The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-09-09
.HOYT & CO., Proprietors.

could safely DO oone, Io ono VI 0no ooPo1
itories above named. While in prison L
saw statements in the New York papers
that amounts of gold and silver bullion
corresponding with the above had been
captured by the Federal forces. Before
leaving Washington I directed the Acting
Treasurer to burn the Confederate Treas
ury notes above named, in the presence
of the Secretary of War, General Brock
inridge, and myself.
| Mr.. Davis was captured nearly week
after this, in southern Georgia, and there
fore. Judge Evans suspicious that he
cared more for his treasury than for his
family are as baseless in truth as they are
unmanly and ungenerous in inference.
These passages in that speech seem to
have been an awkward attempt in this
modified form to revive the exploded story
of Mr.. Davis being captured in female at.
tire, with bags of gold upon him, invented
and used at first to excite against him
feelings of ridicule and contempt, and
now, after the lapse of nearly four years,
revived in Texas, and pressed into service
for the purpose of arousing unjust susspl-
cions against former Confederates, and TO
be used as a means of showing to the peo-
ple of Texas that.they ought TO divide the
present State into several in order to
guard against the designs attributed by
Jadge Evans to Mr.. Davis and others at
the time of the fall of Richmond, of de-
sire to establish Trans-Missssippi en-
pire If the facts presented by Judge
Evans for this purpose are judicious, what
must be thong ht of his logic, and of his
respect for the intelligence of the body
he was addressing, and of the people to
whom this speech is sent.
In this connection I think it right tor
me To make statement in justice to Mr.
Davis. which has not heretofore boon
made public, as fur as know, and part
of which is only known to him and my
self.
In coming through South Carolina, he
and myself riding ahead OF our company,
passed cabin on the roadside, when he
asked a woman who was standing in the
door for drink of water. On handing it
to him she said, "are you President
Davis?" On his replying in the affirma-
tive, she said to him, pointing to little
boy barely large enough to walk little,
(" that is YOUR namesakc, we call him Jeff.
Davis" He took from his pocket gold
coin, apparently the size of three dollar
piece OF soverei gn, and handing it to her
told her to give it to the little boy-say-
inp to me as he rode off that that was his
last pieco of coin, which he had kept as
sort of keepsake on account of its being
n coin seldom seen in this country.
Subsequently, when in company with
several members of his Cabinet, the sub
icct of their finances was mentioned, and
their poverty was made, among them
selves, the subject of passing amusement,
Mr. Davis took out his pocket book and
counted, l think, about two hundred and
seventy dollars in Treasury notes, then
almost entirely worthless, and said, laugh
ingly. that was his fortune in money. He
then added, that it was a source OF graft
6cation rather than Of regret that himself
and nearly all the members of his Cabinet
had sacrificed their private fortunes in
the struggle for the liberty of the people.
I will also add, that when it was deter
mined. after the surrender of General
Johnston, to transfer the field of military
operations TO tho West of the Mississippi,
one of his Cabinet told Mr.. Davis that be
had money enough to take them both
across the river.
These facts are given to show the in
Justice which has been done to one whose
hopes and thoughts and energies were all
wholly devoted to the cause, then 80 dear
to us. in which he was engaged; and who,
amidst his all.engrossing public duties and
responsibilities, took no thought of his
private fortune or of his personal safety.
am persuaded that the wise and good
and honorable, even among those who
thought him wrong in his support of the
cause of Southern independence, and I'M
periled their lives in opposing him on the
battlefield, will accord to him sincerity of
convictions as to the righteousness of the
cause in which he was engaged, integrity
of purpose, and those great qualities Of
head and heart which fitted him to be the
leader of a heroic people in great strug-
gle.
know the time has not yet fully come
for explanations like this to be received
without offence to the prejudices of many
good people, who have only viewed Mr..
Davis of late years as a public enemy.
But trust now, since this. cause has been
forever abandoned, the generous and just
will see that 1 but perform duty to one
who, while he is in distant land, is yet
very dear to me and to millions Of others
in the United States.
Very respectfully,
JOHN H. REAGAN.