Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-07-14


being allowed the prisoner, ''lest he should
commit suicide" his food. had to be cut up
before being sent over-a needless precau-
ton, il always seemed 10 me, and more like
~ TO produce than prevent the act, by con
tinually keeping the idea that 1t was eK-
pected before the prisoners mind. Ii was
in returning The trays from Mr.. DAVIS 10
my quarters that the spoons were taken-an
annoyance obviated by his retaining one for
use. This only changed the form Of trophy,
however napkins that he had used being
the next class Of prizes seized and sent
home 10 sWeethcarts by loyal warders Of the
gates.
Mr.. DAVIS expressed some anxiety as TO
his present illness. He was not one Of those
who, when in trouble, wished to die. Great
invalids seldom had this Sish, save when
protracted suferings had weakened the
brain. Suicides were commonly Of the ro-
buster class--men who had never been
close TO death nor thought about it seriously.
A good old Bishop once remarked that
dying was the last thing a man should
think about" and the mixture Of wisdom
and quaint humor in the phrase had inn
pressed Mr.. DAVIS. Even to Christians,
with the hope Of an immortal future for the
soul, the idea Of physical annihilation-Of
parting forever from the tenement Of flesh
in which we have had so many joys and
sorrows-was one full of awe If not terror.
What il must be to the unbeliever, who en-
tcrtained absolute and total humiliation as
his prospect, he could not conceive. Never
again 10 hear Of wife or children-to take
the great leap into black yacuity, with no
hope Of meeting in a brighter and happier
life the loved ones gone before
He had more reasons than other men, and
now more than ever to wish for some pro-
longation Of life, as also to welcome death.
His intolerable suferings andwretched state
argued for the grave as place Of rest. His
duties TO the cause he had represented and
his family, made him long 10 be continued
on the footstOol, in whatever pain or misery,
at least until BY the ordeal Of trial he
could convince the world he was not the
monster hisenemies would make him appear,
and that no wilful departures from the hui
manities Of war had stained the escutcheOn
Of his people. Errors, like all other men,
be had committed but stretched now on a
bed from which he might never rise, and
looking with the eyes Of faith, which no
wallsSould bar, up to the throne Of Divine
mercy, IL was his comfort that no such crimes
as men laid to his charge reproached him
in the whispers Of his conscience.
"They charge me with crime, Doctor, but
God knows my innocence. ] Endorsed no
measure that was not justified by the laws
Of war. Failure is all forms Of guilt in one,
20 men who occupied my position. Should
/ die, repeat this for the sake of my people,
my daer wife and poor darling children.
Tell the world ] only loved America, and
that in following my State | was only carry
ing out doctrines received from reverenced
lips in my early youth, and adopted by my
Judgment rs the convictions Of ripper years"
Mr.. DAVIS spoke with intense earnestness
and the solemnity Of a dying man, though
not then, in my Judgment in any immediate
danger. His words as quoted, were taken
down on my return to quarters and are
here given for which each reader may think
them worth. They certainly impressed me
as sincere, and as if-whether true or not,
Judged by the standard Of law-the speaker
uttered them in the good faith Of a religious
man, who thought death might very pos
sibly he near, il not imminent and certain.
SEPTEMBER 1.--was called at daylight by
Captain THROW, officer Of the day, to see
State prisoner DAVIS who appeared rapidly
sinking, and was believed in a critical con-
dition. The carbuncle on his thigh was
much inGamed, his pulse indicating extreme
prostration Of the vital forces. The erysipe-
las which had subsidized now reappeared, and
the ferbril excitement ran very high. Pres
cribed such remedies, constitutional and
topical, as were indicated; but always had
much trouble 10 persuade him to use the
stimuants so urgently needed by his condi-
ton. Let me say here, however, that in
docility and strict adherence 10 whatever
regimen was prescribed, Mr. DAVIS was the
model patient OF my practice. He seemed to
regard the doctor as captain Of the patients
health, and obeyed every direction, however
irksomc, disagreeable or painful, with milf
tary eXactness.
Mr.. DAVIS renewed his complaints of the
initiated atmosphere Of the casemate, declar-
ing il 10 be noxiouy and pestilential from
the causes before noted. Mould gathered
upon his shoes, showing the dampness Of
the place; and no animal life could prosper
In an atmosphere that generated these hy-
phomycctous fungi From the rising and
falling Of the tides in the loose foundation
Of the casemate, mephitic fungi emanated,
the spores Of which, floating in the air
were thrown OF in such quantities, and with
such iuocssaut repettions Of production, as
% thoroughly pervade the atmosphere, en-
tering the lungs aud blood with every breath,
and redeveloping their poisonous qualities
in the citadel Of lie. Peculiar classes OF
these fungi were characteristics Of the at
fnospherp n which cholera and ether forms
oi plague were most remarkably generated,
"a had been established by the Rev. Mr..
OspoRNr. in a long and interesting series Of
svperimcutal researches with the achroma-
nc microscope during the cholera visitation
Of 1854 In England. Men in robust health
might defy these miasmatic influences; but
90 him. SO physically reduced, the atmos-
phcrc that generated mould found no vital
force sufficient % resist its poisonous inho-
lation.
Assured Mr. DAVIS that his opinion on
the matter had some time been my own, and
thar on several occasions / had called The
attention of Mai Gen. Minis TO tho subject
Satisfied that the danger was now serious II
he were longer continued IN such an atmos,
phcrc / would make an official report on
the subject TO the General Commanding, re-
commencing a change Of quarters
Mr. DAVIS spoke Of the wrotchedness Of
being constantly waiched--of feeling that Q
human eve. inquisitive and piuleSs, was
ixed upon all his movements night and day
This was one OF the tOrments imposed on Ia,
MARQUIS De LAFAYETTE in the dungeons d
Nagdehurrh and Olmutz. Indeed, th'
parallel between their prison lives, If not IN
some other respects, was remarkable la
rYrrrE was denied the use of knife OF fork
lest he should commit solf-destruction. III,
was confined In a casemate, or dungeon, O
rae two most powerful fortresses Of I'russi'
first and then Austria. While in Magde
hurgh he found a friend In the humane ply
stefan, who repeatedly reported that th'
prisoner could not live unless allowed &
breathe purer air than that Of his cell ans
on this recommendation-the Governor q
first answering that he :" was not III enougl
yet'-the illustrious prisoner was al length
allowed 90 take the air-somctimes on foot
u other times in a carriage, bai always 90
eompanied BY an officer with drawn sword
and two armed guards.
Mr. DAVIS then narrated, with great spirl
and minuteness the efforts made by Coun
I.ALLY TOLINDAI, assisted by DR.. FRI
BoIIMAN, Of Hanover, and Mr.. HUGER, Q
South Carolina. 10 effect LAFAYETrE's hh
Grafton. Mr.. HUGER was young gentle
man Of Huguenoi extraction; and LAFAl
lrrrr. upon landing near Georgetown, scutl
carolina, accompanied by Baron De KALI