Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-08-07
testimony BEFORE THE COMMIT
TEE ON RECONSTRUCTION-BRO-
Ken DOSES.
yOICES FROM ALEXANDRIA,.
CHAPTER =.

CHAPTER 9
:@,3?:cl;nsouy Of JOHN C. UNDER WOOD,
taken Jan 81, lS66.- EXTRACT
Question VIII you state how the war has
eiJ matters in Virginia?
answer. It has left great bitterness of feel
ing between those wko are loyal and those who
.dhercd to the confederacy; and think that
bitterness has increased within the last two
-qoEths. Ii certainly has in alexandria, aud
il those parts Of the State with which [ am
most acquainted.
>. Can you state any incident that has oc-
cured within your district as evidence OF dis
loyal feeling, or of the feeling Of bitterness to
"-7hicb you have referred?
:. / will meLtion fact that came under my
cficial observation last week. A Mr. Mlnnrf.
Davis acted as guide and scouC Tor the Union
z?my during a long period of the war, and Was
and is thoroughly loyal man. He was I'M
Dgisoned in Prince William county jail, under
,he charge of larceny. The sheriff VINO held
Elm was rebel, aud has been recently elected
sheriff of that county. Application was made
g me for writ Of habeas corpus, the affidavit
Getting forth that Davis had been imprisoned
@; guiding some Union forces, SO that hey sue
3aeded in capturing band OF guerrillas in that
COUNTY, some ftreen or twenty IN number. and
:Ycm these guerFiilas their horses were taken
That vas the only act Of which Davis was ac-
used The affidavit also averred that the sheriff
Tho held him 10 custody was, at the time Da
is rendered this assistance to the Union forces
IL open armed hostility to the government
Inst he had since been elected sheriff Of the
county [ ISSUED the writ, and Davis has been
discharged from custody About the time my
marshall got there the provost marsha! got
here. and think Davis was really discharged
!? the provost marshal
: will mention this fact also: under DEGREES
:. oonfscation rendered in my court, sales Of
1foperty have been made Several OF the per
5cns who became purchasers have recently been
proceeded agalns, IN the State courts-the cir
ri: and county courts-by way ct ejectmcnt,
=: order to put the old parties in possession Of
.,?e property thus sold, The purchasers have
)een prosecuted in several instances. They are
.nnoyed in that way, and IN one or two Instances
:hey have actually been ejeeted by the local au-
hority from their purchases
Q During the lifetime o! the original owner?
a. Yes, sir.
. That is, the judgments Of the State
,ourts have overruled the judgments ii your
court under the con6scatlon actof Congrt SIS?
A. Ithink it has been done generally by some
,7asion I do not think they have done it in
direct terms There are {: number Of prosecu-
ions Of that kind now pending, and one or two
:. understand have teen decided But do
10t know the precise grounds on which the dc
5isiots have been rendered.
j. Do you find it practicable to ge: jury OF
!oyal men in your court:
!. Not unless it is what night be called
packed jury | do not believe, from wha' |
AVE seen, that Union man could expect to
,otain justice 10 the courts Of the ate at this
II. ,H.l
The bitterness OF feeling Is very great and
.:liak the Jury would be at least pine-:enths
:25el and the influence Of the court would be
ae same
6. Do you think it practicable TO call jury
r Virginia that would conYic' man OF treason?
:. It would be perfectly idle to think OF such
ching. They boast OF their treason, and ten
q eleven out of the .welve on any jury, think,
@,oulG say that Lee was almost equal TO Wash
;ngton, and was the noblest man III the State,
I'd they regard every man who has committed
reason with more favor than any mau 10 the
Ctaae who has remained legal t0 the govern
"ent.
=. De you refer to the whole State:
= Yes, sir.
=. Would those prejudices against Union
nan, and particularly northern man, operate
&C far With Virginia jury as to lead them to
,'eny him ordinary justice in matter OF private
i3ht?
i. l think they might I will mcution this
Gc, D.: there was native OF Virginia who Wasa
0aymaster in our army. in 1860 he was the
only man in his county who voted for Mr. Lin
5c!n. When he leti the service he settled his
accounts IN most satisfactory manner. 10
November last he was shot down and killed by
:. returned rebel surgeon in the streets OF Alex
De. l,,
possible to prosecute him successfully III the
3tate courts, applied to Cen Augur to axe
:OGuizance OF the case. aud bring the offend
. trial But the General told me that the
.,3rre having been so recently turned over to
ne civil authorities he did not feel that it would
1c proper for him TO take cngulzance OF the
Jaae; and the murderer OF Major Dixon has not
.: been punished, bat Is still at large.
in Christmas day there was riot u Alex
1drla, IN which one negro Was KILLED, and q
lGm5er OF others Were seriously wounded. Ia
nat case Gen. Augur thought it proper TO Ill
1!tute trla' Of the offenders by military COM
"llIsloD, and they are DOW undergoing trial.
mention these facts TO show, what, ia my
Judgment, is the truth Of the matter, that the
condition of the loyal white man il Vrgini. at
!hlS time Is worse even than the condition OF
:ne colored man, iuasmuch IS the colored nan
projected by military authority. while the
White man is not Therefore the condition Of
'ae colored man is much more endurable than
"hf OF the loyal white man.
~ What is the feeling among the people of
'lrglnla toward the freedmen? State any ex
ample that may occur to your MUD to llust:a's
that feeling
A think tha feeling was well expressed by
one or the most intelligent, and, I may say, one
o the most caudii rebe gentlemen of Alexan-
Una. G,ia' we were engaged n friendly conyerSa
Nsa 10 my Otce one day In the conrsa Of which