The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-08-19
a TALK WITH JEFF. DAVIS.


Appearance of the AIAn.--What He
Says--"We Have Nothing to do With
RecOnstruetIOno Johnson Means
Well, but His Plan Works BADLY
Exchange OF PrisOners..-H HIstoFyROI
AndersOnVIIIe TO Appear Soon-..N G.
ErOes, COppeFheads, Surratt, Cotton
MONTREAL, August 12.-Through the
pollteness of General Carroll, a Tennes-
seean who figured largely during the
war in the Confederate service, and
whom / had known in 1853 in Mem
phis, an arrangement was made yester-
day morning resulting In my having
an -a= SOD .-
INTERVIEW WITH JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Taking a carriage at st. Lawrence
Hall, a few minutes drive found me in
front ofan unpretentious building, No.
24e Mountain street, the residence of
Mrs. Howell, mother-iu.law of Mr.. Da-
Wis, at whose house he is temporarily
staying.
Accompanied by General Carroll, 1
was shortly ushered into the presence
of Mr.. Davis, whom found reclining
on lounge in his study, engaged in a
familiar conversation with Col. Pickett,
late OF the Confederate service.
Mr.. Davis is a man of apparently
about sixty years, and If 1t were not for
the burrows on his brow and innumer-
would take him to be person of not
over forty-hve summers. The veins of
his hands are bursting full OF blood,
and should Judge he wouldn't press
heavier on Yankee pair of scales than
100 pounds avoirdupois or English ster-
ling. He WAS dressed in very neat
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 a 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
strange land. ilE E
Hb bfis5i WHAT WAS SAID.
Visiting the ex-President of the ex-
Confederacy under the circumstances
which did, 'twould be unpardonable
in me to make public use OF much that
was said In three hours conversa-
tion.
l told him that my visit was not
made out of idle curiosity; that had
not come simply to see the President OF
the "Confederate5 States of America
that had been opposed to him and his
people during the war, but that in
common with the majority of the rad
icals OF the North, in whose hands the
very destiny-life itself-of leading and
hS AOAN oAN
placed, I desired to hear his views on
RECONSTRUCTION.
When 1 broached that matter to him
he cut me rather short, though In very
gentlemanly way.
He laughed immoderately when I
asked him as to, the opinion of the
Southern people with reference to the
Reconstruction acts passed by Con
Rress. He answered me; however, in
seven words, and I would to God
that Andrew johnson could have
heard the reply, as impassionately,
Mr.. Davis, with wave of the hand,
which, although intended not to be
gestfcnlar, carried 1t with an emphasis
which 1 shall never forget, in meas
ured voice said, 1--WE have nothing to
do with it."
Ll EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.
NV conversation with Mr.. Davis was
Unrestricted, and during the course of
1t, had occasion to refer to the suffer-
ings of our prisoners at Andersonville,
Belle Isle, Libby Prison, etc., as we'll
as to the exchange of prisoners. Mr..
Davis said that he was always anxious
to be relieved of the prisoners on his
hands. He said his ports were blocka-
ded; that he was without supplies or
the means of obtaining them, even for
his own soldiers; and, finding himself
in that strait, he proposed to deliver,
with or without exchange, all the sick
wounded, and disabled soldiers held by
him. then remarked to Mr.. Davis,
"Why was not an exchange effected ?"
He stated, ''There was one man tnyour
country who prevented it." | replied,
"Do you refer to Mr.. Stanton2" He
said, j" 1 do not, II was -" asked
him to allow me to make use of the
name and circumstances connected
with it. But he said, Occupying the
yvN1Id ha
proper" r.-.s.-..r- --..-,.s.-. .-.g-r-r.a.s
7, Next, / commenced talking with him
about an alderman from Tennessee,
now. loAting.in Washington. seldom
SO far forget myself as to talk about
men who have filled tall the positions
up" but couldn't restrain from telling
Mr.. Davis that the controlling party in
the North regarded 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 sub
ject. Imay 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 "6eLieUed that he
(,JoltnSofI) fpdS doing tUidt he thought best
for the South, but IL had resulted badly"
There was much that was mentioned In
this connection which nm not at lib
eTEN.JO IndAo uhe vi BICoGhII
by way OF parenthesis will state that
no utterance was given TO any express
sions disrespectful to United States Of
ficials. Differing as widely as the poles
with Mr.. Davis, did not hear him ut
ter an unkind word against any one,
especially Mr.. johnson, and must ad-
NIT that was more charmed with his
couversation than that of any promi-
nent man with whom 1t has been my
fortune to meet. he expresses himself
for peace. and 1 believe him to-day,
great a Rebel as he was, less traitor
and a more honest man than Andrew
johnson, who has made treason SO
"odorousn
HAMPTON ROADS AND CHARLES THE
rI a1zI 5g rgf-LHl FIRST. l.L4. 80
remarked to Mr.. Davis that the sup
porters OF our Government were sur
prised that the Stephens -Hunter-Lin-
coin. Seward Interview of 1865, at Hamp-
ton Roads, should have resulted as 1t
did. He said the meeting was propo-1
sition from the North, which was freely