The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-09-27
Further Talk with MIR. Davis.

Further Talk with Mr.. Davis.
From a continuation of the Rev. J. d.
keily's interview with Mr.. Davis, we make
the following interesting extracts:
To suggestion. that perhaps the ill will
manifested towards him by some public
men, might be caused by an unforgiving
spirit on their part, in view of some offence
given by him THAT is quite probable--I
have often been too angry, though general
ly thoughtful and cautious-even tender to
the failings of othcrs-yet when 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 all
wrong. Oh, how public life blunts our
perceptions to the higher delicacies--ten-
derness, forbearance-putting the best
construction on things, words and persons
they are capable of. l have erred in this
particular, but often had great provoca-
ton. Never, however, have I uttered an
angry. understanding or denunciatory
sentiment without believing that l had
good cause for doing, and, in most
cases, my country has already, or will here
after, find that was right. l now feel and
acknowledge that was sometimes wrong
as to the tone or coloring of phrase while
under the excitement of debate, as for in
stance: When Mr.. Johnson, after the
Mexican war, made some remarks deroga-
tory Of the West Point officers, thought
it strange that any man Of sense should
think that the training of officers for duty,
by q thorough military education, would
rather disqualfy them for that duty, or,
what was the same thing, that unframed
officers did better than the West Pointers.
In the course Of reply, made use of this
| remark: who would select u tailor to shoe
horse, or blacksmith to make q coat
| This gave personal offence to Mr.. johnson,
| who regarded it as 4 sheer personality.
Nothing in the world was further from my
| thoughts"
To the query, whether he had anything
| to complain of i'll his present treatment
he replied that he had not. The present
! commandant Of the fort was soldier and
a gentleman, who, while diligent and faith
| full In the discharge Of his duty to his Co
vermont, was also forbearing and consi-
derate as to all the minutia OF his prison
| life, and allowed him all the indulgence he
required, which was SIMPLY not to be in
suited in the intolerab bic ways and man
ners he had been by the creature who used
every means to- torment him before the
arrival of Gen. Burton. One Of US told
! him that all tho officers of rank i'll the old
army, with whom he had in any way come
| in contact, had expressed the opinion that
he ought to have been released year ago;
that some of them thought that he, as
| Commander-in-Chief of the Confederacy,
| was virtually included in the parole of these
! armies on their surrender, and ought to
have been admitted to parole at once, but
Tor the malicious assassination charge,
which no one that knew him believed. MIR.
| Davis said, THAT gratiics me very much.
| was brought into frequent contact, both
| in the Mexican war and as Secretary of
War under President Pierce with many
officers, and did then, and do now, enter
tain high sense of the chivalric honor of
MANY of them. The Government may
have been deceived by the testimony which
has since turned out to be sheer perjury,
tending to implicate me i'll the assassinn-
ton OF President Lincoln, or it may have
been subject to one of those manias, which
occasionally, like plaques, seize Govern
ments and communities; or, what is most
likely, few unprincipled men, seeing an
opportunity, in the excited condition OF the
nation, for obtaining wealth and position,
through the instrumentality of villains,
suborned tor the purpose, really did iul-
pose upon the Government, and led them
to believe for Il moment, in the whirl OF
excitement, the statements put forth in the
proclamation for my capture. But gen.
tlemen, my heart is stranger to that
plot. These hands are urAtained by inno-
cent blood. No unrighteous gold has ever
during the Confederacy, adhered to these
palms" He uttered the last sentence in a
most solemn manner, holding up his
hands and raising his face to Heaven. anG
with such holy, child-like simplicity
that it is impossible for any words, how
ever weird, to convey half iden not al
adequate one-of that touching scene.