Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-06-21
Jeff. Davis at Fortress Monroe.

conn cement " Fortress Monroe from
May %, 1865, % December 20, 1866. 1t
is Ill, 4 mainly with reports of CONVEX.
Stations had by the author with the pris-
oner. The writer says he has been q
member of the Republican party from
its organization down to the present
day, but he thinks that 'the Union can
best be reconstructed aud Its harmony
Of relationship restored, by pursuing a
moderate policy and seeking to under
stand, in their present frame of mind,
what are the views Of the men who were
recently our leading enemies"
The book is in fact the testimony of
Jefferson Davis In his own behalf-a
kind Of evidence not usually the most
reliable; but it will nevertheless be read
with interest, however great may be our
detestation Of the man and his opin-
ions.
Upon the authority ofone who saw Mr..
Davis first introduced into his cell at
Fortress Monroe, DR.. Craven relates this
incident:
Being ushered into his inner cell by
Gen. Miles, and the two doors leading
thereinto from the guard room being
fastened, Mr.. Davis, after surveying tho
premises for some moments, and looking
out through the embrasure with such
thoughts passing over his lined and ex-
pressive face as may be imagined, sud
dopItr +aI l9Pa-a1f IN koT rN1o
both hands on his knees, and asked one
Of the soldiers pacing up and down
within his cell, this significant ques-
ton, Which way does the embrasure
face Z?
The soldier was silent
Mr.. Davis, raising his voice little,
repeated the question.
But again dead silence, or only the
measured footballs of the two pacing
sentries within, and the fainter, echoes
of the four without.
Addressing the other soldier, as if the
first had been leaf and had not heard
him. the prisoner again repeated his in
quiry.
But the second soldier remained silent
as the first, slight twitching Of his
ewes only intlmatiug that he had heard
the question, bat was forbidden to
speak.
Well said Mr. Davis, throwing his
hands up and breaking into a bitter
laugh, Il wish my men could have been
taught your discipline and then, rising
from his chair, he commenced pacing
back and forth before the embrasure,
now looking at the silent sentry across
the moat, and anon at the two silently
pacing soldiers who were his compan-
ions in the easement"
We also have very long and accu-
rate account of the circumstances at
tending the putting Of Mr.. Davis in
irons, but these were detailed at such
length at the time they transpired as to
make their repetition unnecessary. TAe
following incident of the affair has not
before been narrated. The writer says
"After the ironing had been accom-
plshed, Mr.. Davis lay for a moment as
if in u stupor, then slowly raising him
self and turning round he dropped his
shaCkled feet to the floor The harsh
clank OF the striking chain seems first
to have recalled him to his situation
and, dropping his face into his hands, he
burst into q passionate flood of ,sobbing
rocking 10 and fro and muttering al
brief intervals, Oh, the shame the
shame
1t may here be stated, though out OF
its due Order-that we may get rid ia
haste of an unpleasant SubjeCt-that
Mr.. Davis, some two months later, when
frequent visits had made him more free
of converse, gave me curious eXplana-
ton of the last feature in this incident
He had been speaking of suicide and
denouncing it as the worst form Of cow
ardice and folly. Life is not like COM
mission, that we can resign when dis
gusted with the service. Taking 1t by
your own hand is q confession Of judg-
ment to all that your worst enemies can
allege. 1t has often flashed across me
as a tempting remedy for neuralgia tor
ture, but, thank God, never sought my
own death but once, and then when
completely frenzied and not master Of
my actions. When they came to iron
me that day, as last resource Of des-
peration l seized q soldiers musket and
attempted to wrench it from his grasp
hoping that in the scuffie and surprise
some one Of his comrades would shoot
or bayonet me. +"
This act Mr.. Davis evidently regarded
as the greatest private indignity, AND
during the time that he wore the man.
Giles his health steadily declined until
DIR. Craven felt compelled to report that
medical necessity called for the removal
of the shackles, and they were accord.
ingly taken of.
DAVIS OPINION OF VARIOUS PERSONS.
The South. Mr.. Davis considers an
aristocracy of birth. Birth is guar
antee we do not ignore in raising stock
nor should we in growing men" At
the North, "the basis Of political prom
inence has been money first and Sec
ondly Righteousness, effrontry, and the
arts Of the demagogue." Elsewhere is
the same estimate of Northern traits
capped by Southern portrait of Bepja-
min Rranklip-atbe Incarnation of fine