The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-08-31
4ithmond Dispatrh.
FRIDAY. AUGUST 81, 1866.
REMOvAL.-THE DAILY DISPATCH HAS
BEEN REMOVED TO ITS NEW PRINTING.
HOUSE, ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF
MAIN AND TWELFTH STREETS
Jefferson Davis and his Slanderers-
An Authentic Account OF his Speech
at Charlotte. :;
MEADOW BROOK, DEKALB COUNTY, Ga, !
July 81, 1866.
To the Editor Of the Metropolitan Record:

july ol, 1000.
To the Editor of the Metropolitan Record:
The second charge, which depends on
the false testimony Of one Lewis F. Bates,
q rampant secessionist and renegade Yam
kee, is that Mr.. Davis, when he received
General Breckinridge's dispatch announc-
ing the assassination of President Lincoln,
said: "Well, General, do not know if it
were to be done at all, it were better that
it were well done and if tho same had
been done to Andy johnson, the Beast,
and Secretary Stanton, the job would then
be complete"
A more shameless lie was never uttered
even by renegade Yankee and if this
man has any conscience left, it must sting
him with remorsc, until he is driven, like
the other witness, to 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 aw-
full solemnity of the occasion, and the noble
grandeur and dignity of Mr.. Davis's ap-
pearance. 1t was in the town of Charlotte,
N. c.; General Lees army had surren-
dered Johnston's army was entirely dis
organized; all was confusion, dread, un-
certainty, and gloom. Mr.. Davis loomed
up more proudly than he had ever before
appeared to me for he alone of all that
vast crowd seemed to retain the majesty
and self-possession of his character, and to
rise with the emergencies of that dreadful
hour. Riding into town at the head of q
small cavalry escort, he dismounted oppo-
site the house of this Lewis F. Bates, who
had sent Mr.. Davis a special invitation to
be his guest, prompted, no doubt, by the
desire to collect testimony in private con-
versation, that he might use hereafter to
advantage, instead of soliciting it as an
honor that he might transmit to his pos
terity.
Mr.. Davis was welcomed to the town,
and made short but feeling reply. AZ
ter which, he bowed, and was about to
turn to go into the house when little
boy from the telegraph office handed him
a dispatch. He opened it calmly, and read
it in silence, and folding it up and return
ing it to the envelope, handed it to Colo
mel William Johnson, remarking as he did
so, "This contains very astounding intel
ligence." The crowd, whose anxiety could
no longer be restrained, cried out, Read
it !" "Read it, and Colonel Johnson, in
his deep, slow, and solemn tone read it
aloud. Some thoughtless persons shouted,
and Mr.. Davis looked in such earnest re-
proof that instantly every voice was hush
ed, as though they were ashamed Of hav-
ing broken the solcmnity of the scene by
such indiScreet joy. The writer then
shook hands with Mr.. Davis, who asked
him about his family and other questions
of that kind, with which he was in the
habit of making all feel at ease who came
near him. Captain Edward Lowndes, of
South Carolina, was then introduced, and
after short conversation Mr.. Davis re-
tired into the house.
This, on my honor, was all that occurred
on that solemn occasion for who could
ever forget it3 Alas, that one should be
SO base as to misrepresent and malign the
noble man who bore himself under such
trying circumstances so as to leave his i'm
press forever upon the minds Of all who
saw him.
1t is we'll known to the people of the
South that Mr.. Davis was abused, and
almost threatened, because he refused 80
firmly to conduct the war on any other
than the most humane principles.
The press accused him of being Access
sorry to the murder of our soldiers because
he refused in so many instances to retail
ate when they had been barbarously exc
cuted; and even the Confederate Congress
censured his conduct, and many of it's
prominent members, who have long since
received their pardons, frequently remark
ed that "we were dying of West Point and
Davis religion" Nothing could swerve
him from the rule he had laid down and
the determination which he had formed of
building up government which, by moral
contrast, must finally prevail.
l am therefore amazed, that in the face
of these facts, which are so we'll known
and established, that congressional coni-
mittee would attempt to blacken his name
by connecting it with conspiracy and
crime. All such attempts will most surely
fail and although he has been imprisoned
in dungeon and shackled with fetters,
there is halo of glory that surrounds his
brow that no SANDER can tarnish or perse-
cution destroy.
Yours very truly, X. A. ALsToN,
Tota Army