The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-07-04
JEFFERSON DAVIS.

A diary of the physician who has BEEF
lin attendance on President Davis 10 hi
imprisonment has recently been publishe,
at the North, from which anumber Of ex
ceeaingly interesting extracts have appear
ed in the newspapers. From these extracts
which are marked with all the evidences o
their being perfectly trae. a better idea o
the treatment Of the illustrious prisoner
and Of his views on many interesting topics
can be obtained, than from all the sensa
ton paragraphs put forth by unscrupulou
correspondents for the purpose of pander
| ing to the tastes Of the vulgar, and Of afous
ing popular indignation at the NORTH
against the unfortunate gentleman who i
the embodiment of the views of the people
for whose works he is now suffering. The
concentrations made to his Surgeon BY
Mr.. Davis, in those moments when they
were thrown together, were evidently with
out reserve, and are doubtless his true op
inions, for the reason that the Surgeon sue
ceeded in winning his confidence and es
TEEN. In drawing a parallel between his
own Imprisonment and that Of Lafayette
another illustrious sufferer for the cause Q
civil liberty, Mr.. Davis mentioned that
like him, he had himself fallen into the
hands of a humane Surgeon. Our reader:
are aware that this humane Surgeon was
long since removed from his position be
cause he gave it as his opinion that unles;
Mr. Davis were treated with less harshness
he would die in prison, and relieve his cap
tors from the quandary in which their de
sire to punish him seems to have thrown
them. Mr. Stanton will have no Surgeon
who thinks patient is sick, just as Mr.
Charles Sumner, on memorable occasion
discharged his own because he thought his
patient had not been much hurt.
We have reason to be grateful to DR.
Craven for his entertaining publication
1t gives us an insight into the character Of
the great head of the late Confederacy. and
the great leader of the cause for which the
Southern people fought so gloriously. 1t
will recall to the minds ofthe people those
eminent virtues and wonderful qualifica-
tons which he has displayed during the
whole of his public service; and we will
venture to affirm that no one can rise from
the perusal Of this diary without, a higher
admiration for the mental aud moral great
ness oftheir fallen chieftain. In spite oil
his distressing situation his mind seems to
be as clear as ever, and in his off.hand con-
versations with his friendly medical advi-
ser, he gives forth opinions that would have
done justice to his intellect in his paImiest
days, and suggests the modes Of solving
political questions Of the day whose stub
bornuess has bafled the ability and ingenu-
|ity of the wisest of our living statesmen
His language, too, unstudled though it is,
is tinged with that eloquence to which the
Senate and the public have so often listen
ed with the most profound attention. How
to save.a little of our civil liberty, from
amid the wrecks Of our destroyed country
how to regenerate the South, which has
been exhausted by a ruinous war, how to
provide for the unfortunate negro in his
present anomalous condition-these, and
kindred questions, are discussed in few
words, and suggestions thrown out which
contain more wisdom than all the balder.
dash that has ever been uttered by the
present Federal Congress on these ques-
tons which are now Of so vital an interest
His opinions of the leading men of the
time will strike every one by their business
and his enemies can but admire the free.
dom from acerbity with which he speaks Of
those against whom he was recently ar
|rayed in deadly hostility. His remarks or
President Lincoln and his successor struck
us as particularly just and appropriate, and
will do much towards difusing among the
Southern people the proper estimate they
should place on those who were at the
head of the Federal government, while Mr.
Davis was at the head of that of the Con
federate States. u 81
Now that public attention has been
more than ever directed to the true condi
ton of Mr.. Davis in his confinement, and
the public sympathy been awakened anew
in his behalf, people will ask why he is
kept in close confinement and denied that
! speedy trial which is guaranteed Dy Tue
laws and constitution to The humblest ind
vldual in the land. For a whole year he
has languished in cell, in failing health
denied the comforts ofhis family and friends
without any charge being preferred against
him, aud without any intimation as to his
trial, for which he has ever been ready and
anxious. An instance of such treatment
could hardly be found among the most de
spotic governments Of modern Europe
To keep a sick mans so long in prison would
seem to prove that his eaptors have nc
hope Of his conviction and that they are
taking this method of inHicting upon hin
that punishment which they know he woult
not receiveif he could obtain fair anG
impartial trial before q jury of his country.
men. If this be their object it is unworthy