The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1877-05-12
4 Card from Mrs. st.nerall jackson,
To the Editor of the Southern Home.

A Card from Mrs. StsnewaII Jackson.
To the Editor of the Southern Home:
My DEAR SIR-About two weeks ago
an article appeared in the Atlanta Con-
stituti0nalist giving an account of an in
terview with me, by a reporter of the
Philadelphia Times, and the Times itself
published description of the same in
terview, which was quite different, being
considerably modified and in better
taste; but both articles were written in
a way that was exceedingly Notifying
to me, and were full of misrepresenta-
tons. So great is my shrinking from
publicity, that my first impulse was to
let it die natural death, consoling my
self with the thought that those who
know me would understand how much
of it to believe. But have since re-
ceived from friends letters of advice and
kindly warning, saying it is duty |
owe to myself to make a candid and
firm vindicatiOn of these misrepresenta-
tons, specially where / am reported as
making disparaging remarks and insid-
ious comparisons between my husband
and other Confederate officers. A few
weeks since the editor of the Philadel-
phia Times solicited me to write some
sketches for his paper, whose columns
he had thrown open to Southern
writers for contributions to An
nails of the War;" In view of his lib
eral offer, and the advantage the South
might gain from it, some of my friends
urged me to engage in the work.
1t has long been my intention to write
out my personal recollectiOns of my
husbands life for the sake of his child,
and after full consultation with judicious
friends, it was decided that there could
be no improperly in furnishing suita-
bic sketch to the Times. However, my
promise was only conditional one,
that, if l succeeded in doing the work
satisfactorily to myself and friends, then
only would consent to its publication.
The Times reporter came unexpected
ly to me, sought an interview, and being
a Southern man of kind and pleasant
manners, and protesting to have come
for the purpose of encouraging and as
sisting me in the selection of popular
items, was incautiOusly led into an-
swering too freely the multitude of qucs-
tons with which was piled. l hadn't
the most distant idea that / was talking
for the public, although l must do him
the justice to say he told me he intended
publishing an account of the interview
Still, his Kindness and gentlemanly man.
ners disarmed me of all fear that he
would say any thing Inappropriate l
told him expressly that l did not intend
to publish depreciatory word of any
other public officer, that my husband
was a model of prudence, and never dis
paraged those even of whose policy he
disapproved, and it would be extremely
indelicate for me to do so. / did say
that Gen. Jackson believed in bold,
swift, untiring action, but it was no re-
Election upon others to say this, and the
expression that he wanted to press on
"blindly, furiously, madly," never came
from my lips, and such words are total
ly at variance with his clear-sighted,
calm and resOlute mode of action. am
also represented as "being fully inn
pressed with the belief that if Gen. Jack
son had lived, or if his policy had been
vigorously pursued, the war might have
had different ending" The gentleman
certainly forgot that this expression of
opinion came from himself, and
my reply was that the same remark
was frequently made to me by others.
No man was ever more free from petty
jealousy and detraction of his fellow
officers, or more submissive to superior
authority, than General Jackson was;
and even shadow of an imputation of
this kind would be great injustice
to his unselfish, patriotic spirit and con-
sistent Christian character, and certainly
would be the last person to make such
an impression, or to draw an unfavoras
bic comparison between him and our
noble Generals, Lee and Johnston, or
any other brave Confederate officer.
The discussion in the article of nv
private affairs reveals an indelicacy that
is too painful for me to dwell upon, but
l would fain throw the veil of charity
over the whole publication, which was
clothed in language entirely different
from my own, believing the reporters
zeal in the interest of the Times carried
him beyond his own discretion, and even
betrayed him to publish, without my
knowledge and consent, letter to my
young daughter, which was shown him
simply as d; specimen of the imperti-
nences of the kind to which we had been
subjected.
l respectfully request that all those
which copied the reporters
account of his interview with me will
do me the justice to publish mine.
Yours truly,
NJ. ANNA JACKSON.