Daily clarion and standard. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1866, 1866-07-11
TTFFFpsny DAVIS IN PRISON
p-,, r,,rae.s from the Diary of the
Pest Surgeon
INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
PRISONER.

PRISONER.
Called with Capt R. ". Buckley,
Third Pennsylvania Artillery, officer
Of the dav. Mr.. Davis still improv-
ing, febrile symptoms abated, and had
slept, for him, very well the night be-
fore Thanked me for some fruits
sent with his breakfast, and then spoke
of the fruits of the tropics and their
beautiful adaptation to the wants OF
the inhabitants. Also of Mexico, its
climate and productions land for
which God had done everything, and
"where only man was vile" Consid-
cred the AIexicans not capable of self
Government; they must be cared for,
and it belonged to America to protect
them. Had the South succeeded
without the help of France, this
would have been one of its first cares,
and he should not have hesitated
moment The South having failed,
leaving the North more powerful than
ever, the duty of establishing a CONT
mental protectorate was imperative, and
could not long be evaded.
Mr.. Davis remarked that when his
tray of breakfast had been brought in
that morning he overheard some sol
diers in the guard room outside com
menting on the food given our prison
ers during the late war To hold him
responsible for this was worse than
absurd criminally false. For the
last two wears of the war, Lees army
had never more thsn one half, and was
oftener on quarter rations Of rusty ba-
con and corn. 1t was yet worse with
other Southern armies when operating
in a country which had been cam
paigned over any time Sherman,
with front of thirty or forty miles,
| breaking into a new country, found no
trouble in procuring food but had he
halted anywhere, even for single
week. must have starved Marching
| every dav. his men eat out new sec
ton, and left behind them a starving
7 wilderness.
Col Northrop, his Commissary Gen
| eral, had many difficulties to contend
with and, not least, the incessant hos
tility of certain opponents of his adj
| ministration, who, by striking at
Northrop, really meant to strike al
him. Even General -, otherwise
so moderate and conservative, was
finally induced to join the injurious
| clamOr There was food in the Con
federacy, but no means for its collec-
ton, the holders hiding it after the
currency had become deprecated
and. if collected, then came the diff
Guilty Of its transportation, Then
railroads were overtaXed, and the roll
ing stock soon gave out. They could
not feed their own troops; and prisO-
ners of war in all countries and ages
have had cause of complaint. Some
of his people confined in the West anC
at Lookout Point, had been nearly
starved at certain times, though he vel
knew, or well believed, full prison IA
tions had been ordered and paid for ii
these cases.
Herd men together i'll idleness with
in an Enclosure, their arms taken from
! them, their organization lost, withou
employment for their time, and yol
will find it difficult to keep them IL
good health. They were ordered t
receive precisely the same ratloni
given to the troops guarding them
but dishonest Commissaries and Pro
vost- Marshals were not confined to an
people Doubtless the prisoners OF
both sides often suffered that TIN
officers having charge of them nigh
grow rich; but wherever such dishon
esty could be brought home, promp
punishment followed General Win
der and Colonel Northrop did the bes
they could, he believed but both were
poorlyobeyed or seconded by their sub
ordlnates. To hold him responsible,
for such unauthorized privations wa:
both cruel and absurd. He ISSUED
order after order on the subject, and
conscious of the extreme difficulty o
feeding the prisoners, made the mos
liberal offers for Xchange-almos
willing to accept any terms that woul(
release his people from their burden
Non exchange. bowever,was the police
adopted by the Federal Government
lust as Austria, in her latter campaign
against Friedrich the Great, refused t
exchange her calculation being, tina
as her population was five times NOR
numerous than Prussia's, the refusal t
| exchange would be a wise measure
That it may have been prudent, though
inhuman, situated as the South was, h.
was not prepared TO deny; but pro
tested against being held responsible
for evils which no power of his conf
avert, and to escape from which al
most any concessions had been offered
Anxious to hear the opinion of Mr.
Davis about the future of Mexico,
brought back the conversation to tina
point, suggesting that when the coun
try became quiet, and with our con
{ tinual influx of European immigration
we might have men and enterpris
enough to re-settle Mexico and colo
nize out the present INDECENT and inef
ficient race
The programe might answer h.
thought, ''for the thinly peopled parts
though even there its fulfllment mus
be in the remote future. When tn,
Valley is reached, however, the pop
ulation is comparatively dense-twent,
to the square mile; and political econ
omy teaches that no people so numer
Gus can be crushed out by colonization
A new race must come in to maste
and guide them, using the present gen
Grafton for happier and more intelli
gent future. 1t was on a recognition
of this necessity the French Empero
based his scheme of European pro
lection; but in failing to make term
with abe seeded States, and supper
them in their struggle, he proved tina
his comprehension was not equal t
the problem. The failure of th,
South rendered future of European
rule for Mexico impossible"
Speaking of the pecuIarities of hi
people-as he always styled the lat,
Confederates States-Mr. Davis saiC
they were essentially aristocatic, The
aristocracy being based on birth anC
education; while the men of the
North were democratic in tn,
mass, making money the basis o.
their power and Standard to which
they aspired 1t always commanded :
premium socially, and was accepted
in lack of other qualities. No matter
| how ill-bred or base, no man possess
ed of wealth who had not been made
iudiciallv infamous, was excluded from
northern society This money ele
ment entered into the politics of the
North. while at the South it was, anc
always had been, powerless. Atnorth
ern primary elections and nominating
conventions, the reins were for him
who had money to pay for being allow.
al nOn4ral and fha nowaP +hua oh