The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-10-10
JEFF RRS N DAVIS.
interesting Interview With the Pris
0nCr at Fortress Monroe.
MR.. DAVIS, "A DYING MAN.

ohr readers this morning an authentic nc.
c,,,nt Of the interview between Mr.. Davis
and Mr.. John D. Kelley, about which the
rapers have, for the past few days, had SO
much to say, which was mere speculation
Our correspondent promises. as will be seen,
+o follow this with another letter on the
same theme:
To the Editor of the hder-Piease let nue.
saw through yonr paper that have just
returned from Washington without any
bisbop. priest, or deacon accompanying
me that wrote letter to our martyr
J.f, Davis some weeks since, to which
rot no response until the return of Mrs
Davis, he not being allowed to write; that
in compliance with the spirit of that To.
snonse I fastened to Fortress Monroe, on
the 18th inst, Just as have done many a
time for our poor soldiers OF poor negroes
nnder sentence; that | proceed to Wash
ingtorr, after seeing the terrible condition
of Mr. Davis, and have come back this
morning, foot-sore and weary, not without
hopes for the final safety of him whom
conscientiously believe to be about the
ablest and best man in America. Prudence,
whom seldom listen to, and whom ma.
t,irally hate as the devil does holy water
makes me silent for the present about my
Washington visit. l will tell all about it
hereafter Mr.. Davis is greatly debilitated
and declining very fast. During breakfast
he gave us some rich, sparkling gems OF
political wisdom from Burke, with his own
comments on their folly, as rich as Burke's
original thoughts. | only remember one
other such day spent in my life. 1t was at
Lagrange in 1923, when Lafayette and
Cardinal Mezzofonte were debating ON high
matters of literature and art, and was q
mere silent absorbent of the golden treas.
are of liquid thought.
Iarrived at the Fortress about an hour
before Mr.. Davis left his prison. This time
spent in reading some of the numerous
papers that were brought In that morning
Presently Mrs. Davis Joined me, and we
had very agreeable discussion, in which
she maintained that the American people,
North and South, were as noble q people as
any on earth, and l maintained, chiefly for
arguments sake, that the aristocracy of all
Landslide real aristocrasy-were marked
ly superior to the masses OF the people. l
maintained that the catacombs of Rome
and Paris showed gradual approximation
to certain type of character which was
not even yet attained except in the arts
tocracy Of worth She insisted that the
heads of Phi'lias and Praxiteles were not
equaled in modern times with Christianity
and all the appliances of culture, She ci-
ted the remarks OF many distinguished for
eignsrs who called her attention to the
fact that the American people could more
easily adapt themselves to and more thor
onghly embody the true principles of po.
likeness than any other Democratic people
in the world. Just then made wicked
query that killed a good deal Of this theory.
"Mrs. Davis how do the many strangers
that come here behave toward Mr.. Davis 2"
"Ah," said she, almost all the Northern
women that come peer through the blinds
in the most indicate manner, so that We
are often obliged to retire to the inner
caSemate TO avoid their rude chances "
Mrs. Davis, no refined, instinctively pu-
lite people could possibly be guilty of such
grossness. So You have demolished your
own theory" We then talked for awhile
about education, where and Ivy whom best
administered and acquired, in which l felt
proud that my own niaturely formed opin-
and imperial-!ninded woman.
At this time we saw d SLENDER, shailowy,
lettering form approach the floor. Some
thing in my heart told me twas Mr.. Davis
Strange, mystic human heart, with its d..
vination and prophecies! Bible of the
true Infallible God-word to every human
soul that has ever been magnetized with
love had known this man at time
when his word swayed an empire conlpos-
ed Of as noble men and as glorious God.
gifted women as has ever appeared iii the
tide of time. | have obtained at his hands
the sparing of the lives of forty-seyen Com
ftderats soldiers during the war, I got off
fourteen Federal soldiers condemned to
death. got his written permit--lio order
to allow me to visit all the Federal pris-
ons and alleviate, in all lawful ways, their
sufferings / have prayed at this good
mans bedside for blessing Of God upon
him commensurate to the mercy lie might
extend to others, and that he might hope
for himself, should the changes of time
ever make him a supppliant for this benefi
cence.
And now he is before me prisoner.
good God! How changed! The last time
saw him his brow seemed decked, not only
with a crown OF. intelligent glory, but with
sort of prinus ihttrpafes--halo of all the
kingly chivalries of all the past ages, How
he was bent, broken, reeling. But oh +,
that voice, its timbre, cadence, tone! II
am glad to see you Nj. Kelly; Your hair is
whittier than it was that beautiful autumn
morning that you prayed by MY bedside in
Richmond. Your heart too has been scar
ed. Well. thank God. amidst itall, and
by it all, we are ripening for the Skies
Mr.. Davis, has it never occurred to you
that, not victorious, but defeated causes,
when founded on truth and honor, are f.
nally victorious lii the flow of ages Who
was the greatest man, Tiberius at Caprea,
sunk in the infamies of sensualism, or the
Nazarine, crowned with thorns, and utter
ing those words of power amid the agonies
of the cross, '"Father,. forgive them, they
know not what they do?'" True" said
Mr.. Davis, "no good cause ever dies
Whatever was true in our theory of State
rights will live, and be yet adopted entire
ly by our Northern brethren. The Ameri-
can people are eminently thoughtful and
practical, assimilating to themselves truth
from every point; witness their wonderful
improvements in the practical arts. You
know how the Normans cpnqueted the
Saxons at Hastings-how they oppressed
apd wronged them; yet in the course of
three centuries the ideas of the conquered
snbdued their conquerors, and led the
United Kingdom to the conquest of that
Very France whence the conquerors came.
Centuries III the past We're no more than
decades III the present. have no fear as
to the ultimate triumph of our principles
purified from whatever was wrong or sell
flsh N them, as You and have been puri-
lied by sorrow.
Do you remembers Mr.. Davis, that
couplet OF Lady Guion's translated by
Cowper9"
The path Of sorrow, and that path alone,
Leads to the place where sorrows are UNI
known.
Yes. remember it we'll 1t is the com.
pound of christianity. The world has
never yet fully appreciated that aspect, the