The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-08
To this Davis makes this response:

New ORLEANS, Jan 27th, 1876.
Hon. JAMES LYoNs-My Dear Friend:
Your very kind letter of the l4th, inst,
was forwarded from Memphis and has
been received at this place. | have been
so long an object OF malignant SANDER. and
and the subject of INSCRIPTIONS faiseho6ds
by partisans, of the class OF Mr.. Blaine,
that, though | cannot say it has BECOME to
me matter Of Indifference it has ceased
to excite my surprise, even in this instance,
when it reached the extremity of accusing
me OF cruelty to prisoners. What matters
it to Que whose object is personal and parry
advantage that the records, both fedora!
and confederate, disproved the charge;
that the country is full Of witnesses who
bear oral testimony against it, and that the
effort to revive the bitter animOsities Of
war 0bstructs the progress toward the
reconciliation Of sections? 1t is enough
for hun if his self-seeking purpose be pro-
NOTED. II would, however, seem probable
that such expectations must be dlsapolnt-
ed, for only those who are williully blind can
fail to see in the circumstances Oft the case the
fallacy of Mr. Blaine statements. The pub
Gshed fact OF an attempt to subOrn Nlrz,
when under sentence Of death, by pro-
missing him pardon if he would criminate
Ire i'll regard to the Andersonviile pr
soners, 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 that the evidence of my limo
cence was such that Holt and Conover,
with their trained band of suborned
witnesses, dared not make against me this
charge-the same 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 this case
Tie report of the confederate commissioner
for the exchange of prisoners shows how
persistent and liberal were our efforts to
secure the relief Of captives. Failing in
these attempts, / instructed Gen. X. Il
Lee to go under flag of truce and seek az
interview with Gen. Grant, to present tC
him the suffering and death of the fedora
prisoners held by US, to explain the causes
which were beyond our control, and t
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. will mo-
attempt, from memory, to write the report
made to me of the incidents of thi:
mission, Lee no longer lives to defend the
cause and country he loved so well anC
served so efficiently, but Gen. Grant
cannot fail to remember 50 extraordinary ;
visit, and his objections to executing tht
cartel are well known to the public; bu
whoever else may choose to forget my
efforts in this regard, the prisoners a
Andersouville and the delegates | per
mitted them to send to President Lincolr
to plead for the resumption of the ex
change of prisoners cannot fail Il
remember how willing l was to restore
them to their homes and to the comforts O
which they were in need, provided thu
imprisoned soldiers of the coniederacy
should be, In like manner, released anC
returned to us. This foul accusation
though directed specially against me, wa
no doubt, intended and naturally mus
be the arraignment of the south. by whose
authority and in whose behalf my deed
were done. Any fair mind will perceive il
my congratulatory orders to tn,
army after a victory, il which the troops
were most commended for their tenderness
and generosity to the wounded and othe
captiYes, as well as iu the instincts of tn,
person who issued the order, and in tn,
soldiers to whom it was addressed, fire,
from an inhuman feeling. 1t was admitted
that the prisoners in our hands were no
as well treated as we would wish, but it i
claimed that we did as we'll for them a
we could. Can the other side say a
much? To the bold allegations of the il
treatmenrof the prisoners by our side, an,
the humane treatment and adequate
supplies by our opponents it is only neces
sary to offer two facts:
l: Ii appears from the reports of tn
United States war department that, thougI
we had 10000 more federal prisoners tina
they had of confederafes, 5000 more Q
the confederates died 10 northern prion
than there died Of federals in souther
prisons
n. We want md .spffaring. of tha me