Daily Mississippi clarion and standard. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1866, 1866-07-11
DAVIS IN PRISON.
Further Extracts from the Diary Of the
Post surReon.
INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS WITH tn


PRISONER.
Called with Capt r. w. Buckley,
Third Pennsylvania Artillery, officer
of the day. 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 Mexicans 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
-criminally false. For the
last two years of the war, Lees army
had never more than 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 a front of thirty or forty miles,
breaking into a new country, found no
trouble in procuring food; but had he
halted anywhere, even for q single
week, must have starved. Marching
every day, his men eat out new sec
ton, and left behind them a starving
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 at
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. Their
railroads were overtaXed, and the roll
ing stock soon gave out. They could
not feed their own troops; and prise
ners of war in all countries and ages
have had cause of complaint. Some
of his people confined in the West and
at Lookout Point, had been nearly
starved at certain times, though he wei
knew, or well believed, full prison ra
tions had been ordered and paid for il
| these cases.
Herd men together in idleness with
in an Enclosure, their arms taken from
I them, their organization lost, without
employment for their time, and yor
will find it difficult to keep them il
good health. They were ordered tc
receive precisely the same ration'
given to the troops guarding them
but dishonest Commissaries and Pro
| vost- Marshals were not confined to any
people. Doubtless the prisoners Oh
both sides often suffered that thu
officers having charge of them nigh
| grow rich; but wherever such dlshon
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
| ordInates. To hold him responsible,
for such unauthorized privations was
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 exchange-almos
willing to accept any terms that would
release his people from their burden
Non exchange, however,was the policy
adopted by the Federal Government
Just as Austria, in her latter campaign
against Friedrich the Great, refused tt
exchange; her calculation being, tina
as her population was five times mor'
numerous than Prussia's s, the refusal t
exchange would be a wise measure
That it may have been prudent, though
inhuman, situated as the South was, b.
was not prepared to deny; but pro
tested against being held responsible
for evils which no power of his conl(
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 enterprise
enough to re-settle Mexico and colo
nize out the present indolent and inef
ficient race.
"The programe might answer" h
thought, 'for the thinly peopled parts
though even there its fulfillment mus
be in the remote future. When tn,
Valley is reached, however, the pop
ulation is comparatively dense-twenty
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 recognition
of this necessity the French Emperor
based his scheme of European pro
lection; but in failing to make terms
with ahe seeded States, and supper
them in their struggle, he proved tina
his comprehension was not equal tC
the problem. The failure of the
South rendered future of European
rule for Mexico impossible"
Speaking of the peculiarities of his
people-as he always styled the late
Confederates States-Mr. Davis said
they were essentially aristocatic, the
aristocracy being based on birth and
education; while the men of the
North were democratic in the
mass, making money the basis Of
their power and Standard to which
they aspired. 1t always commanded 8
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
judicially infamous, was excluded from
northern society. This money ele-
ment entered into the politics of the
| North while at the South Il Mns. and