Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-04-21
5ew York Hersld's Correspondence
FoRrREss MoNROE. April

New York Hersld's Correspondence
FoRTREss MONROE, Aprn D. 1886.
al want to see jeff Davis - said mai
this morning 10 the sentry in front Of tn
main entrance 70 the fort. This man wa
about fifty, wore a salt-and-pepper sui
Of not very modern make, a blacl
slouched hat, Drowned by age, worn OF
the back Of his head, and shoes more
holy than righteous. He was tall anC
| weil-buiit, had quick, nervous way o.
/ walking, q restless black eye, face and
beard that very much required the i'm
] proving presence of soap and q razor, and
hair that evidently for a long time had
not experienced the benign influence ol
/ comb or brush.
Have YOU a pass 2r asked the sentry.
" No, sir, ," replied the strange visitor.
"Can't come in, then, sir" continued
4 the sentry.
Can / see the Commanding Geueral?''
asked the man, evincing determination
. TO override the pass difficulty.
d" Must see the officer Of the day. re-
/ piled the sentry. He was taken to the
/ officer Indicated, told the latter he
/ wanted 10 see the commanding General,
and was at once under escort Of an or
| deTly, sent TO General Miles headquar-
] y
was not Up vet. For two hours he re-
mained inside the fort, walked pretty
much where he pleased and talked with
those who would talk with him. It soon
became evident that he had JEFF. Davis
on the brain, and at length the growing
conviction strengthened into very posi-
tive certainty, that his cerebral functions
had partially given way under the bur
den. He said that be had long known
JEFF. Davis; that he had come q long
journey to see him; that he wished TO
give him medicines to cure him Of bodily
ailments, and, last and most important
that he was 10 act as his counsel in his
coming trial. HestoOd prepared 10 prove
that in the Constitution Of the United
States the right was reserved TO the States
Of Virginia and New York U0seCede from
the Union; and that as in the same in
strument all States are declared on an
equal footing so this right of secession
was conceded 20 all the States. Secs
sion being no crime, the act Of secession
was not treason, and therefore, pursued
this l0gician, jeff Davis is not guilty Of
treason. Autony's utterances over dead
Cesar We're not half the high wrought
eulOgies he pronounced over the living
JEFF. Davis. He revelied in parallels, /
and compared the proud subject of his
encOniums 10 nearly all the heroes OF 4
Olden and modern times, and the more
particularly to eXtOl the merits Of his
idol, quoted profusely from the Bible and '
the drama. At length there came an
abrupt end to his visit inside the fort IN .
stead Of being conducted 10 the prison .
apartments Of JEFF. Davis he was con- I
Quoted to the outer walls and told TO /
leave.
Can't ], then, see JEFF. Davis? o. he /
asked, with look Of sorrOwing disap- 7.
pointment.
Not without an order from President 1
johnson or the Secretary Of War;
Well, then, 1 will be back in three /
days with an order from President John 4
son, ~ rejoined the departing visitor. Il (
have known Andrew johnson like q 4
book for years, and my brother made .
him. After coming outside the fort he .
did not give up his theme Of jeff. Davis. .
and assurance that he would be admitted .
10 a private interview with him before /
the end Of three DAYS.
Are you q SoutheTner?" a gentle [
man asked him, inteTrupting one Of bis /
harangues.
q was born in Tennessee, sir, ;" he an
swered.
"Were You in the rebel army during
the warSn this gentleman further in
9uired.
" No, sir, was in the Nashville Luna
tie A-ylum."
There was 4 pause az this announce
uent What were Wild looks before
were wilder now. The strange gentle
man was soon left TO himself No one
'eii,hed being very near to one who
might prove 10 be an escaped lunatic
10 this he showed slight
Of conduct, in saying he was
,0ing 10 New York on the steamer Gen.
Mcclellan, afterwards saying he would
70 TO Baltimore, and finally taking the
Richmond boat / forbear giving the
lame he gave he said that he, at one
ime, was a large Government mail con-
ractOr, and that his father had been
elected to Congress.