The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-08-15
SHERMAN ON DAVIS.
THE GENERALS IMPUTATIoNs DISPOSED OF AS
THEY DESERVE TO BE.
From the Austin (Tcxaa Statesman.

From the Austin Texas) Statesman
Gen. Bragg was in the city several days during
the past week. He referred in the course Of q
conversation, to the recent assertion Of Gen.
Sherman that he had suspected Mr.. Davis of
completely with the assassination OF Mr.. Abra-
ham Lincoln. Gen. Bragg said that he had seen
Mr.. Davis tested in cases of this sort, and while
two efforts were made by hired assassins in 1864
to destroy Mr.. Davis's life, he never manifested
the least signs OF resentful feeling. It was in
June. 1864, that MIR. Davis, when riding along the
defenses of Richmond, was fred at, the bullets
sing very near his person.
Once afterwards he was shot at when in the
outskirts Of Richmond. But we propose to set
tie this question finally. Dahlgren's raid will
not soon be forgotten. Col. Dahlgren's address,
as written and signed by him, was memorzed
and spoken or read to his followers. They were
disguised as spies, and were captured as spies in
side of the Confederate lines. They came, as
stated, to murder Mr.. Davis. When they were
captured and this paper was found on the per-
son OF this man, Dahlgren, Mr.. Davis's cabinet
and his military staff concuTed in declaring that
the prisoners should be executed in accordance
with the laws of war. President Davis, after
reading the paper and finding that he especially
was designed to be as5assinated by Dahlgren,
peremptorily forbade other treatment than that
accorded to prisoners of war. General
Bragg preserved photograph copies Of Col.
pable of enormities which Gen. Sherman would
ascribe to his intervention, he never would have
hesitated to punish with death the sgus ed fol-
lowers of Dahlgren. And would it not be well
for Gen. Sherman to remember that Mr.. Davis at
all times interviewed in behalf of the condemned.
1t was the complaint Of many Confederate lead
ers that nobody could be executed who
appealed to the President for pardon. He spared
Harrison Self, the bridge burner of East Tennes-
see, and each Unionist who became Spy rather
than q soldier, and was captured inside the
Confederate lines. Of all men Mr.. Davis's per-
sonal virtue and character have been more griev-
ously misrepresented and misunders TODD by
Northern people, even as Lincoln's character
and spirit were aSfrst inexperienced through
out the South.
Mr.. Davis differed from Mr.. Lincoln in that
both Kentuckians, and both reared in the midst
OF the same moral tmosphere-Davis was elab-
oratey educated, and taught and refined in sl
the schools; while Lincoin's generosity, neither
greater nor purer than that Of MIR. Davis's was
more conspicuous because of his personal rude
nees, with which his womanly traits were in
strong contrast. Gen. Sherman is a man OF
forcs and genius and skillful warrior; his sell
and thus his vanity, is his most signii.
cant foiDle, often degenerating into an unpar-
douable vice. Occupying position, he had no
right to ascribe degree of criminalty to Mr.
Davis which cold only be supposed just to the
extent that partsans, North and South, traduced
Mr. Davis in order to make the cause he
odious. Gen. Sherman, il morally
great man, which he is not, because his vices OF
intellect are great, should have considered the
facts before pronouncing an opinion as disgrace
fnl to Sherman as designed to be ruinous to Mr..
Davis's personal fame.