The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-02-08
JEFF. DAVIS ON BLAINE.
His Efforts fr. Behalf of an Exchange
of Prtsoners-The Mortality I'm Fed
eral and Confederate Prisons Con-
eraStesf.


speech OF cx-Spcakcr Blaine in the House on
the amnesty bill, Mr.. Davis mas responded.
We give Mr.. Days's letter in full:
NEW ORLEANS. January 3, 1876.
Hon. James lyons Ny Dear FricuG,-
Your very Kind letter Of the 14th instant was
forwarded from Memphis, and has been
received Ii this place.
| have been so long the Object Of malignant
SANDER and the subject of INSCRIPTIONS
falsehcod by partiSanS Of the class OF Dir.
Blaine that. though cannot Say il has be-
c1me 10 me roatter OF Indifference, it has
ceased TO cXc!tc my surprise even 10 this
instance. when it. reaches the extremity OF
accusing ne Of cruelty 10 prisoners. what
matters i. to one whose object Is personal
and party advantage that tue records, both
Federal snd Confederate, disprove the
charge: that the country is full Of witnesses
who bc4r oral testimony against it, and that
the eff jrt TO revive the bitter animosites of
the war osstructs the progress toward the
reconciliation of the sections! 1t is enough
for him if his self-seeking purpose be pro-
NOTED.
|. would, however, seem probable that
such expcclatiCus must be disappointed, for
only those who are wilfully blind can fail 10
see 10 the circumstances Of the case the fall
Ii,hed fact of an attempt 10 subOrn WuZ,
when under sentence of death, by promising
him Il pardon if be would criminate me 10 re.
gard 10 the AuGcrsonvile prisoners, is con-
elusive a. to the wish Of the Government to
make such charge against me, and the failure
TO do so she MS that nothing could be found
to sustain it. May We not say the evidence
of my innocence was such that Holt and
COnoycr, With their trained band olsuborncd
witnesses, dared not make against me this
cbarge-the same whcs Wiz. for bis life,
would not make, but which Blaine, for the
presidential nomination, has made!
Now let us review the leading facts OF this
case. The report Of the Confederate com.
mi. soner for exchange of prisoners shows
how persistent and liberal were our efforts
to secure the relief Of captives. Failing in
those attempts, instructed General Il. (.
LIE to 90 under flag Of truce and seek an in
terview with Gene -al Grant, to represen. to
him the suffering and death OF Federal pri-
soners held By us, to explain the causes which
| were beyond our contrsl, and to urge iu the
name Of humanity the observance OF The
cartel for the exchange of prisoners. TO
this, az to all previous appeals, a
| 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 an6 country be loved so vel! aud
served SO efficiently; but General Grant
cannot fail to remember so extraordinary q
visit, and his objections to executing the
cartel are well known to the public. But
whoever else may choose 10 forget my efforts
in this regard, the prisoners at Anderson.
vile and the delegates l permitted them TO
send to President Lincoln to plead fer the
resumption Of exchange of prisoners cannot
fail to remember bow willing l was to re-
store them to their homes and to the COM
forts OF which they were 10 need. provided
the imprisoned soldiers Of the Con(cderacy
should be in like manner released and re-
turned TO us.
This foul accusation. though directed spe-
cially against me, was no doubt intended as,
and naturally must be, the Arrangement OF
the South, by whose authority and in whose
behalf III! deeds were done. 1t may be pre-
sumed that tue feelings and the habits of the
southern soldiers were understood by me,
and in that connection aDy fair mind would
perceive in my congra,uatory orders to the
army after victory, in which the troops
were most commended for their tenderness )
and generosity to the wounded and other
captves, as well the instincts Of the per-
son who issued the order as the knighty
temper of the soldiers to whom ii was adj
dressed. 1t ia admitted that tie prisoners
in our hands were not as we'll provided for
as we would, but it is claimed that we did
Us we'll for til, N as we could. Can the other
, side say Us much:
To the bold allegations Of ill treatment of
prisoners by our side, and humane treatment
and adequate supplies by our opponents, it
is only necessary TO offer two facts-Grst, it
appears from the reports of the United
States War Department that though we had
sixty thousand more Federal prisoners than
they had Of Con(ederateS, six thousand more
Of Confederates died in northern prisons
than died Of Federals in southern prisons :;
second, the want and suffering of men in
northern prisons caused me to ask for per-
mission to send cut cotton and buy supplies
for them. The request was granted but
oaly on condition that the cotton should
be. sent to New York and the supplies be
bought there. General Beale, now of St.
Louis, was authorized to purchase and dis
tribute the needful supplies.
Our sympathy rose with the occssion and
responded to Its demands-not waiting for
ten years, then to yaunt itself when it could
serve no good purpose to the sufferers.
Under the mellowing influence of time
and occasional demonstrations at the North
of desire for the restoration of peace and
good will the southern people have forgotten
much-have forgiven much of the wrongs
they bore. II it be less so among their in-
vaders, it is but another example of the rule
that the wrong,doer is less able to forgive
than he who. has suffered causeless wrong.
1t is not, however, generally among those
who braYed the hagards Of battle that unre.
| lenting vindictiyeness is to be found. The
brave are generous and gentle. 1t is the
skulkers of the fight-the Baines-who dis
play their flags on all untented field. They
made no sacrifice to prevent the separation
of the States. Why should they be expected
to promote the confidence and good will es-
sential to their union. -..'
| When closely confined at Fortress Monroe
| was solicited TO add my name to those of
many esteemed gentlemen who had signed a
| petition for my pardon, and an assurance
was given that on my doing so the President
would order my Liberation. Confident of
4 the justice of our csuseand the rectitude of
4 my own conduct, 1 declined TO sign the Pc
| titlon, and remained subject to the inexcusa-
BILE privations and tortures which DR.. Craven
has but family described. When, after two
years Of close confinement, was admitted
to bail, as Often as required appeared for
trial under theindictment found against me.
but in which Mr. Blaine's fictions do not an.
peas. The indictment was finally Quashed
/ on no application ef-Eaine nor have I. eyer
eyaded or avoided g trial upon any charge
the General Government might choose to
bring against me, aud have no view of the
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