The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-02-03
The Southern Exiles.

the Presidents amnesty proclamation will
have upon the Southern exiles, Ariel"
the graphic correspondent of the Cincin-
natl Enquirer. has hunted up their wherea-
bouts, and sketched some of the character
istics of their lives. We quote as follows !:
As for the exiles, have been posted up
to some extent touching their means and
future prospects, as we'll as wishes. The
most anxious one to return probably, is
General Breckenridge, of Kentucky. He
has large family, and is poor-has moth
ing at all, in fact, but his profession as o
lawyer, which is Of little use in making a
living abroad, and l know that on every
account he has been anxious for long
time to return. Probably no man more
candidly accepts the situation" in every
sense of the word, consistent with person.
al honor. Hewould have been back long
ago, but did not like to encounter personal
indignity. Some leading friends have ad-
vised him to return at once, but he is q
man of great caution, and is just as likely
as not to await until he can see how the
land lies, and tho temper of the incoming
administration toward him. Old James
NJ. Mason must be now over seventy, and
at that time of life, local attachments are
unusually strong. He thinks, like all Vir-
ginians, that the Old Dominion is the finest
part of the world, and would prefer greatly
to live there to anywhere else. He had a
moderate competency ut tho close OF the
war, arising from some property of his
wife, and, though too old and infirm to
earn dollar by personal exertion, was
thus put above the necessity of labor. l
see it stated that he is about to return to
his old home in Winchester. in the Valley
of Virginia. He will be able to find the
place, doubtless, and meet many old
friends. but one thing he will not see viz
his old homestead. The Federal troops
completely destroyed it, leaving not one
stone upon another.
Old Jubal Early, Major-General to Lee
and Stonewall Jackson, he who stormed
Winchester in the campaign Of 1863, and
burned part OF Chambersburg in retalia-
ton for the burning of jackson, Miss, and
other places, went abroad at the close of
the war, and has remained by choice an
exile. don't remember whether he ac-
cepted parole or not; think he did, but
most certainly he did not "accept the
situation" He is proud, defiant, un-
yielding man slow to take position and
very tenacious of it when once taken. He
was an original Union man, and obstinate:
ly resisted secession until Mr.. Lincoln's
proclamation was issued. and then he went
for secession, and the Confederacy might
have had an ADLER, but certainly no stouter
soldier or more steadfast adherent.
AS for Bev. Tucker, everybody knows
him, or did know him onee-"a fellow of
infinite jests THE very prince OF good,
jolly fellows, that will, if you give him o
chance by getting him at supper, say SO
many good things that you would never
afterward think of a square meal without
him. What On outrage that this man, any
one Of whose jokes is worth q dozen STAN
tons, Holts or Lafayette Bakers, should
have been kept abroad all this time nm ex-
ile-his family large, poor and very needy
Ion the ridiculous pretext of having help
ed to assassinate Mr.. Lincoln, whereas he
never helped assassinate anything but can
yas-back ducks and oysters and believe
he could put bushel of both under his
belt at one sitting with perfect ease. He
is. as l remarked, impecunious, and ]
know prefers the Lynnhaven and Norfolk
to the pretentious, but small and coppery,
Ostend oyster. Nor would he object at all
to slight drop to the "fasel-oil," whether
native or foreign, and if anybody thinks to
insult him by illusions, to Bourbon, just
let him produce the insult, and see if it be
not promptly swallowed.
After curious and most romantic Sc
ries Of adventures, Mr.. J. r. Benjamin. ex-
Secretary Of State, and the Disraeli of the
Southern Confederacy. made his way to
the West Indies, thence to England, and
there he, once the most eloquent Of plea
ders in the United Supreme Court, COM
menced "eatiDg his TERMS" as it is called
in the Temple, preparatory to admission to
the Courts of Westminster. For year
the ex-senator, ex-Secretary, and ex-Plead-
er of America, went through this probation
just as might have done any Hedging from
Oxford or Cambridge, when all Of sudden
John Bull concluded to relax his iron rule
in favor Of the brilliant stranger, and dis
pense with the two remaining years of pre-
partition for the mysteries of TheLlis.
This made all easy (; once in Court, the
clear thought, the most ringing tone, the
ease OF manner, unapproacbed even in
America, the wonderful perspicuity and
power of statement which had once made
even Douglas, Crittenden and Hunter look
we'll to their weapons found their way to
the ears and eyes Of the bench, and the
solemn old cocks in their gowns went on,
of their way to pay compliment to the