The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-16
a TALK WITH JEFF. DAVIS.


Surrhtt, Cotton,
MONTREAL, August l2-Through the polite.
ness OF General Carroll, Tennesseean who
Inquired largely during the war in the Coniede-
rate service, and whom had known in 1858 in
Memphis, an arrangement was made yesterday
morning resulting in my having an
INTERVIEW WITH JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Taking carriage at st. Lawrence Hall, few
minutes drive found me in front OF an unpre-
tentious building, No. 249 Mountain street, the
residence of Mrs. Howell, motner-in-law of
Mr. Davis, at whose house he is temporarily
staying
shortly ushered into the presence of Mr. Davis,
| whom found reclining on lounge in his
| study, engaged In familiar conversation with
Colonel Pickett, late of the Confederate SER
MIR. Davis is man OF apparently about sixty
years, and If IL were not for the furTows on his
| brow and innumerable wrlnk es islandlng his
| face / would take him to be person Of not
are bursting fulL of blood, and should judge
he wouldn't press heavier on Yankee pair OF
scales than 1870 pounds avoirdupois or English
sterling. He was dressed in very meet but
plain manner, without any attempt at show or
the attracting of unusual attention. His hair
is semi grey, cut rather short, and withal his
appearance is more that of well-to-do English
merchant, rather than the man who controlled
great armies during the war, whose word was
omnipotent in the South, but who to-day Is a
stranger in q strange land ...
WHAT WAS SAID.
Visiting the ex- President of the ex- Confede-
racy under the circumstances which did,
'twould be objectionable in me to make public
use of much that was said In three hours
told him that my visit was not made out of
idle curiosity; that had not come simply to
see the President of the Confederate States OF
America that had been opposed to him and
his people during the war, but that in common
with the majority of the radicals of the North,
ia whose hands the very destiny-life itself-of
leading and prominent Southern men was held
and placed, desired to hear his views on
REC INSTRUCTION.
When broached that matter to him he cut
me rather short, though in very gentlemanly
He laughed immodera ely when asked him
as TO the opinion of the Southern people with
reference to the Reconstruction acts passed by
Congress He answered me, however, In seven
words, and would to God that Andrew John
son could have heard the reply as impassion-
alely Mr.. Davis, with wave OF the hand,
which, although intended not to be gesticular,
carried with 1t an emphasis which shall never
forget in a measured voice said, "We have
EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.
My conversation with Mr.. Davis was unre-
stricted, and, during the course of 1t, had
prisoners at AndersonviIie, Belle Isle, Libby
Prison, etc., as well as TO the exchange OF
anxious anxious to be relieved Of the prisoners on his
hands. He said his ports were olockaded that
he was Without supplies or the means aIa OF on o9-
finding himself In that strait he proposed to
deliver, with or without exchange, all the sick,
wounded, and disabled soldiers held by him.
an exchange effected ?" He stated, "There
it," m?' replied, "Do You refer TO Mr. stanton %
He said, "I do not, it was -" L asked him
cumstances connected with 1t. But he said,
Occupying the position that do, 1t would be
| Next, commenced talking with him about
| an alderman from Tennessee, now loafng in
Washington. l seldom so far forget myself as
to talk about men who have filled"all the posi-
tions up" but couldn't restrain from telling
North Te reesrded % Mr. Johnson as the worst enemy
| of the South, and that he was the stumbling
| block in the way of reconstruction. Mr.. Davis
was quite frank in talking with me on this
| subject. / may be overstepping the bounds of
my Interview when give publicity to only one
of number of significant remarks that he
| made, but Mr.. Davis said to me that he "be-
ueUed he (JohnSolD tUdS doing Whdt he thought best
| much that was mentioned in this connection
| which am not at liberty to make use of at
| present although by way of parenthesis will
| state that no utterance was given to any eX-
pIessions disrespectfu TO United states officials
| Differing as widely as the poles with Mr. Davis,
| any one especially Mr. Johnson, and must
admit that was more charmed with his con-
whom it has been my fortune to meet He ex-
| Iesses himself for peace, and L believe him
and a more honest man than Andrew johnson,
| who has made treason so "odorous!"
HAMPTON ROADS AND CHARLES THE FIRST.
| Iremark ed to Mr.. Davis that the supporters
| ef our Government were surprised that the
| Stephens Hunter -Lincoln-Seward interview of
| 1865, at Hampton Roads, should have resulted
tion from the North, which was freely accepted
| by the South. think in saying this Mr.. Davis
| intended TO convey, without mentioning Names
the idea that the proposition came from Con-
servative Republican standpoint, and would be
adopted by the main body of the radical party
| Anyhow, conference was had, terminating! as
| all know, in a failure. At Hampton Roads, Mr
| Davis told me that Hunter proposed TO treat Tor
ton. To this Mr.. Lincoia replied "that it would
| not do" Hunter then referred to the action OF
Charles the First in treating with the rebels OF
lreland-that the King had accorded the lrlsn
rebels certain privileges, and that an honorapie
| peace had been effected. Mr.. Lincoln $50 MT
| Davis says) replied that he didn't know muca
| about history, and all that he knew aOouI
| Charles the First was that he IosthiS head!
ANDERsoNvILLE, ETC.
| 1 informed Mr.. Davis that the people OF Gne
| North held him, as representing the ConleueII
| racy, largely responsible for the su1erlnRs Huu
| deaths of our prisoners at Andersonvtlle Llppyi
and other places. He replied That noGnIhg n goin n
connection with the war gave MN more dR;1ad RI1add
| than that such statements should oe retaliou t @
about. Without going into any deiense as ~ % q
| tenSo he stated that he believed there was d
| Providence and lust God who righted eVery'
thing, and that the whole matter would suorCiiy iy
be ventilated. asked him how ana ~ ii rePIy epo
he said that the records of AndersonvlIe, eIc
had been providentlally preserved ana " Wouln Sna
shortly be made public. "You VIII tnen seei
saws MIR Davis 'Who is and who Is not Iesponsi
BILE for lives and sunerlngs" @ Ioi% IannIa n ~
would be little satisfaction TO rown people 10
have saddled on them that when was sa ~ ti tte
present time resting on and bllstere9 lnto Ihe
people of the South. He again repneu UheC Tue
whole history would in q short Time become
public property, and that then Judgment could
be formed and the responsibility iasteneu
I have no hesitancy in saying Ihat Davis
recognizes himself as thoroughly suouueut anu
desirous OF returning to Mississippi, there to
spend the remainder OF his days in peace and