The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1876-02-18

the wrong doer is less able to forgive than
he who has suffered causeless wrong.
1t is not however, generally among
, those who braved the hazards of
battle that unrelenting vindictiveness
is to be found-the brave, and generous,
and gentle. 1t is the brave, and gener-
! GUS, and gentle. 1t is the skulkers of
| the tight-the Blaines who display their
flag on an untcntesl field. They made
no sacrifice to prevent the separation of
States, why should they be expected to
promote the confidence and good will
essential to their union? - .e
When closely confined ut Fortress
Monroe, l was solicited to add my name
to those Of many esteemed gentlemen
who had signed a petition for my par
don, and an assurance was given that
on my doing SO the President would
order my liberation. Confident Of the
justice OF our cause and the rectitude of
my own conduct, l declined to sign the
petition and remained subject to the
incXcUsable priVations aud tortures
which DIR. Craven has but family
described. When, after two years OF
| close confinement, l was admitted to
bail as often rs required 1 appeared for
! trial under the Indictment found against
! me, but in which Mr.. Blaine's fictions
do not appear. The indictment was
finally Iuashed, on no application of
mine, nor have l ever evaded or avoid
| eli u trial on any charge which the
General Government might choose to
bring against me.
! l have no view of tho future which
| makes it desirable to me to be included
| In an amnesty bill. Viewed In the
abstract, or as Il general question,
, would be glad to SEQ the repeal of all
| laws intiicting the penalty Of political
disabilities on classes of people, that 1t
! might, as prescribed by the Constitu-
ton, he loft to courts to decide and to
at,iN penalties according to legislation.
The discrimination made against our
people is unjust and inpolite. If the
fact he equality and the purpose be
fraternity among citizens of the United
States, conviction and sentence with
out II hearing, without juristlirection,
and ai,iXing penalties by &c post .fsscto
legislation, and part of II proceeding
which had its appropriate place in the
assumption by Congress of the execu
! tive function of granting lartions. 10
remove political disabilities which
there was not legal power to impose.
was not an act of so much grace as to
| form II plausible preteNt for the reckless
,lintribe OF Mr.. Blaine.
The papers preserved by DIR. Steven
son happily furnish, full proof of the
cause of disease and death at Anderson
vile. They are now, l believe, at
Richmond, and it is to be hoped that
their publication will not long be de-
layed.
! ] have no taste for recrimination,
though the sad recitals made by our
soldiers returned from Northern
prisons can never be forgotten and you
will remember the excitement they
produced and the censorious publica-
ton which was uttered against me
because 1 would not visit on the help
less prisoners in our hands such barbara
ties us, according to reports, had been
inflicted upon our men. 1mprisOn-
,ncnt is Il hard lot at best land prisoners
are prone to cxaggerate their sufferings,
and sucl, was probably the case on both
sides; but VIC did not seek by reports OF
committees, with photographic illus
trations, to influence tho passions of
our people. How was it with our
| enemy? Let one sample suffice. You
| very well remember the published
report OF the committee of the United
States Congress which was sent to
| Anttapoiis to visit some exchanged
prisoners, and which had appended to
it photographs from emaciated sub
|jccts, which were offered as samples of
the prisoners returned from the South.
When ac0py of that report was re-
ccivcd l sent to Col. Ould, commits
sinncr for the exchange of prisoners,
and learned, as l anticipated, that the
photographs had been taken from men
who were in our hospitals when they
were liberated for exchange, and who
were regarded rs convalcscent, but too
| weak to he removed with safety to
themselves. The anxiety of the priso
ncfs to be sent to their homes had pre-
vailed over the objection of the surgeon.
But this not all, for ] have recently
learned from II priest who was then ut
! Annapolis, that the most wretched-
looking photographs were taken from
a man who had never been a prisoner,
but who had been left on a sick-list ut
Annapolis when the command to
| which nc was attached had passed that
| place on it's southwark march.
| Whatever may be said in extenua-
ton of such imposture because of tho
exigencies of war, there can be no such
excuse now for the attempt of Mr.
Blaine, by gross Misrepresentation and
| GIunt1nrfIIa .,rc tn ~