Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-02-16
TRAITOR JEFF.
He's One Of YOur Democratic
Rebels who s'DOn't Want
Amnesty, Nor Pardon

mes Nne OI y our IDfm1Ocr0u1G
Rebels who ~'ID0n't Want
Amnesty, Nor Pardon"
He Siill AAheres % tho Last Cnuse
and Hates the W hole NorsA-eae
Treated Uaios Prisoners stl8ei.
ter Thsn They Deserved
i WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.-Jeftcrson
Davis has written the following let
ter TO Judge Lyons, of Richmond,
i Va:
NEW ORLEANS, La, JAM 27.
The Hon. James Lyon:
4 My DEAR FRIEND Your very
kind letter of the 14th inst, was for
: wardcd from Memphis and has been
received at this place. have been
so long the object of malignant SIAN
der and the subject of unscrnpulons
falsehood by partisans of the class OF
Mr.. Blaine, and though cannot say
that ii has become, to me a matter of in
difference, it has ceased to excite my
surprise. even in this instance, when
it reaches the extremity of accusing
me of cruelty to prisoners. What
/ uluttrrs ii 10 one whose object is per-
sonal and party advantage that the
lrecords of the Federal and Confedcr-
ate Governments disproye the charge,
that the country is full Of witnesses
who bear oral testimony against il,
and that the efforts to revive the Bit
t'ter animosities of the war obstructs
progress toward reconciliation Of
the sections. Ii is enough for him ii
his selt-seeking purpose be promoted.
1t would, however, seen probable
that snch expectations must be dis
appointed; for only those who are
wilfully blind can fail To see in the
circumstances of the case the faliacy
Of Mr.. Blaine's statements. The pub
lished facts of an attempt to snbOrn
Wirz, when under sentence Of death,
by promising him pardon ifhe would
criminate me in regard to Andcrs6n-
vile prisoners is conclusive as to the
wish of the government to make such
a charge against me and the failure
10 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 IIonovcr with
their trained band Of suborncd witness
ses, dared not make against me this
charge, which Wirz for his life would
not make, but which Blaine for a
Presidential nomination has made.
Now let usrevicw the leading facts Of
the case: The report of the COnfcd-
crate Commissioners for exchange
of prisoners shows how persistent
and liberal were our efforts to secure
the release Of the captives. Failing
in these attempts, instructed Gener-
al r. Z. Lee to go under flag of truce
and seek an interview with General
Grant to represent to him the suffer-
ing and death of Federal prisoners
held by us, to explain the causes
which were beyond our control, and
to urge in the name of humanity the
observance Of the cartel for the ex-
change of prisoners. To this, as to
all previous appeals, a deaf ear was
turned. | will not attempt fram
memory to write the report made to
me of the incidents of this mission.
Lee no longer lives to defend the
cause aud country he loved so well
and served SO efficiently, hut General
Grant cannot fail to remember so ex-
+ IL
to executing the cartel arc well
known 10 the public. But whoever
else may choose to forget my efforts
in this regard. the prisoners ut Ander-
sonvillc and the delegates permitted
them TO send to Prc~t. Lincoln to plead
for Il resumption OF the exchange Of
prisoners. cannot fail 10 remember
how willing was to restore them 10
4 their homes and 10 the cmfort OF which
= tfss :. fsS ~ Syeea r~r<-;dett tt,~ ;s.,1
prisoncd soldiers OF the confedcracy
should be in a like manner re-
leased and returned to us. This
foul accusation, though directed
specially against me, was no
doubt. intended and naturally must
be the arraignment of the South, by
whose authority and in whose behalf
my deeds were done. Ii may be pre-
snmed that the feeling and the habits
of Southern soldiers We're under
stood by me and in that connection
any fair mind would perceive in my
congratulatory orders 10 the army
, after a victory, in which the troops
were most commended for their ten
derness and generosity TO wounded
and other captivcs aS well the in
stinets of the person who issued the
order rs the knightly temper of sol
diers to whom it was addressed. Ii
is admitted that the prisoners in our
hands were not as well provided for
as we would like to have had them,
but ii is claimed that we did as well
for them asWc could. Can the other
side say as much? To the bald allc-
cations OF i'll treatment of prisoners
by our side, and the humane treat
ment and adequate supplies by our
opponents. il is only necessary Ia
offer two facts: /. Ii appears from
the reports from tile United States
War Department, that though we had
60.OO0 mere Federal prisoners than
/, they had Contcderates, 5000 more oi
Confcderates died in Northern pris-
ons: and ,, the want and suffering ol
, the men in Northern prisons caused
ne To ask for permission to send oui
cotton and buy supplies for them.
The request was. granted, but only on
: condition that the cotton should be
! sent to New York and the supplies
. bought there. General Reale, now Of
ST. Louis, was authorized to purchase
and distribute the neediul supplies
Our sympathy rose with the occasion
; and responded 10 its demands, no,
waiting for ten years then to yauni
itself when il could serve no good
purpose to the sufferers. Under the
: mellowing influences Of time and 0c.
, casional demonstrations at the Nortf
OF desire for the restoration ol
: pnnoa onI ,,nal will tho Sa,tb, ~,
: people have forgotten much, have
!, forgiven much of wounds they bore
IL il be less so among their invader.
it is bnt another example of the rnl,
that the wrongdoer is less. able t.
forgive than he who has suffered
r causeless wrong. Ii is not. however
generally among those who bravel
the hazards of battle that unrelentine
vindictiveness is TO be fonnd-fh,
brave and generonsand gentle. II
4 the skulkers OF the fight = Iii,
. Biaii,es--who display their flag on
an untentcd field. They made n,
sacrifice to prevent a separation o
I the States. Why should they be ex
: pecied to promote the confidence an.
: good will essential to their union?
: NIteh CipseIy coNHiieu III UofItts
, Monroe ! was solicited to add IN,
name to those OF many esteemed gen
!. tlcmen who had signed petition fo
: my pardon, and am assurance wa
!, given that on my doing SO the Presi
: dent would order my liberation
Confident of the justice ofou caus
' and the rectitudc OF my own conduct
!. declined to sign the petition, ali,
. remained subject to ineNcnsable pri
i vations ami tnrturcs which Dr. Cra
ven but family described. When
after two years Of close confinement
a | was admitted to bail. as often a
was required appeared for trial I'm
. der the Indictment found against me
but in which Mr.. Rlaine's iictions d,
! not appear. The indictment was Il
], nally q9ashcd ON no application o
4 mine, nor have | ever cyadcd o
avoided u trial upon any charge Tn
General Government might choose t