Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-02-12
FREE PRESS-TIIE OLD FAMILY -JOU-

aud tie purpose be fraternity among the citi-
zeus of the United States. Conviction aud
sentence without bearing, without jurisdic-
ton, and afixiDg penalties by er post fGcfo
legislation, are part Of the proceeding which
had its appropriate end in the assumption by
Congress Of the executive function of granting
pardous TO remove political disabilities which
there was not legal power TO impose, was not
an act Of so much grace as 20 form plausible
pretezt for the reckless diatribe Of Mr. Blaine.
The papers preserved by Dr. Stevenson hap
PLY furnished foil proof Of the causes Of dis
ease and death at Andersonvie. They are
now, believe, in Richmond, aud it is to be
hoped their publication will not be much
longer delayed. have no taste for recrimi-
nation, though the sab recitals made By our
soldiers returned from No thern prisons can
never be forgotten. And yon will remember
the excitement those produced, and the Gen.
serious publications which were uttered against
me becense | would not visit on the helpless
prisoners in our hands such barbarlties "a, &C.
riding to reports, hid been inflicted upon our
men.
I'M ris)nment is a harl lot at the best, and
prisoners are prone to exagserate their suffer
ings, and such WAS probably the case on both
sides. But we did not seek by reports of COM
mittees. with phi togrlphic Illustrations to in-
fame ,ho passions OF our people. How was
it with our enemy? Let one example suffice.
You may remember published report Of a
committee Of the United States Congress
which was sent TO Annapolis to visit some ex-
changed lrison,rs, and which bad appended
to it the photographs of some emaciated sub
iects which were offered as samples of prison
ers returned from the South.
When copy Of that report was received
sent to Ciloue 0lld, commissioner for the en-
change Of prisoners, aud learned, as | autici-
pated, that the photographs, as far as they
could be identified, had been taken from men
who were in our hospital when they were
liberated for exchange, and whom the hospital
surgeon regarded as convaleSceut. but too
weak To lie removed with safety to themselves
The anxiety of the prisoners to be sent to
their homes had prevailed over the objections
Of the surgeon. Bot this is not all; for have
recently cGrnel from priest who was then
at Annapolis, that the most wretchcd looking
of these photographs was taken from man
who hal never been pris Iner, but who had
been left on the "sick lit" at Annapolis when
the command TO which he was attached had
passed that place on its Southwark march.
Whatever may be said in extenuation of
such imp1sture because Of the cxigcncieS Of
war. there can be no such excuse now for the
attempts of Mr.. Blaine, by gross miSrepresen-
tation and SlanierouS accusation, to revive the
worst passions Of the war, anil it is to he
hoped that. much as the event is TO be regret
tel. it will have the good effect of evokins
truthful statements in regard II this little un-
derstooi subject from men who would have
preferred to leave their sorrowlul story untold
If the subject could have been allowed peace
fully to sink into oblivion.
Mutual respect is needfnl for the common
interest. is essential to a friendly union, and
when SANDER is promulgated from high places
the public welfare demands that truth should
strip falsehood OF its power for evil.
am, respectfully and truly your friend.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.