Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-22
FORTRESS MONROE,


Tke State PrisOner--His HeaIth-The
Capture OF surratt, and the Renewed
Allegation OF Completely tn the A.
sassinRtiOn.
The Fortress Monroe correspondent Of
the New York TEmes thus writes
Colonel Stanton, the chief payuaster Of
the department has Just returned from
Fortress Monroe where has made an ex-
traoFdinary payment. The recipients Of
the greenbacks were the thirty-sixth United
States colored troops, consisting OF two
hundred and twenty officers and men, and
The amount required 10 discharge the in
debtedness Of the government 10 them was
SSS,O0O-ilse pay beingonly for Eve months
the remainder 81 the amount being ab.
sorbed by bounties While Colonel Stan
ton was paying these sable warriors, Jeher-
son Davis, walking the ramparts that have
so long been 20 him the worlds boundary.
passed by and glanced curiOusly at the
scene. At this moment a gentleman took
note Of his personal appearance, who has
not seen him since 1860, bnt who was then
familiar with his form and features. and
his first impression was that Jefferson Da-
Wis has grown wODdrOusly old in these few
years
His hair has turned 20 q silvery white.
while bis form, grown enaciated. his face
hRggaId, hi8Eiep slow and uncertain, his
whole presence thato Of ethesanisof whose
life have almost run out Daily he mounts
the ramparts, daily he makes the circuit Of
the immense foTtifcations 30 long his
prison, daily he gathers what he may Of
inYigoFation from the bracing, healthful air
surging up froa the ocean between the
Virginia capes but daily his life seems
slipping gradually from his grasp. he
has 30 positive disease, he is not even fret
ted by any CALLING prison restrictions, ne
seems at ease has no complaints TO make
about his treatment, and yet his strength
appears 10 wane his natural force day by
day 10 be abated but those most familiar
with him now seem 10 think that he will
last as long within the fort as out of Il. per
haps longer. The great four years strain
upon bis energies, and the downfall of his
empire sapped the foundations of his life
after that i maitered little where or how
he lived may add that he has grown
simply Indifferent as 10 the future he does
not expect liberty, and never speaks of IL
now; he does not hope for a trial in the
spring, bot presumes that the trial will be
discussed and limited at as the excuse for
keeping him where he Is.
The New York HeralFs CORRESPONDENT
has the following in regard to JEFF Davis
and the capture Of Sarrait
Ever since the arrest OF John II. Surratt
and the statements appearing in the papers
Of his charging the assassination Of Presi-
dent Lincoln as having been devised in
Richmond, with the knowledge and sane
ton Of JEFF. Davis, have been anxiously
awaiting an authoritative expnesgion Of
Mr. Davis opinion regardingthe arrest and
the serious allegations pEofesssed 10 have
been made against him BY the prisoner sup-
posed 20 have been more cOnverssDt with
the original plotters than any Of the con-
spirators, and next 10 Booth, the ASSASSIN.
more deeply implicated in the terrible
tragedy depriying Mr. Lincoln of his life
and the country Of a Chief magistrate
whose tragic death cast such deep gloom |
over the whole country. Mr.. Davis. as. ] |
have been teld, expresses qualification az
the arrest Of Surratt. he IS gratifed be- |
cause now he sees the way clearer than ever |
10 the establishment Of HE own innocence |
in connection with The death of Mr.. Lin. |
coin. Even il the captured fugitive pre- |
iers the accusations Il Is claimed he will, |
he ayers that il viii De very simple and |
easy mattert TO disprove them, and his ankle
ty in regard to the result has this depth |
and compass and no more-the desire ofan |
early opportunity TO meet and refute the
charges.
Whatever of criminality NAV attach 70
him az the head and front of the late re-
bellion, whatsoever Of treason there may have
been TO his country in his official acts as
the chosen chief Of the Confederacy, he is
willing an impartial jury shall determine,
and il he is proven n traitor and meritiHg
a traitors doom, he is willing 10 pay the |
penalty by his death; for then the knowl- |
edge of the motives prompting TO his course
and zlcns sbi oORsoia rech will sustain him.
The penalty Of defeat in q great struggle Of
a great people for great principle he would |
cheerfully pay, and though judged by the
standard Of sober discretion his course NAV
have been premature and ill-advised. and /
though tried BY the technical tests OF the
law, he may be adjudged guilty of treason,
there would yet be something of glory in
such fate but every feeling of his nature
reyolts at assassination, and particularly of
such man as Mr.. Lincoln, who, although
his opponent in q contest Of arms, he re-
spected for his integrity, high magnanimity
Of character and sincere and unyielding /
devotion 90 Whist he considered right. All /
this, as relates 10 the capture Of Surratt and
the interests and destiny of Mr.. Dsyis as
involved in the case, and particularly the
expressed qualification OF the latter AZ the
arrest, does not much favor the theory Of
Mr.. Davis implication in the murder of
Mr.. Lincoln. Disregarding his own as
sertions; his friends feel confident that IL |
Surratt does attempt 70 shoulder the assas-
sination plot on him, a rigid investigation
wall show the charge as groundless as that
attempted by the alleged perinrer Conover
and his tools before the special investigation
committee OF the last Congress. Conclud-
ing, this topic, will therefore add that The
capture Of Surratt has not diminished the
appetite Of JEFF. Davis; that his sleep has
been none the less on account Of il; that he
maintains the same even tenor OF mind and /
spirits, and is as cordial and social as ever
toward the officers Of the fort and visiting |
friends daily calling 20 see him. -