The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-02-18
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
HIS Reply TO BIaine-The Condition O1
Northern and Southern Prisoners.

|
ing letter to Judge Lyons, Richmond
Va:
New ORLEANS, Jan. 27, 1876.
Hon. JAMES LYONS:
My DEAR FRIEND-Your very kind letter
of the 18th inst 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 ] can't say il has become
to me matter OF Indifference, it has ceased
! to excite my surprise, even in this instance,
| when ii reaches the extremity OF accusing me
of cruelty to prisoners. What matters it to
| one whose object is personal and party adj
| vantage, that the records of both Federal
and Confederate disprove the charge, that
! the country Is full of witnesses who bear
oral testimony against it, and that the efforts
| to revive bitter animosltles OF war Obstructs
! the progress toward reconciliation of the
sections? 1t is enough if his self-seeking pur-
| pO Sc be promoted. 1t would, however, seem
| that such expectations must be disappointed,
! for only those who are willfully blind can
| fail to see in the circumstances of the Gase
| the fallacy of Mr.. Blaine's statement. The
| published fact of an attempt to subOrn WiZ
when under the sentence of death, by promis-
| ing him pardon if he could criminate me in
regard to the AndersOnville prisoners, is
conclusive as to the wish of the government
to do so shows that nothing could be found to
sustain it. May we not say that the evidence
of nav 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 Blaine, for the presidential
Nomination, has made now
Let us review the leading facts of the ease.
The report of the confederate commissioner
for the exchange of prisoners shows how
persistent and liberal were our efforts to Sc
cure the relief of captives. Failing in these
attempts, 1 instructed Gen. r. Z. Lee to go
under flag of truce and seek an interview
with Gen, Grant, to represent TO him the
suffering and death of the federal prisoners
held by us, and TO explain the causes, which
were beyond our control, and also to urge,
in the name of humanity, the observance OF
the cartel for the exchange OF prisoners. To
this, as 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 de-
fend the cause and country he loved so well,
and served so efficiently; but Gen. Grant
cannot fail to remember so extraordinary
visit and his objections to executing the
cartel are well known TO the public. But
whoever else may choose to forget my efforts
IN this regard, the prisoners at Anderson
Vile and the delegates permitted them TO
send TO President Lincoln, to plead for the
cannot fail to remember how willing was
to restore them to the homes and to the
comforts of which they were in need, pro-
vided the imprisoned soldiers of the cOnfed-
eraey should be in like manner released and
returned to us. This foul accusation, though
directed especially against me, was no doubt
intended, and naturally must be the arraign-
inent of the south, by whose authority and
in whose behalf my deeds were done. 1t
NAV be presumed that the feelings and hab-
its of southern soldiers were tully under
stood by me, and in that connection any fair
man would perceive in my cOngratulatory
orders TO the army after victory, in which
the troops were most commended Tor their
tenderness and generosity to the wounded |
aud other. caDtiyeS, as well rs the instincts OF
the persons who issued the order, as the
knightlv tempers of the soldiers to whom it
was issued. 1t is admitted that prisoners IN |
our hands were not as well provided Tor as |
we would liked to have had them, but 1t Is |
claimed that we did well for them as we |
could. Can the other side say as much? To |
the bold allegations of ill-treatment OF |
prisoners by our side, and the humane treat !
men and adequate supplies by our opponents |
it is only necessary TO offer the facts:
l. 1t appears from reports of the United |
States war department that though we had i
10000 more federal prisoners than they had |
cOnfederates, 6,00G more of the cOnfederates
died in northern prisons.
2. The want and suffering of men in the |
northern prisons caused me to ask for per
mission to send out 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 be bought |
there. Gen. Beale, now OF st. Louis, was |
to purchase and distribute the |
needful supplies.
Our sympathy rose with the occasion, and |
to its demands, not waiting for |
ten years then to vaunt itself, when it could |
serve no purpose TO the sufferers. Under the |
mellowing influences of time and the dem |
onstrations at the north of a desire for the
estoratiOn of peace and good Will, the south !
ern people have forgotten much, have for |
given much of the wrongs they bore. If it !
be less so among their invaders, it is but an
other example of the rule that the wrong |
doer is less able to forgive than he who has |
suffered causeless wrong. 1t is not, how
ever, generally among those who braved the
hazards of war that unrelenting vindictive-
ness is 10 be fOund-the brave are generous
and gentle. 1t is the skulllers of the fight
the Blaines-who display their flag On an un-
tented field. They made no sacrifice to pre-
vent the separation of the states. Why
should they be expected TO promote conf
dence and good will essential to their union
When closely confined at Fortress Monroe
was solicited to add my name to those
Of many esteemed gentlemen who had
signed petition for my pardon, and an as
|
president would order my liberation. Con-
ident of the justice of our cause and the
rectitude of my own conduct, | declined to
sign the petition, and remained subject to
neXcusable privatons and tOrtures, which
DR.. Craven has but family described, when, |
after two years of close confinement | was
admitted to bail. As often as required APP
peared for trial under the indictments found
against me, but in which Mr.. Blaine's fctiOns
10 not appear. The Indictment was finally
Iuashed, on no application of mine, nor have
ever evaded or avoided a trial on any charge
he general government might choose to
BRING against me, and nave no view of the
uture which makes it desirable to me to be
included in any amnesty bill. Viewed in
he abstract, or as a general question, i
would be glad TO see the repeal of all laws
niicting the penalty of political disabilities
)n classes of people; that it might, as pre-
'cribed by the constitution, be left to the
courts to decide the cause and offer penalties
according to legislation. The discrimination
made against our people is unjust and i'm
polite, if the fact be equality and the pur-
pose be fraternity among the citizens of the
United States. Conviction and sentence
without a hearing, without jurisdiction, and
lfhXing penalties by eX post facto legisla-
ion, are part of the proceedings which had its
appropriate origin in the assumption by
congress of executive function by granting
DardOns. To remove political disabilities
which there was not legal power TO impose
was not an act of so much grace as to form a
plausible preteXt for the reckless diatribe OF
Mr.. Blaine. The papers preserved by DIR.
stevenson happily furnish full proof of the
'auses of the disease and death at Anderson
7ille. They are now, l believe, in Rich
nond, and it is to be hoped their publiea-
ion Will not be much longer delayed.
| have no taste for recrimination, though
he sad recitals made by our soldiers re-
urned from northern prisons can never be
and you will remember the excite
nent they produced, and the censorious pub
icatiOn which was uttered against me, be
,ause l would not visit on helpless prisoners
n our hands such barbarties as according
o reports, had been inflicted on our men.
is a hard lot at best, and pri-
Oners are prone to exaggerate their suffer
ngS, and such was probably the ease on both
ides; but we did not seek, by reports of
committees, with Photographic illustrations,
o inhame the passions of our people. How
vas 1t with our enemies? Let one example
utice You may remember the published
-epOrt OF the committee of the United States
congress which was sent to Annapolis to
-isit some exchanged prisoners, and which
rad appended TO it the photographs of some
,maciated subjects, which were offered as
samples of prisoners returned from the