The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-10-02
INTERVIEW WITH MR.. DAVIS.


Index of last week /. =
HMr Kelley returned to the city yesterday
morning. We do not feel at liberty to give any
detailed account of the interview- with Jefferson
Davis, but it must prove of interest to our read
ers to know of the health and manner of life of
their former leader and fellow captive. ~4z--sa
The gentlemen arrived at the Fortress before
the breakfast hour on Tuesday morning last,
and were immediately shown into the depart
ment of the easement occupied by Mrs. Davis.
After some time the prisoner came in,- bowed,
emaciaied, blind and toteripg alone, with the
help of cane as if the years OF as<century had
passed over him. A perfect wreck physically,
bis mind is said to retain all its clearness, and
the conversation at the breakfast table, which
turned upon political literature, was marked by
a briliiance which, remarked our informant, was
all the more appealing for being :subdued and
chastened.
His spirits were good--that is, no melancho-
iy or lack of interest in general subjects were ap-
parent, aud no word came from his lips evidc-
ing disposition to murmur, or regret that he
should be now suffering for cause which is
lost at is best as it is" said he emphatically.
"Neither power or success could have taught
me as has this suffering Only these circum-
stances could have made me the man am
Being asked if it were not possible that his
weakness Of body had extended its Influence TO
the mind and created lassitude which he mis-
took for resignation, he quickly responded,
"No; my mind was never more clear nor strong
than now" - ..t
Upon all the political questions of the day he
spoke unreservedly and plainly, but without
bitterness, aud was peculiarly fervid in expires.
sions concerning the kindness shown himself
and family by his people His quarters are
comfortable, but his life necessarily monotonous,
as he reads with difficulty and is not strong
enough for. much exercise. Mrs Davis is With
him. -...
One deduction from what we have heard we
cannot restrain, that imprisonment fast brings
the ilustrious victim to that state in which the
things of this world seem as notbingness. His
enemies are preparing his character, chisselins
it to that perfect proportion, which makes great
events and whole peoples, in history, cluster
around and seem secondary to the man of the
age Radicalism is making greater than
Washington of this dying man. ~.
Since putting the above In type, we find in
our exchanges a letter from Mr. Kelley OF
Petersburg, Va, giving an interesting account
of the interview he aud Bishop Green, of Miss
issippi, had with Mr. Davis at Fortress Monroe.
Mr. Kelley says:
"Mr Davis was dressed in plain, neat, rather
worn, suit Of black, which hung rather loosely
| upon his person. His dress, trock coat, espe-
| cially seemed too large for him. As he leaned
upon my arm, could measure BY my own mus
cular sense, with toerabe accuracy, the great
decline in his physique. All his senses, seemed
to me, TO be preternaturaly acute, especially his
hearing. He has lost the use of one eye; the
hyf in
cidebt: l was sitting nearest the door, during
a very interesting conversation, in which he was
more than usually animated aud interesting. A
shadow seemed to me to be just passing the
door-passing on his quick perception ascer
tanned that it was approaching as probable
cares dropper and he motioned US into the case
mate. His whole being, body, soul and spirit
seemed to me to be like an ideal sensitive plant
Not ouly outward things affect him deeply, but
the very aroma Of thought, as yet unspoken
perhaps scarcely well formed, is felt by him in
some apparently mysterious manner [ read in
Jung Shilling many, many years ago something
about this, aud | remember something of Mean
ders explanatiou-but it is only the dream of &
dream, the shadow of vanquished glory.
HIS linen was white the riven snow
| his neck cloth, neatly adjustcd-his hand:
fautlessly neat and his upper beard closely
|
an air of subdued dignity, of sanity, serene hu
! There was still leaven Of the old imperialnes:
In his voice, nuamce of tone that indicated
occasional high temper and perhaps angry
words.
10 a suggestion, that perhaps the i'll will man
ifested towards him by some public men, nigh
be caused by an unforgiving spirit on their part
In view of some offence q ven by him. 'Tha
| is quite probable. have often been too angry
| Though generally thoughtful and cautious
even tender to the failings of others-yet wher
they crossed my path in the shape of pretence
| falsehood, craft or cant-then these faults
| aroused bitter anger for the moment, sometimes
| utter alienation. This was ali wrong. Oh
how public life blunts our perceptions as to th e
| higher Observation-Disclosures, terbearance-
| putting the best construction on things, words
and persons, they are capable Of | have erred
in this particular; but I had often great provo
cation-never, however, have uttered an angry
| underValueiDg, or denunciatory sentiment, with
out believing that had good cause for SO do
| ing, and, in most cases, my country has already,
| or will hereafter find that | was right. T now
feel and acknowledge that I was sometimes
wrong as to the tone or colouring of a phrase
while under the excitement Of debate, as for in
stance: when Mr. johnson, after the Mexican
war, made some remarks derogatory of the West
Point officers, L thought it strange that any
man OF sense should think that the traieipo Ct
otleers for duty, py thorough military educa
ton, would rather disaualify them for that duty.
or what was the same thing, that unframed Off
GERS did better than the West-Pointers Tn
the course of reply made use of this remark:
s'Who would select tailor to shoe horse, ora
blacksmith to make coat? This gave ner-
sonal offence to MIR johnson, who regarded il as
a sheer DnrsOnalirv -