The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-02-16


irable to me to he included in am am.
nesly bill Viewed IN the abstract or as
q general question, would be glad 10
see the repeal ofall laws mllolmg the
penalty of political disabilities on classes
OF people that II might rs prescribed
10y the constitution, be left to the courts
to decide the cause aud to anix the
penalties according to legislation
UNFAIR DETERMINATIONS
The discrimination made against our
people Is unjust and mpolitc II the
Tact be equality and the purpose be- fra
terniIy among the people of the United
Stnles Conviction and sentence with
out jurisdiction and without aiiXinr
penalties by &c past tacto legislation are d
part OF the proceeding which had It's ar-
propriate origin in the assumption by
Congress Of the executive function of
granting pardons, 10 remove political
disabilities which there was not the legal
power to impose was not an act of SO
much grace rs to form plausible pre-.
text for the reckless diatribe of Mr.
Blaine, The papers preserved by Dr.
Stevenson happily furnish full proof OF
the causes Of disease and death ut An
Jacksonville They are now ! believe
in Richmond, and il is to be hoped
their publication will not be much
longer delayed, have no taste for re-.
examinations though the sad recitals
made by our soldiers returned from
Northern prisons cannever be forgotten
and You will rcmcmber the excitement
those produced, and the censoMous pub
LEGATION which was uttered against me
because would rot visit ON helpless
prisoners in our hands such hMhOrities
as are, according to reports, said to have
been inflicted upon our men.
AZ ILLUSTRATION.
Imprisonment is n hard lot at best,
and prisoners are prone to eXaggcrate
their sullcrings, such as was probably
the case ON bottle sides but we did not
seek by reports of commissions with
Photographic illustrations to inilame the
passions of our people, How was 1t
with our enemy? Let one example sut-
flee.
You may remember the published re-
port of the committee of the United
States Congress which was sent TO An
napolis TO visit some exchanged prison
ers, and which had appended to il pho
tographs of some cmaciotcd subjects OF.
iered MS samples of prisoners returned
from the South, When u copy of that
report was received, sent to Colonel
Ould, commissioner for exchange OF
prisoners, and learned, as anticipated
that the photographs had been
taken from men who were in our
hospitals when they were liberated for
exchange and whom the post surgeon
regarded as conyalescent but too weak
to be removed with safety to them
selves. The anxiety of the prisoners to
be sent to their homes had prevailed
over the objections of the surgeon.
But this is not all, for have recently
learned from priest, who was then at
Annapolis, that the most wretched
looking of these photographs were Ia
ken from man who had never been
prisoner but who had been left on
sick list at Annapolis when the COM
mand to which he had been attached
had passed that place ON its way south
ward march. Whatever may be said in
eXtenuation of such impostures because
OF the eXigencies of war there can he no
excuse now for the attempt of Mr..
Blaine by gross Misrepresentation
and slanderous accusation to
revive the worst passions of the war,
and it is to be hoped that, much as the
event is to be regretted, it will have the
good effect Of evolSing truthful state
ments in regard to this little understood
subject from men who would have pre-
lorred to leave their sorrowful story I'M
told, if the subject could have been al
lowed peacefully to sink into oblivion.
Mutual respect is needlul, for common
interest is essential to friendly feeling,
and when SANDER comes from high
places the public welfare demands that
truth should strip falsehood of its power
for evil. | am, respectfully and truly
your friend,
Signed. JEFFERSON DAVIS,