The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-06-04
The end of Carroll Hall which the prison or

ADULTS very closely upon the ram
parts at one point, so that on leaving his !
door in the second story. he has but few
steps to pass along the piazza, and theLce by a
short flight of steps, to reach the level OF the
On approaching that point. we
were politely waved back by sentinel, who
told us we could walk any where else but |
just aohere zoe preferred to ,cGlk at that mo
msent. Yielding however, to the military ne
cessity then arising, we bout faced, but took
care to countermarch in the original direction,
just in season to arrive contemporaneously
with Mr.. Davis and his attendants, at the
point of ascent. Later in the hour we met
the party on the parapet, and with the ieaSt
possible Obtrusiveness, observed the counte-
nance and marked the step OF the reputed IN
valid. He was conversing freely and with ap-
parent cheerfulness with his military attend
ants. At one point little boy-probaby the
son of some Fort officer, ran up to him, call
inc. aMr. Davis, Mr.. Davis" Davis stopped
and put his arms around the child, with the
words-"How are you this morning? How's
your father? Is your mother well ~
The prisoner wore drab, broad-brimmed
soft hat, and loose waterproof overcoat, and
swung his cane lightly, while his elastic step
and cheerful tone indicated anything but de-
bility. To be sure his face was little thin,
but that, we suppose, is an requirement OF
earlier date and not the result Of recent con-
tinement. His quarters are certainly as airy
and pleasant as any officers on the premises,
and his table was said to be, on good authori-
ty, provided with all the luxtries of the seas
on. No casual observer would pronounce him
to be sick man. And yet portion OF his
elasticity and apparent good tone, on the morn
ing of our visit, may be ascribed to the expec-
tation of seeing on the following day, the ex-
cellent lady who furnished him year before,
with the very suitable suit in which he made
the grand finale of his presidential career!-
Might she not again cover him from approach
ing wrath? Might she not inspire the officers
of the garrison,-might she not even move the
President of the United States, with compass
sion tor her "poor old mother"
At any rate we received the impression that
could he but be relieved from the annoyances
those night sentinels, so trying to his nerves,
he would be good for another four years. pres
idency at the earliest convenience. The mer-
ciful man at the White House has certainly
cultivated his pardoning power to compass the
latest and largest emergency.
Touching the Presidents clemency,-no
one doubts that a generous, nay even mag
unanimous policy, is becoming the head of a
| great nation towards the offenders against
even the nations life. The great question is,
how much of political priuiieges,-I will not
say rights,-should be accorded to those who
who have waged most desperate war against
the sovereignty of the nation and the lives of
its loyal citizens.
The President seems hardly content that
his justice be tempered with mercy. He
seems anxious that his southern friends, the
late rebels, should "accept the situation"-in
fact all the situations he can find for them,-
with full forgiveness for the past, and very
small security for the future.
An amusing incident occurred at the time
of my call upon the Chief Magistrate. After
waiting with the crowd in the ante-room, two
or three hours,-while cabinet officers, mem
bers of Congress and others were consulting
| the President upon their various business
the doors were at length thrown open and the
great undistinguished mass were admitted to
the Presidential presence.
The visitor Immediately in front of the writ
er, proved to be pardon seeker for some third
person in prison at Memphis or Nashville
| On the President remarking that Judge So
and So would attend to the case, the applicant
replied that they had already applied to the
Judge, who assured them that the best he
could do for the prisoner was to "send him to
he liz tjys mi9gteg"s iasMhatps Espl e. the h
pentance?" "Not Bit" said the visitor. The
President then called private secretary and
told him to make minute of the case-and
have it attended to. NO doubt pardon was
issued in due season.
The remarkable kindness of the President
was further illustrated in listening to Mrs.
Jane T. of P, whose case has so much
perplexed the court and citizens of Maine.
Presenting herself to Mr.. johnson she COM
menced unfolding her case. In vain the Pres
ident suggested that he could not attend to
her business In vain he motioned her to
pass on. In vain he smiled at her importuni-
| ty. With her well known pertinacity she ad-
hered to the President, until he received her
package ofdocuments, and promised to exam
inc them ,chen he had time.
| As we had no axe to grind at the presiden-
tial stone, we simply paid our compliments
to the nations "Head Centre"-and passed
| on. E. P. W.