The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1866-12-20

'"0 VVunry, ano my true position rs
so misunderstood, whilst representing
the sentiments of the Southern pco-
pie, that | will refrain from speaking,
aud listen to your position as a phi.
losophor. or course you take truth
as your basis, and thus look at the
natter in an uuprejudieed light"
j. N.--"To do justice TO the posi-
tons held by both belligerent parties
dlring the war, | think appear be-
fore you unbiased by prejudice or sf.
o,ted in the least by the misappre-
hsnsion which has caused the North
70 view you in the lightof criminal
while you are at present looking at ].
hon q Southern standpoint. For
they have claimed, and do now, that
you was tho leader Of rebellion
which had for its object the destruc-
ton Of the best Government ever
framed by mortal man, when you
from your own view, as far as coult
understand your true motive as thu
representative Of the Southern peo-
pie, aud as their Executive of th'
late Confederacy, for four years, wa
repelling an invasion and defendinj
your shores and crusades, based OF
the idea thata State had right {,
secede.p u. ...,.t 1sr
Davis--"That is the way we un.
derstood IL, and do now, l have not
changed. l was the Representative,
of the people, called there by theil
will" u
j. N.--"The North do not under
stand /. in the same light, hence yo,
can plainly see that l was compolle,
10 justice to to truth, 20 pronounc,
the war a misopprehcnsion on botl
sides the South misappreheUdiut
tbe North ip seeding when thed did
the North misapprchcnding the Soutl
by not laking a proper view of seces
sion and thus the war progressed
with a veil Of prejudice cnshrouding
both, which caused each to consider
the other wrong. Correct the misOp-
prehension that now exists by each
ignoring the others position, aud
there may yet be a reconciliation eff
feoted, aud not until then. These are
my views, l may be in error, but
think am right" 81
Davis "The position appeari
truthful aud philosophical. Go on
I wish to hear your theory"
]. N.--"I trust have your entire
sympathy. My position is a peculiar
one, differing from the established
ideas of the people North and South
The truth is what l am determined tC
promulgate, and to relieve the pres
of the North and those who sympa
thise with me. During tho late wa
/ appeared before them in the ligh
Of acriminal doing psnance on the al
tar of prejudice, in order thus to as
sumo. all the responsibility on myself
Here are the instruments of tortur
~. N. handed his manacles to Davis
who smilingly said, '"They are not a
large as those presented TO me. ] will
which have entered twenty-six dun
geon cells. 1 could not have present
ed my theory without this sacrifice
Had not stood neutral l would now
have no theory, and it is truly grea
source Of qualification to me to pre-
sent The same principles in the Nortl
that do in the South. You are aware
probably, that l travelled over min,
States in the South, so thot the sol
diers Of either army, when they heal
me-, can unite in the common bondI
of friendship, and each fully sympa
thize with the other, for they were
truly patriots in their ideas Of truth
The soldiers that fought under thu
Confederate flag revered Washington
fully as much as those who fought un
derthe Federal flag. Both armie
honored the spot where his ashes re
pose, the former claiming Washing
ton because he established this Gov
ernment on the principles they wer
eoptending for-the right of self
government. The latter, ignoring
this position, claimed that the form
er we're destroying the Government
which he in wisdom had founded
This, you will sec, is parodox-bot
right, and both wrong. Both righ
because each was right from tEei
view ; both wrong, because each con
sidered the other wrong. Thus pa
trioiism impelled both to act as the
did, each conscientious in their no
tiOns, praying for the success of theI
arms, and appealing 20 heaven to wi
ness the success Of their own cause.
] Dsyis-"They both, no doubt, wei
sincere ID their motives and patriot
!, in their views. Oh, what a gran
thing truth is, but how hard il is {,
! US poor mOrtAls to love il as v
. should. Iknow Of but one tnat di,
and that was the Savior, who died #
: us all. In Him there was no gull
4 r.. = fro.a1 he l;fa "a, Ana ora