despsed a coward
| Nv wife has tried ognn TO see me to-day
bnt eould not because Gen. Baker, who, by order oi
the Secretary Of War has TO be present at the inter
view. i, still sick think it is pretty hard; because
mnn il sick have been deprived now for two weeks OF
almost the only JOY. TO zee my poor wie' IL LOOKS 10
me that among the hundreds OF officials al "ashngon
one coud be iurrssd with the t>dr'a responsibility 70
LET sick prisoner see his WIFE talk with her Tor thirb
minute, about their dear children. their domestic
affairs But why should grumbe or have any bitter
ness IN nv heart think ought TO be proud that
Government like the Government Of the United States
me Of such importance TO take such extraor
binary measures.
| For five weeks have asked In vanCto have the
10 see minister Of the gospe-to get such
consolation AZ thought needed. Part Of the time
ua, NJ deaths door and finally on yesterday, was
allowed TO see the Rev. Father Boyle; but during the
whole time e1cep, during confession the olcer was
presen think 1t is high time TO blot out the eagle IN
the American escutcheon. and substitute buSzard.
have heard, when was boy that the eagle was INC
king Of BIRDS IL he H. how is 1t that he stoops so low u
tear with his talons an humble Captain and ~ aoid TO
,,rile men .uch a. I could name. Poor eagle, pity
thee thy acts ara more like those of bnzzard.
OCTOBER ., IsGa-Agan day has passed aui
tired and worn ont whichever way tuFh my eyes
everything looks gloomy and dark. Car II pc possible
that. knowing what do know. shall fail victhA
Rut why do .oubtf What right have to sruIn',le.
os it:was thing unhcard of in history that men sur
sered the death of fclon Innocent OF the crimes al
Ieocd Ms am and IL dare TO make comparison ne
,wsen our Savior and myself did not lilo also sniIeI
deothi True he died as an atoncment for a sinfu
world; true He died willingly; lie had holy mission
IN fuIal. but II Why shonld die can only say.
because IL is Gods will. On. God our Heavenly
Father. give me the grace give me the power to beal
thu CROSS which thou seestl ht to lay on me
Have not often sinncd against Thee, and neglected
tho holy commandmentsi II suffer now innoccntly
con I dare say, never offended Theei Therefore
be calm. my poor heart. Tive thyseh INTO HIS hAhd
and say Abba Father
| ocroBrra 3. 1865 What mockery Is this trial
feel at times as II onght to speak out aloud and tel
| them vhy do YOU wrong yourself and me too Why mo-
and the game at once Take me and hang me- and b.
,one with IT, A few days I asked to arrange my de
fnss, it was refused on the ground that hal ample
time Ample time indeed May the day be far dis
tant for Gen Wallace when he NAV plead with grin