Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-02-08

| DaNAs uSS NIltten the IOllOWlDR letter II
Judge Lyons, Of Richmond, Virginia:
NEw ORLEANS, January q.
Hon. James Lyons:
MY DEAR FRIEND-Your very kind
letter Of the fourteenth instant was for.
warded from Memphis, and has been
received at this place. / have been SO
long the object of malignant slander and
the subject OF unscrupulous falsehood by
psTtisaDs Of the class Of Mr.. Blsine, that
though cannot sayit has become to me
a matter Of indifference, it has ceased
to excite my surprise, even in this in
stance, when it reaches the extremity
OF accusing 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 testimo-
ny against it, and that an effort to re-
vive the bitter animosities of the war
obstructs progress toward reconciliation
Of the sections? 1t is enough for him if
his self-seeking purpose be promoted.
1t would, however, seem probable that
| such expectations must be disappointed,
| for only those who are wilfully blind
| can fail to see in the circumstances of
| the case the fsllscy of Mr.. Blsipe's
statement. The published fact OF an at
tempt TO subOrn Wirz, when under SEN
tence Of death, by promising him par
don IL he would criminate me in regard
| to the Audersonville prisoners, is con-
elusive. As it was the wish OF the gen.
tlemRn to make such charge against
! me, and his failure to 10 so shows that
nothing could be found to sustain it,
may we not say that the evidence of
my innocence was such that Holt and
Conover, with their trained band of
suborned witnesses, dared not make
against me this charge, which Wirz for
his life would not make, but which Mr..
Blaine for Presidential nomination has
made. Now, let US review the leading
facts OF the case: The report of the Con-
federate commissioner for the exchange
Of prisoners shows how persistent and
liberal were our efforts to secure the re-
lief of the captives. Failing in these at
tempts, instructed General Robert e.
Lee to go, under flag of truce, and seek
an interview with General Grant; to rep.
resent to him the suffering'sn and death OF
the 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 exchange of prisoners.
To this, as to all previous appeals, deaf
ear was turned. L will not attempt,
from memory, to write the report made
to ne OF the incidents OF this mission.
General Lee no longer lives to defend
the cause and the country he loved so
well. and served so efficiently: but Gen.
eral Grant cannot fail to remember so
extraordinary visit, and his objections
to executing the cartel are we'll known
to the public. But whatever else he
may choose to forget of ray efforts in this
regard-the prisoners at AndersonviIle,
and the delegates permitted them to
send to President Lincoln to plead for
a resumption Of the exchange of pris-
oners-he cannot fsil to remember how
willing wss to restore them
to their homes and to the
comforts of which they were
in need, provided the imprisoned SOL
diers Of the C0nfederacy should, in like
manner, be released and returned to US.
This foul accusation, though directed
especially against me, was no doubt in
tended, and naturally must be the ar
raignment Of the south, by whose au-
thoTity and in whose behalf my deeds
were done. It may be presumed that
the feelings and the habits of the south
In that connection any fair mind
would perceive in my congratulstory Or
ders 10 the army after victory that
the troops were most commended for
their tenderness and generosity to the |
wounded and other captives, as well as !
the instincts OF the persons who issued |
the order, and the knightly tempeTs of the |
soldiers to whom it was addressed. 1t is |
admittG d that the prisoners in our hands |
were not as well provided as we would |
have liked to had them, but it is claimed |
that we did as well for them as we |
could. Can the other side say as much |
to the bold allegations Of the ill-treat-
ment of the prisoners by our side, and |
the humane treatment and adequate |
supplies by our opponents? 1t is only |
necessary 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 Confed-
crates, six thousand more Of the Con-
fedtrates died in northern prisons.
Second-The want and suffering of our
men in northern prisons caused me to
ask for permission to send out cotton
and buy supplies for them. The request
was granted, tut only on condition that
the cotton should be cent to New York,
and the supplies be bought there.
General Beale, now OF st. Louis, was
TO purchase and distribute the
needful supplies. Our sympathy rose
with the occasion and responded to IFS de-
mands, not waiting for ten years to
vaunt itself when it could serve no good
purpose to the sufferers. Under the mel
lowing influences of time, and demon
stfations at the north of desire for the
of peace and good will, the
southern people have forgotten much
and forgiven much of the wrongs they
bore. II it be less so among their in
Vaders, 1t is but another example of the
Iule that the wrOng-doer is less able to
forgive than he who has suffered cause
less wrong. 1t is not, however, gene
rally among those who braved the haz-
ards Of battle that the unFelenting vim
dictiveness is to be found-the brave,
the generous and gentle-it is the skulk-
ers Of the fight that blames, who display
their flsg on an untented field. They
made no sacrifice to prevent the separa-
ton Of the States; why should they be
expected to promote confidence Snd
good will, so essential to their union.
When closely confined at Fortress Mon
roe, was solicited to add my name to
those OF many esteemed gentlemen who |
had signed q petition for my pardon,
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 remained, subject to the mex
cusahle privations and tortures which
DR.. Craven has but family described,
when after two years Of close corfine-
ment 1 was admitted to bail. AS often
ss required / appeared for trial under
the indictment found against me, but
in which Mr.. BlSiDe's fictions do
not appear. The Indictment was
finally quashed on no application of
mine, nor have ever evsded or avoided
8 trial on sny charge the general gov
might choose TO bring against
me, and have no view of the future
which makes it desirable TO me to be in
clBded in an amnesty bill. Viewed in the
or as a general question, /
would be glad to see the repeal Of all
lave inflictiDg penalty Of political dis
abilities on ali classes of people; that it
might, 50 prescribed by the constitution,
be left to the courts TO decide the :cause
and offer penalties According to legisls-
fiuu The discrimination made against