Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1866-10-06
They Dnn,t Forget Him.

follow touching memorial 10 President
Johnson, in behalf Of Prisoner DAVIS.
1t was written by Miss Josephine Eaton
Of Murltees boro-io whom i! does inhn'
lie honor-is signed by thousands OF The
good and fair women of Tennessee, and
has been forwarded 10 Washington
To His Erceilency. President Johnson:
We, ladies' of your adopted State come
TO YOU TO add our names 10 the long list
of Southern women who have supPIca-
ted you for mercy toward Jefferson Da'
Wis.
Crushed and broken by the trials and
sorrows Of the four terrible years through
which we have passed, We come enUeat.
ing YOU to take from our lips the last and
bluercsl drop in the cup Of our huml'la-
hon and anguish. We come 10 you with
feeling Of confidence and assurance that
no Others can have; for we remember that
YOU are our own Tenhesseean, and that
through long wears We have Looked 10
you TO guide the bark of our loved native
State safely through the dangers thai en-
ylroned her. We see and feel the sub
Unity of your position. standing as you
fea!Iessly do between the Liberties OF the
people and that destructive ianaIlcism
which would lay waste the iai'cst por'
ZION OF Gods heritage. We appreciate
vour noble efforts 10 restore constitutional
liberty, and make this Government such
,ha, The people of all sections can SIN
cerclv love it and earnestly desire lis per-
pelualon. When you have accomplish
ed this more than Hercu.ean labor, you
will have earned for yOcr name an ehVIa'
BILE place in the pages of history, and
Tennessee will be as proud of her An
drew johnson as Virginia is Of her
George Washington. 10 Us, II seems,
that The release of Jefferson Davis would
be an important step IN his direction.
We beg you 10 forget his faults, how
ever great they may appear TO you, and
remember him only as gray-haTed, sor'
rowing and hesrtbroken mon. We beg
you. as you desire peace and concord be-
tween the sections, TO "let the prisoner
20 free" In prison Jefferson Davis Is
still The representative Of our dead cause,
suffering for our sins. and standing IN our
stead before the tribunal of the world; and
our hearts cling TO him in his sorrow, and
we share his sufferings as We shared The
acts for which he was punished. Release
him, and he sinks from the great repre-
sentative of loved cause 10 a single cili'
zen Of the United States.
Since il hath pleased high Heaven that
the cause of which he was The chosen
leader should perish, We bow in humble
submission 10 the Divine viii, and would
fam bury our dead onI Of our sight. And
now, we pray you to help US forget; to
teach US TO love again the whole country
that we may no longer be strangers and
aliens in lhe land OF our btlh. But while
Jefferson Davis looks out from bis dun
seon bars, with sad eyes over the land
for which he has suffered so much, he
stands between our hearts and the Union
keeping ever alive the remembrance OF
the pangs we have endured.
We 90 not aUenpl 10 JusHIy HIS CouIse
to YOU, as that would iIl.beseem US, nor
do we even plead the conviction that duty
pointed to The path he rot, nor refer to
those great qualities which have rendered
his name conspicuous for all future time;
but we impIore you by the memory Of
our sulferings and tears, by our desoIated
homes and ruined hsanhstones 10 grant
the liberty OF this man TO the women OF
Tennessee. Then will no spectre OF a.
pale. sad prisoner Use before US when We
bow 10 suppllcale Heavens blessings up
on you; and no shadow din the bright
ness of your fame as yOu stand forth,
Jackson like, saying TO The enemies oi
our loved Sourh, Thus isr shall ye 60,
and no further"