Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-08-10
NO. 90.
ABSTRACT Oy THE REPORT on THE JEFF DAVIS
CASE

gAoEs
i The Committee submit mass of testi-
mony, showing that the rebel authorities,
under the direction of Davis, decided not
to give negro soldiers aud their officers
the treatment due to prisoners of war.
It's hOws that General Kirby Smith OBJ
Ijected to the capture of negroes in arms,
and letter from him to General Dick
! Taylor is quoted, IN which he says: 81
have been uaoficially informed that some
of your troops have captured negroes in
4 arms. l hope this may not be So and
| that your subordinates in command of
capturing parties may have recognized
/ the prOpri 5ty of giving no quarter TO
armed negroes aud their officers A
message of JEFF. Davis is also quoted, in
! which he proposes that Union officers in
/ the command of negro troops, when cap
/ tured, be dealt with as criminals engaged
1 in melting insurrection.
! With regard to the maltreatment Of
/ Union prisoners generally, it is shown
I that j Ell. Davis decided the Union troops
/ incendiaries and robbers, who had for
/ felted their claims to be treated as prison
ers of war. A great mass of testimony
IS adduced to show that the prisoners
were treated In accordance with the views
of Davis, as above set forth. The docu-
ments cited are all of rebel origin, and
Z
IN a frightful condition. The facts
were frequently brought to the no
tice of the Confederate authorities, but
with avail. A letter from one Sabina
dated at Salisbury, October q, 1864, to
Davis, says, with regard to sufferings of
the prisoners at Florence: IF such
things are allowed to continue they will
most surely draw down summary iudg-
ment upon our country It is a most hor-
~ nia r1afTouaH 81, hot .
ished. If we cannot give them food and
shelter, for God 5 sake send them back to
Yankee land, but don't starve them.
Accompanying the letter was an article
from the Sumter Watchman, giving the
details of visit made by the writer to
the prison at Florence The account is a
most horrible one. The prisoners are
described as filthy, diseased, famished
men, with no hope Of relief, except by
death. Il were in rags and barefooted
and crawling with VermIn. While the
reporter was there a rain storm took place,
and he described the aVidity with which
the prisoners welcomed it. opening their
mouths to catch it, while one would wash
off the face of another with his hands
and then receive from him the like kind
Office.
A great mass of similar testimony is
submitted, all going to show that Davis
vas Aut4Y dHdI6 VI TIC COHulbLO4 aUi LuE
prisoners. Considerable space IS devoted
to the Vaccinations of Clement @. Clay,
George N. Saunders, Beverly Tucker and
Others, In Canada, during the war, and
1t IS shown that portion Of the rebel
secret service money was paid to one
HyTams, who rendered services in convey [
ing boxes of smallpox clothing to be /
sold at Washington. In connection with /
these matters a large number of docu- /
hD,fffo1 Tn oil 4ho-o
schemes it is shown that Davis was con
cerned, and the Committee argue that /
the fact is bar to the plea that he and |
his associates were incapable of the crime
of assassination.
In further confirmation of this view, 1
copies are given of letters from a foreign
er, named DeKalb, who proposed to blow |
up the Capitol at Washington when /
- Abe" his myrmidOns, and the Northern |
Congress members were assembled there. I
One Of these letters is endorsed by Walk /
er, rebel Secretary of War. Another
letter from one DOrrOmore, stating, that !
he had found a means of dispOsing of the
leading characters Of the North in an
manner, is endorsed by jeff
Davis. Another letter from Durham,
directly proposing the assassination of
Seward Greely, Prentice, and
others, written to Davis, and referred by
ulu 10 tue IED6l D6CT6uaEg OF w ar, IL
produced The Committee argue that
these letters prove that Davis and his
Cabinet knew that the plot of assassina-
tion was going on. Copious extracts from
the testimony given at the trial of Payne,
Mrs. SUrratt, and their accompiees, are
submitted, all tending to confirm the
opinion.
1t is also stated that afidavits have
been taken by the Judge Advocate Gen
sral from the several persons, who sWOre
that they were present at an interview
between Surratt, Davis and Benjamin,
further establishing the guilt of Davis;
but on being brought before the Com
mittee these parties retracted, but without
giving any satisfactory reason for so
doing.
The report closes with resolutions de-
claring there is nothing to prevent the
Urial of Davis for treason, and that 1t is
the duty of the Executive to Investigate
the facts connected with the assassination.