The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-02-17

Subject to inexensable priyations and
tortures, which DIR Craven has but
family described, when. after two
years Of close confinement | was aG-
mitted TO bail. as often as required
| appeared for trial, under the indict-
ments found against he, bit in which
Mr. Rlaines ficticns DO not appear.
The indictment was finally quashed,
on no application of mine, nor have |
ever eyaded or avoided a trial On any
charge the General Governmentmight
choose to bring against me, and have
no view of the future, which makes it
desirable to, me To be Included in an
amnesty bill Viewed m the abstract
or as a general question. l would be
glad TO see tho repeal of all laws in
fiictine the Penalty of political disabil-
ties on classes of people, that it might,
as prescribed by the Constitution, he
left to. the courts to decide the cause
and offer penalties according to legis-
lation. The discrimination made
against our people is unjust and impo-
litic, if the fact be equality and the
purpose be fraternity among. the citf-
fens of the United States. Convictioii
and sentence without hearing, with
out jurisdiction, and affixing penalties
by expost facto legislation; are part Of
the proceedings which had its appro-
pirate origin in the assumption by
Congress- Of executive function by
granting pdrdons. To remove politi-
cal disabilities which there was not 8
legal power to impose was not an act
Of so much grace as to form plansi-
bic pretext for the reckless diatribe of
Mr. Blaine. The papers preserved by
DIR Stevenson happily furnish full
proofof the causes of disease and death
at Andersonville. They are now, l
believe, in Richmond, and it is to be
hoped their publication will not be
much longer delayed.
1 have no taste for recrimination,
though the sad recitals made by our
soldiers returned from Northern pris-
Uns can never be forgotten, and you
will remember the excitement they
produced, and the censorious publica-
ton which was uttered against me,
because | would not visit on helpless
prisoners in our hands such barbara
ties as, according to reports, had been
inflicted on our men. Imprisonment
is hard lot at best, and prisoners are
prone to eXaggerate their sutferinsa,
and such was probably the>case en-
both sides; but we did not seek, by re-
ports of committees, with photograph
ic Illustrations, to inhame the passions
of our people. How was it with our
enemies bet one example suffice.
You may remember the published re-
port of the Committee of the United
States Congress which was sent to
Annapolis to visit ssme exchanged
prisoners, and which had appended to
it the photographs of some emaciated
subjects, which were offered as samples
WI pIlSOllGIS 1CIiI uCu hum tLC kOulu.
When a copy of that report was re
ceived, I sent to Sol. Ould, Commits
er for the exchange of prisoners, and
learned, as | anticipated, that the
photographs had been taken from men
whti were in our hospitals when they
were liberated for exchange, and who
the post surgeon regarded as GONZALES
cent but too weak to be removed with
safety to themselves. The anxiety of
the Frisoherssto be sent to their homes
had prevailed over objections of the
surgeon; but-this is not all, for | have
recently learned from a priest sho
was then at Annapolis, that the most
wretChtd looking Of those photos were
taken from a man who hadn heeii
a prisoner, but who had been on a
sick list at Annapolis, when the COM
mand TO which lie was attached had
passed that place on its Southern
march,
] ant respectfully and truly,
Your friend,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.