The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-06-18

On the 10Th of May last year. Jefferson Davis
and his colleagues subsequently paroled were
CONSIGNED TO Fortress Monroe. He took his
captivity bitterly, and on the 23d resisted, with
bodily energy and tierceness OF spirit, the men
who shackled him. Old disorders, aggravated
by confinement made him feverish ana 1rrlta'
bic. His face was emaciated, and his head
troubled with neuralgia which had destroyed
his right eye and tended to impair the remain
ing one. The light in his casemate' and the
tread Of the sentinel, made him seepless.
Being too weak to support his irons, they were
taken Off five days after they were put on. He
was sensitive TO the dampness and unwhote-
some air OF his cell Though officers ana their
families had dwelt in the same unhealthy case
mattel in proof of which mould had gathered
on his shoes. He referred often to the severity
of his treatment though 1t does not appear that
his food was bad-albeit knife ana fork we're
denied him-or that he was subjected to other
rigors than those which ordinary prisoners
undergo.
He complained that bis letters to his wife and
family had to pass the scrutiny of the Military
Commandant and the Attorney General. In
June, he was permitted to walk on the ramparts
tor an hour each day; but ne was at first so
weak that he returned TO his cell at the end of a
hall hour. On the 20th OF August, he is re-
ported suffering from eryspelas and car
buncle, with attendant fever. Shortly alter
wards, he was conducted to more comfortable
quarters, selected by his physician. Though he
still complained of deteriorating health, we hear
gradually less Of him, in this respect, up to
November, since which time, we may observe,
his prison restraints have been gradually re.
laXed, 80 that he has the reasonable liberty of
the fort, and can see HIS friends. One of the
prisoners most plausible complaints Is that,
while numbers OF those who urged at the
beginning that the black flag should be hoisted
have been practically pardoned, he, who had
opposed all desperate measures, Is the victim of
indignity out OF proportion.
With Mr.. Davis reported opinions on our pre-
sent politics we have nothing 20 do. But we
remark that he scouts the charge of assassina-
ton, and, whatever may nave been his former
feelings, speaks with unmistakable respect of
the martyred Lincoln. His defense from the
charge of treason is the palladium of all other
Rebels-the States Rights doctrine of war and
reconstruction" More than once, he indulges
the common Southern sneer at yankees" New
Englanders, ~ and "Massachusetts," >" while sharing
the narrow notion that the North-whose mag
nimity since and during the war is conlessedly
something remarkable in oivllization-is little
better than 'a money-makng people," Out of
this poor prisoner, with his cascmatPd preiu-
dices, 1t will be hard tor any biographer to con-
struct Napoleon.
Regarding his trial we quote Mr. Davis own
words. After speaking OF States Rights he says:
"But if, as L suppose. the purpose be to test the
question of secession by jddlC al decision, why
begin b. depressing the ohef subject OF the expert
ment? Whv, in the name of fairness aud q decent
respect for mankind deprive hun OF the means for
the OPINIONS OF maukn1; deprive him OF the means
neeo tul to q preparation OF his defense and load
hlm with lndlgnitles that must deprive his mind OF
its due equilibrumI It'll compOTts with the div
nlty a gleat nauon TO eyInce fear of giving to
single captive enemy all the advantages possible tor
exposition of his side OF the question. a ques-
ton settled by violence or in disregard OF law must
remain unsettled forever"
On the question OF the Andersonville crime, he
holds that to make him les ponslble for this was
"worse than absurd-Criminally false" "For the
last two years oil the war, Lees army had never
more than halt, and was oftener on quarter
ratiCns OF rusty bacon aud corn.n He also be-
lieves that Commlssary General Northrop and
General Wlnder did the best they could: that
the prisoners were ordered to receive precisely
the same ratlons given to the troops guarding
them; but dishonest commissarieS and provost
marshals were not confined to Gny people, Or
this explanation OF q crime which caused the
death OF prisoners BY tens of thousands, the
most charitable thing we can say at present is
that it is too short to be satisfactory.
From the whole revelation given to us of the
prisoner at Fortress Monroe we conclude that,
as resting under the weight OF stupendous
charges, his treatment, even to the placing OF
shackles upon him, was not extraordinary.
Nor does it appear that his food and accommo-
datlons have been worse rhan what milder State
prisoners have experienced in comfortable quar-
ters during the war. His complaints have been
heard through his physician, and the r1gors OF
his confinement have been gradually lessened.
But there are two indubItable facts which give
weight to the plea in leaving-frst, that Mr..
Davis is a chrOmcally ill and perhaps dying
man; and, second, that he had right to a fair
and speedy trial.
Judging these facts, we conceive it to be alto
gether Just and reasonable that his counsel so
earnestly ask his release on bali. If he is to be
punished, il is evident that no punishment can
be severer TO him than Imprisonment. He may
deserve the miseries of Andersonville, and the
last penalty of treason. Let that be tried and
proved. For the infirm and complaining man,
who has the care of q sympathetic doctor ana
the liberty of q castle, who reads the magazines
and papers, who can have book published
| from the prison-walls to plead tor him, whose
| fate on the whole is not so bad as that of tie
! poor Rebel spy or common soldier his evil
| genius directed to slaughter, and who is too
| feeble to be sufficiently heroic to endure year
| in prison-for this man we can have no pro-
! found sympathy. But this man who has been
awaiting trial since last May Is the representa-.
| tive OF six millions of people. What shall we
do with him :? and what, If we keep him III pro
| tracted punishment, shall we do witt. the people
| ha