, 1877-11-10
Jefferson Davis.

! Jefferson Davis.
The following facts bring up
anew, says the Atlanta, (Ga.
Constitution, what was once a
whispered question:
"Did Mr.. johnson, in his con-
duct toward Mr.. Davis, seek to
pay q debt of gratitude to his
once preserver?"
New ORLEANS, ,April26, 1866.
[confientisl.l
DEAR SIR: - The inclOsed
statement is from a gentleman
whose acquaintance l made at
Abingdon, Va, where he called
on me during the war. He was
then Colonel in the Confeder-
ate States army, and had authori-
ty to raise regiment, and was
captured and served through a
long imprisonment at Johnson's
Island, and was only exchanged
short time before the fall of
Richmond. He is now in one of
the largest commercial houses of
New York. l can not doubt the
truth of the statement, for can
conceive of no interest that
Greenwood could have to lie in
the matter, even were he capa-
bic of uttering falsehood. He
does not feel that Davis treated
him we'll or properly during the
struggle, l happen to know long
since. He communicated the
facts to me only to-day, and |
requested him to let me reduce
them to writing, and to place
them before you privately and
contidentlally; for l thought you
ought to know it. l know were
1 in your place, and such facts
were connected with me, or
crisis in my life, and he who had
so served me was situated as
Davis Is, l should like to know
the facts. I write this, then,
more in kindness to you than to
your State prisoner. 1t is curl
GUS as romance.
l am desired by Mr.. Green
wood to request that you will
regard the communication as
confidential. He seems to shrink
from the appearance of officious-
ness, and says he would not
have this get to the papers for
any money.
l hope, sir, that you will ap-
preciate my own motive in send
ing you this paper, and that you
will regard me as, very respect
fully, your obedient servant.
HUMPHREY MARSHALL.
Honorable Andrew johnson.
Accompanying the letter was
the following statement of facts,
signed by Mr.. Greenwood him.
self:
Alexander G.. Greenwood, resi-
dent of the city of New Orleans,
states that in the year 1861 he
was on duty as a confederate
officer, at Bristol, East Tennes-
see; knows that conspiracy was
entered into to attack Andrew
johnson, now President of the
United States, on his return
from Washington to Tennessee.
He states that the leaders Of this
movement meant to secure Mr..
Johnson's person and to hang
him or take his life in the at
tempt to do so. That a few mo-
ments only before the cars stop
ped warning. was given Of Mr..
Johnson's being on the cars and
there was a hurrying to carry
the purpose of the mob into exc
cution. At the same time the
undersigned was warned by JEFF
ferson Davis, President of the
Confederate States of America,
to move the cars to Bristol, so
as to avoid the danger that threat
ened the life of Mr.. johnson.
and it was after partial assault
had been made on the cars and
some menaces had been ad-
dressed to Mr.. johnson, that the
undersigned, in obedience to the
orders of President Davis and to
save Mr.. Johnson's life or him
from great bodily harm, ordered
the instant progress of the cars
to Jonesborough, which order
was obeyed, and thus Mr.. John
sou was saved by the interposi-
ton of Mr.. Davis. How Mr..
Davis knew Of Mr.. Johnson's
danger the undersigned does not
know; he only obeyed the posi-
tive order, and claims no credit
therefor, and had no personal
feeling at the time to avoid or
thwart the mob. The rescue was
effected simply in pursuance OF
Mr.. Davis orders, which were
positive, and stated their object,