Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-31
letter from Col. Aston, Of Gen. Nor
Ean's STAFF.


MEADoz Nook, DeKalb Co., Ga, July
8lst, l666-1o the Editor Of The Metropolitan
Rcoord-Doar Sir: have been convinced
by the teachings Of history and man. and
more particularly by the events which have
come under my own personal knowledge
during the past FIVE years, that lie we'll
stuck 10 answers a. well as the truth" 10
serve the PURPOSES Of hate and envy, and
woe be unto the individual and people who
are forced 10 permit systematic aud per
sistent SANDER 10 remain unrefuted. NICrOR
HUsO says somewhere that a mans destiny
depends as much upon what is said Of him
as on what he actually does. The fanatics
of the North have acted on this fact for
thirty years, and the digniied contempt
with which we have regarded their misrep-
reservations has ended in our ruin and desc
latiOn.
These reflections have been called 10 mind
BY reading the report Of the committee APP
pointed by Congress 20 investigate the
charges against President DAVIS Of COM
plicity with the assassination Of the late
President LINCOLN.
Il appears to me that a sense Of shame
would prevent any set of men who had
particle of feeling or honor from the at
asJEFFERs0R DAVIS with murder and crime
After the most diligcnt investigation, run
ming through a period Of more than twelve
m0nihs. and suboning witnesses, who, for
the honor Of humanity be il said, recanted
at the last moment aud confessed their dark
crime, what does the whole testimony
amount 10
First that Mr.. DAVIS, during the progress
Of a long and terrible war, conducted on the
part Of our enemies with a barbarous cru
city unknown to modern times, received
few letters from q few individuals request
ing permission 10 offer themselves as instru-
ments 10 rid their country Of the men who
we're regarded as the wicked authors Of our
su1erings. These letters are paraded before
the public-one from G. i. o. DEKALB,
another from j. s. PARAMERE, and another
from Lieut. WALpEAfAR ASTON, request
ing this permission. The two first are I'M
known 10 me; but Lieut.. ASTON was an
officer under my command at one time-an
unassuming and intelligent youth, about
nineteen years Of age, who had witnessed
enough cruelty at the hands Of the enemy to
turn bis heart into bitterness and gall. In
none Of these cases was the permission sought
granted; and the committee were careful to
suppress those cases where il was not only
as was always the case when these kind Of
letters were brought TO the personal know
ledge Of Mr.. DAVIS
/ can testify 70 one case which happened
in my own regiment, where il was not only
refused but the party who made the request
was placed under arrest, and ordered 10 be
tried by court martial. A gallant young
lawyer from Memphis, Tenn, who was Cap
tain Of Co. =, Ninth Tennessee regiment,
MoRGAN's Brigade, smarting under the
sense Of recent injuries, wrote TO Mr.. DAVIS
10 request permission to go 10 Washington
and assassinate Mr.. LINCOLN and his Cabi-
net blow up the Capitol, etc. Mr.. DAVIS
endorsed on the back Of the letter, "Atr0-
ciols. Respectfully referred 10 the Secretary
Of War, who will order the arrest and trial
by court martial Of the writer. j. d." This
letter, with his endorsement, was returned to
Gen. MORGAN, while his brigade was al
"Black's Shop, near Murfreesboro," by Mr.
RANDOLPH, then Secretary Of War. Capt
was arrested and was so mortified at
his arrest that he shouldered musket, and
marching headlohg into the first battle, was
killed at Milton, Tenn.
These facts can be established by Gen.
BASIL DUKE, Col n. G. BREcKNRDGE,
Mai. WIN. Z. ELLIOTT Commissary Of Bri-
gade, Maj. DAVID II. LLEwELLEN, @. NJ,
Col. r. A. AIsIoN, then Captain and
A. A. G.
The second charge, which depends on the
false testimony Of one LEWIS +. BATES
rampant secessionists and renegade Yank
is that Mr.. DAVIS when he received q
BRBCKNRIDGEs dispatch announcing the
assassination Of President LINCOLN, said
"Well, General / do not know, il il were
10 be done at ali, il were better that it were
well done and the same had been done 10
ANDY JOHNSON, the beast, and Secretary
STANTON, the job would then be completeH
A more shameless lie was never uttered
even by a renegade Yankee and if this man
has any conscience left, il must sting him
with remorse, until he is driven like the
other witnesses 10 repent and take back this
damning sin. God forgive him, for we
never can.
The writer Of this was standing within
ten feet Of Mr.. DAVIS when he received this
dispatch, and never will he forget the awful
solemnity Of the occasion, and the noble
grandeur and dignity of Mr.. DAVIS appear
ance IL was in the town Of Charlotte, "
C.; Gen. LEES army had surrendered, JoHN-
sTON's army was entirely disorganized, all
gloom. Mr.. DAVIS doomed up more proud
ly than he had ever before appeared TO me
for he alone, Of ali that vast crowd, seemed
20 retain the majesty and self-possession Of
his character, and 30 rise with the emergen-
cies Of that dreadful hour. Riding into
town at the head Of small cavalry escort,
he dismOunted opposite 10 the house of this
LEWIS +. BATES who had sent Mr.. DAVIS
special invitation 10 be his guest-prompt-
ed, no doubt, by the desire TO collect testi-
mony in private conversation that he might
use hereafter 30 advantage; instead Of soli-
citing il as an honor that he might transmit
10 his posterity.
Dismounting from his horse, he proceeded
10 enter the house Of Mr.. BATES, and was
met at the steps by Col. William JOHNSON,
prominent citizen Of Charlotte, and Presi-
dent Of the Charlotte and Columbia rail-
road, who said: "Mr. President-ln behalf
Of the citizens of Charlotte, l give you a
cordial welcome TO the hospitalities of our
town." Mr.. DAVIS, who was dressed in a
plain suit Of gray, and wore a low-crowned
white felt hat nearly covered with Grape,
bowed low and gracefully, saying as he did
50, 81 thank You, sir" The large crowd.
consisting almost entirely Of soldiers with
fearful eyes and overlooking hearts, said,
with deep earnestness, "Speak TO us" "Let
us hear from vou.D He turned. with his
kind, benignant, dignifed look, TO the crowd
and said:
my friends, thank you for this evidence
of your affection. II j had come as the
bearer Of glad udings, if l had come TO an
nounoe success at the head Of a triumphant
army, this is nothing more than ! would
have expected; but coming as do, TO tell
you a very great disaster; coming as do to
tell that our national affairs have reached a
very low point Of depression; coming, l may
say, refugee from the capital Of the coun-
try, this demonstration Of your love fills me
with feelings too deep for utterance." ION,
my God be felt il all This has been a
war Of the people for the people, and l
have been simply their executive; and ifthey
desire 10 continue the struggle, ! am siill
ready and willing 10 devote myself 10 their
cause.
True, Gen. LEE's army has surrendered,
but the men are still alive, the cause is not
vet dead and only show by your determi-
nation and fortitude that You are willing 10
suffer yet longer, aud We may still hope for
success In reviewing my administration Of
the past four years, l am conscious Of having
committed errors, and very grave ones but
In all that ] have done, in all that have
tried 10 do, l can lay my hand upon my
heart and appeal 10 God that have had bat
-. - a, s,,,-a hint ono F,issiop "a e,l