The daily gazette., 1876-02-09
JEFF. DAVIS AGREES WITH HILL.

jill / I, In IN luIlDuo WILL uluu'
A Letter Reiternting the Assertions of
the Georgia Representative In his An
swcr to oE1-speaker BIsines Speech.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.-Jefferson Da-
Wis has written the following letter to
Judge Lyons. of Richmond, Va:
NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 81, 1875.
Hon. James Lyons:
My DEAR FRIEND: Your very kind
letter of the 14th instant was forwarded
frem Memphis, and has been received
at this place. have been so long the
object of malignant slander, and the
subject of INSCRIPTIONS falsehood by
partisans of the class of Mr.. Blaine, !
that though cannot say it has become
to me matter of indifference, it has
ceased to excite my surprise, even in
this instance, when it reaches the ex-
tremity of accusing me of cruelty to
prisoners. What matters it to one
whose object is personal and party ad-
vantage that the records, both Federal
and Confederate, disprove the charge;
that the country is full of witnesses
who bear oral testimony against it.and
that the bitter animosities of the war
obstructs thu progress toward the re-
cancellation of the sections eItis enough
for him il his self-seeking purpose be
lpromoted. 1t would, however, seem
probable that such expectations must
be disappointed, for only those who
are wiltully blind can failto see in the
circumstances of the case the fallacy
OF Mr.. Blaine's statements. The pub
lishcd fact of an attempt to suoorn
Wirz, when under sentence of death,
by promising him a pardon ifhe would
criminate me in regard to the Ander-
sonville prisoners. is conclusive as to
the wish of the Government to make
such charge against me, and the fail
lure to do so shows that nothing could
be found to sustain it. May we not
say the evidence of my innocence was
; such that Holt and Conover, with their
trained band of suborned witnesses,
l dare not make against me this charge
: which Wirz for his life would not
make, but which Blaine fol the Presi-
. Dental nomination has made? Now,
let US review the leading facts of this
= case. The report of the Confederate
Commissioner for the Exchange of
t Prisoners shows how persistent and
relief of captives. Failing in those
attempts, l instructed Gen, II. E. Lee
; to 90 under flag of truce and seek an
interview ith General Grant, to repre-.
sent to him the suffering and death OF
Federal prisoners held by us; to ex'
plain the causes which were beyond
our control, and to urge in the name
of humanity the observance of the car
tel for the exchange of prisoners. To
RS this, as to all previous appeals, a deal
ear was turned. / will not attempt
'e from memory to write the report made
8, to me of the incidents of this mission
4. Lee no longer lives to defend the
ir cause and country he loved 80 vel
+ and served so efficiently, but General
ID Grant cannot fail to remember so ex
ty traordinary a visit, and his objections
,e to executing the cartel are well known
u to the public. But, whoever else may
.- choose 10 forget my efforts in this re-
gard, the prisoners at Andersonville
and the delegates | permitted them to
e. send to President Lincoln to plead fol
B. the resumption of the exchange ei
prisoners cannot fail to remember how
willing was to restore them to theil
u homes, and to the comforts of which
they were in need, provided that the
e. imprisoned soldiers of the Confederacy
g. should be in like manner released
d and returned to us. This foul accu
sation, though directed specially
N against me, was no doubt intended
il. and naturally must be the arraign
Of ment of the South, by whose authori
=, ty and in whose behalf my deeds were
Of DONE II may be presumed that the
8. feelings and the habits of the Southern
in soldiers were understood by me, and
1Ir in that connection any fair mind
Is would perceive in my congratulatory
ly orders TO tho army after victory, in
"a ~ which the troops were most commen
pt ded for their tenderness and generosity
IL to the wounded and other captives as
g. well the instincts of the person who
g issued the order as the knightly tenn
per of the soldiers to WHOM it was ad
= dressed.
1t is admitted that the prisoners ir
" our hands were not as well provided
es for as we wished, but it is claimed
es es that we did as we'll for them as VIZ
BY could. Can the other side say as much
IN To the bold allegations of ill treat
ai ,d ment of prisoners by our side, ant
Se humane treatment and adequate sup
t. plies by our opponents, it is only ne
rs cessary to offer two facts: First, i
Il. appears from the reports of the United
Il. States War Department that, though
we had 10000 more Federal prisoners
It's than they had of Confederates, G,OO(
'ir more of Confederates diedin Northerr
p p prisons; second the want and suffering
of men in Northern prisons caused mt
- to ask for permission to send out CO.
n n ton and buy supplies for them. The re
e' quest was granted, but only on condi
!. ton that the cotton should be sentt
t te New fork and the supplies be bought
r. there. Gen. Beale, now of st. Louis
IN was authorized to purchase and dis
er q tribute the needful supplies. Onl