Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-02-12
JEFF. DAVIS On BLAINE.

son Davis begging him to answer the
recent speech of ex-Speaker Blaine, in
the House on the amnesty bill, Mr.. Da-
Wis has responded in a letter denying
the alleged cruelties at Andersonville
prison, and reviewing the leading facts
in regard to the efforts made for an ex-
change of prisoners. He also contrasts
the mortality lists in Northern and
Southern prisons, claiming thatthe was
a larger percentage of deaths in the
former, and abiding to the vindlctlve-
ness which has pursued him in some
quarters, says; "The brave are generous
and gentle; it is the skulkers of the
fight. the Rlaines, who display their flag
on an untented field" We give Mr..
Dayis's letter in full:
NN" January 27, 1876.
Hon. JAMES LYoNs-MY DEAR
FRIEND.-Your very kind letter of the
l4th instant was forwarded from Mem
phis, and has been received at this
place.
have been so long the object of
malignant SANDER and the subject of
unscrupulous falsehood by partisans of
the class of Mr. Blaine, that though |
cannot say it has become to me mat
ter of indifference, it has ceased to ex-
cite my surprise even in this instance,
when it reaches the extremity of ac-
cusing me of cruelty to prisoners.
What matters it to one whose object Is
personal and party advantage, that the
records, both Federal and Confederate,
disprove the charge; that the country
is full of witnesses who bear oral testi-
mony against it, and that the effort to
revive the bitter auimosities Of the war
obstructs the progress toward the re-
Cancellation of the sections? 1t is
enough for him if his self-seeking pur-
pose be promoted.
1t would, however, seem probable
that such expectations must be disap-
pointed, for only those who are willful-
" blind can fail to see in the circum-
stances of the case the fallacy of Mr..
Blaine's statements. The published
fact of an attempt to suborn Writ,
when under sentence of death, by prom
ising him pardon if he would crimi-
nate me in regard to the Andersonvllle
prisoners, is conclusive as to the wish
of the government to make such charge
against me, and the failure to do so
shows that nothing could be found to
sustain it. May we not say the evil
dence of my innocence was such that
Holt and Couover, with their trained
band of suborned witnesses, dared not
make against me this charge-the same
which Writ for his life would not
make, but which Blaine for the presi-
dental nomination has made!
Now let us review the leading facts
of this case The report of the Con
federate commissioner for exchange OF
prisoners shows how persistent and
liberal were our efforts to secure the
relief of captives. Failing in those
attempts, l instructed Gen. Il. +. Lee
to 90 undor flag of truce and seek All
interview with Gen. 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 cartel
for the exchange ofprisoners. To this,
as to all previous appeals, deaf ear
was turned. will not attempt, from
memory, to write the report made to
me of the incidents of this mission.
Lee no longer lives to defend the cause
and country he loved so we'll and
served so efficiently but General Grant
cannot fail to remember so extraordlna-
ry visit, AMI his objections TO execut-
ING the cartel are we'll known to the
public. But whoever else may choose
to forget my efforts in this regard, the
prisoners at Andersonville, and the
delegates permitted them to send to
President Lincoln to plead for the re-
sumption Of exchange Of prisoners,
cannot fail to remember how willing L
was to restore them to their homes,
and to the comforts of which they were
in need, provided the imprisoned
soldiers Of the Confederacy should be
in like manner released and returned to
US.
This foul accusation, though directed
specially against me, was no doubt In
tended, and naturally must he, the ar
raipnmcnt OF the South, by whose
authority and in whose behalf my deeds
were done. 1t may be presumed that
the feelings aud the habits of the
Southern soldiers were understood by
me. and in that connection any fair
mind would perceive in my congratula-
tory orders to the army after victory,
in which the troops were most COM
manded for their tenderness and gen.
erosity to the wounded and other
cap,ives, as well the instincts OF the
person who issued the order, as the
knightly temper of the soldiers to whom
il was addressed. 1t is admitted that
the prisoners in our hands were not as
well provided tor rs we would /; but 1t
il claimed that we did as we'll for them
as we could. Can the other side say as
much? go,
To the bold allegations of ill-treat,
ment of prisoners by our side, and
humane treatment and adequate sup
plies by our opponents, it is only neces-
sarv to offer two facts: First, it appears
from the reports of the United States
War Department that though we had
sixty thousand more Federal prisoners
than they had of Contederates, SIX