Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-06-28

Cence or cOnt1nu1ng representative gOvernmen
should be abandoned, or free acceptance given Il
! the men endorsed by the people. TO ask men who
had fought, sacrificed, and lost their all for cause
to wheel suddenly, and vote into power men they
despised as renegades or towards, was the sin 81
attempting to seethe the hid in its mothers milk
Better for the Southa to remain DISTINGUISHED for
ever, than crawl back into office or recognition
! through such incredible apostacy Better remain
prisoners, than Be citizens on such terms. In nc
district OF Virginia could what we called &c 10y
alist, muster a corporaps guard of men with sim.
liar sentiments. Why organize hypocrisy by at
tempting to force into elective positions men who
not representatives of their alleged constitu
ents-men who could only excite the abhorrence
! or contempt Of nlnety-nlne IN every hundred OF
the people? Either the South should be declared
50 many conquered provinces under military rule,
or given back the freedom of the ballot. '1
To offer bribes for wholesale falshoods sswould be
found poor policy and the men hereafter to cre-
ate trouble in the South would not be the gallant
and well-born gentlemen who fought loyally and
at every sacrifice of life and property for cause
they believed right, but that small scum of pol
troons and renegades who remained g neutral p
through the contest only anxious to avoid danger
for themselves, and jump over to the side that won
The former class accepted defeat and would Loyalty
preserve any obligations that might be imposed on
them The latter were worthless and pitful intrigu-
ers, commanding no popular confidence, chastened
memories of the struggle; and now that per-
sOnal risk could be incurred would seek to obtain
popularity-the popularity of demagogues-by re-
tanning into flame the passions and preiudices OF
the ignorant and vulgar. They will be clamorous
for Southern rights, now that Southern rights are
dead, and out Herod Herod in their professed de-
votion to the Southern cause - ..: &-.,...." .
august 20.--Called with Captain Evans officer
OF the day Mr. Davis suffering great prostration,
a cloud Of erysipelas covering his whole face and
throat. The carbuncle much inHamed. Spirits
exceedingly detected, evinced by anxiety for his
wife and children. That he should die without
opportunity of rebuttng in public trial the impu-
ted stigma of having had share in the conspiracy
to assassinate Mr. Lincoln was referred to fre-
quently and painfully. That history would do
him Justice, and the criminal absurdity of the
charge be its own refutation he had cheerful con-
tidence while in health but in his feebleness and
dependency, with knowledge how powerful they
who wished to affix this STAIN his alarm lest
it might become reproach to his children, grew
increasing shadow ,.sf. ..,.. Ill.,.
Of Mr.. Lincoln he then spoke, not in affected
terms Of regard or admiration, but paying sim
pie and sincere tribute to his goodness of charac-
ter, honesty OF purpose, and Christian desire to be
faithful to his duties according to such light as
given him. Also to his official purity and
freedom from avarice. The Southern press la
bored in the early part of the war to render Mr.
Lincoln abhOrred and contemptible but such eff
forts were against his Judgment and met such op-
position as his multiplied cares and labors would
permit. Behind Mr.. Lincoln, during his first
term, stood an infinitely more Objectionable and
less scrupulous successor Mr.. Hamlin y and the
Il
States would place that successor in power. When
Mr.. Lincoln was reinaugurated the cause of his
people was hopeless, very nearly so-the strug-
gle only justihable in continuance by its better at
titude for obtaining terms and from ruler the
United States could have, might terms SO gener-
ous have been expected Mr.. Lincoln was kind
of heart, naturally longing for the glory and re-
pose of second term to be spent in peace Mr..
johnson, being from the South, dare not offer
such liberal treatment his motives would be i'm
pugned.
In every embittered national struggle, proposals
to assassinate the rival representatives were com
mon, eminating from different classes of men with
different motives but spies of the enemy, wish
ing to obtain evidence how such proposals would
be received from fanatics, religious or patriotic,
the act would prove acceptable to Hea-
); from lunatics, driven mad by sufferings
nected with the struggle and from boastful and
often cowardly desperadoes, seeking gold and no.
toriety by attempting, or promising to attempt,
the crime. At the time it occurred, Mr. Iincoln's
death, even by natural causes, would have been
serious injury to the prospects of the South but
the manner of stalking off, frenzing the Northern
mind, the last crowning calamity of des-
pairing and defeated, though righteous cause
August 23.-Called with Captain Evans, Third
Pennsylvania Artillery, officer of the day. Prison
er a little improved, febrile symptoms subsiding.
Had no appetite for ordinary food, but found the
GOODNESS and moisture of fruits agreeable Said he
had concluded not to lose any. more spoons for
me, but would retain the one that morning sent
with his breakfast. Unless things took change,
he would not require it long. .-'
. This an alusion to the desire some Of the
guard had to secure trophies of ANYTHING Mr. Da-
Wis had touched. They had carried away his brer-
wood pipe, and from time to time taken five of
the spoons sent with his meals from my quar-
tiers. The meals were sent over by bril- ght little
mulatto boy named Joe, who handed them to the
Sergeant of the guard outside the casemate, who
passed them through the window to the Lieuten-
ant of the guard in the outer cell, by whom they
were handed to the prisoner through the grated
doors of the inside room, the keys of which were
held by the officer ofsthe day. No knife and fork
being allowed the prisoner, lest he should COM
NIT suicide" his food had to be cut up before be-
ing sent over-a needless precaution, it always
seemed to me- and more likely to produce than to-
prevent the act, by continually keeping the idea
that it was expected before the prisoners mind.
1t was in returning the trays from Mr. Davis to my
quarters that the spoons were taken-an annoy
ance obviated by his retaining one for This
only changed the form of trophy, however; nap
kins that he had used being the next class Of pri-
zes seized and sent home to sweethearts; by loyal
warders at the gates. --..-.. III:
Mr.. Davis expressed some anxiety as to his pres
ent illness. He was not one of those WI o. when
in trouble, wished to die. Great invalids seldom
had this wish, save when protracted suferings had
weakened the brain. Suicides were commonly of
the robuster cass-men. who had never been
brought close to death thought about it seri-
ously. good old Bishop once remarked that
"dying the last thing a man should think
about, and the mixture of wisdom and quaint lu-
NOR in the phraze had impressed Mr. Davis
Even to Christis ms, with the hope of an immortal
future for the SOUL the idea of physical annihila
tion-of parting forever from the tenement of
flesh in which we have had SO many joys and sor-
rows-was one full of awe, if not terror, What it
must be to the unbelieYer, who entertained abso-
lutte and total annihilation to his prospect, he
could not conceive. Never again to hear of wife
or children-to take'the great leap into black va
Guilty, with no hope of meeting in a brighter and