The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-10-02
Interview with the President.

at tho beginning, Mr.. Davis was dressed
in plain, neat somewhat worn suit of
black, which hung rather loosly upon
his person. His dress, froc5, coat espe.
cially, seemed too large for him. AS
he | saned upon my arm could meas
ure by my own muscular sense, with
toleratble accuracy, the great decline in
his physique. All his senses seemed to
me to be preternaturally acute, especial.
ly his hearing He has lost the use of
one eyes the other is quite acute. His
whole beingIbody, soul, and spirit
seemed to me to be like an ideal sensi.
tive plant. Not only outward things
affect him deeply, but the very aroma
of thought, as yet unspoken, perhaps
scarcely well formed, is felt by him III
some apparently mysterious manner.
His linen was white as the driven
snow, his neck cloth neatly adjusted, his
hands faultlessly neat, and his upper
beard closely shaved; but with all tins
neatness there was an air of subdued'
dignity, OF sanity, serene humility that
affected you too deep for tears, There
was still leaven of the old imperial
ness in his voice, chance of tone
that indicated occasional high temper
and, perhaps, angry word.
To suggestion that perhaps the i'll
will manifested towards him by some
public men might be caused by an un.
torgiving spirit on their part, in view of
some offence gwen by him: "That
is quite probable. Though generally
thoughtful and cautious even tender
to the tailings Of others-yet when they
crossed my apath n-the. shape. of pre-.
tence, falsehood, craft, or cant--then
these faults arouse bitter anger for the
moment. sometimes utter. alienation.
This was all wrong. Obi how public
life 'bunts our perceptions as to the
higher delicacies esHtenderness, forbear
ance putting the best construction on
things; words ana persons they are
capable of. i have erred in this par.
ticular; but I had often great provoca
tion-never, however have I uttered
an angry, undertaking or. denunciatory
sentiment without believing that Ihad
good causefor so doing; and in most
cases my couhWy has already, or will
hereafter, find that was right. I now
feel and Acknowledge that l was some.
times wrong as to the tone or coloring
Of phrase while. under the excitement
of debate as for instance wheA Mr..
johnson, after the Mexican war, made
some remarks derogatory ofthe West
Point officers, / thought it strange that
any man Of sense should think that the
training of officers for duty by thor,
ough military education would rather
disqualify them for that duty, or, what
was the same thing, that unframed off.
GERS did better than the West Pointers.
In the course Of reply I made use Of
this remark: 'Who would select tail.
or TO shoe ahorse, or ablacksmlth to
make q coat2' This gave personal
offence to Mr.. johnson, who regarded
it as sheer personality. Nothing in
the'world was further from my thoughts"
To the query whether he had any
thing to complain of in his present treat
ment, he replied that he had not. The
present commandant OF the fort was a
soldier and,a gentleman, who, while.
,diligent and faithful in the discharge of
his duty.to the Government, was also
forbearing and considerate as to all the
mnutie Of his prison life. and allowed
him all the indulgence he required,
which was simply mott be insulted in,
the intolerable ways and manners he
had been by the creature who used
every means to torment him before The
arrival Of General Burtan. One of us
told him that all the officers ofrank in
the old army. with whom we had in
any way come in contact had expressed
the opinion that be ought TO have been
released year ago; that some of them
thought that he, as eommander.in.chief
of the Confederacy, was virtually includ.
ed in the parole Of these armies OH their
surrender. and ought to have been ad +,
milted to parole at once but for. the
s,ssa assnation charge which no one that