Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-05-31
TALK Win JEFF. DAVIS.
TIE rx.rREsrDENr,s VIEWS


ker,hera Members Of che Ceurs-Hss Not
re,i,,ened fer Removal OF Disabilities.
lBy telegraph TO the Dspaich.l
WASHINGTON, May 30.--Dr. A. Y.
T.. Garrett. physician OF tins CITY,
while on recent trip South visited Mr..
Jefferson Davis, with whom he has had
long and intimate acquaintance. The
Star this evening publishes an inter-
view with DIR. Garnest, in which the
views OF the ex-Confederstc President
are given upon the political situation
and other matters. DR.. Garrett says
Z" In the course Of our conversation
during the day" replied the Doctor,
"Mr. Davis alluded TO the political
condition Of the country by saying that
he knew nothing Of the present Execu-
tive, and that he had not yet progressed
Ear enough with the Administration for
him 10 form an opinion OF IT. lie
seemed satisfied with the members OF
the Cabinet selected from the South,
but not disposed, l thought, TO enter
tain a very hopeful view Of our future,
as he said that respect, love, and ven
GRAFTON for the Constitution which ami
mated the citizens Of the United States
before the war had now departed from
our people, and that the system Of gov
crnmcnt erected by our forefathers ex-
listed only in name that there were
elements Of disintegration and diSrup-
tion at work in our midst which could
only be restrained and held in check
by force that the underlying and funda-
mental principles upon which our
system OF government was erected,
and upon which the Constitu-
ton as it was before the war
rested, are fast becoming obsolete,
forgotten by the old men and never
learned by the young; that under the
rule Of Republcsnism during the war
and subsequent TO it the Constitution
was made rope Of sand, and that
whilst this party of so-called liberal
ideas was proclaiming universal free
dom and equality on the one hand, they
were tearing down and blotting out the
very safeguards and defcnceS which
alone under our form Of government
could secure it TO them"
Speaking Of Commodore Bullock's
book, which discloses the secret his
tory of the Confederate agents in Eng
land during the war for procuring ships,
the Doctor continued, after a pause,
"Mr. Davis exhibited much feeling at
what he characterized the duplicity
and meanness of the English Govern
Iuent in its conduct towards the South,
and whilst that Government would per-
init the United States to purchase and
take away as many ships as it desired,
there was always some pretext found
TO prevent the sailing Of those vessels
purchased by any agent or citizen of
the Confederacy, although such vessels
were entirely unarmcd.'
81 asked him if it was true that he
had authorized any petition to be pre-
scented to the Federal authorities to
have his disabilities renewed. lie re-
piled very emphatically in the negative,
and added that he had written an open
letter to the author Of that petition
calling his attention to that fact. He
said that he had at all times been
perfectly willing to undergo trial,
if the Government thought proper
TO bring on such an issue, pro-
yided he was to be tried strictly
under the provisions OF the Constitu-
ton. He spoke his convictions and
intelligent judgments Of public affairs
with freedom and independence un-
trammelled by considerations of policy.
l note that word policy. 1t is a syno-
nym for duplicity, ayarice, and cow
ardicc. 1t particularly gratified me to
converse once more with man who
was perfectly honest in what he said,
and fOrcihly recalled to my mind the
rccollections and associations Of ante
deiium days, when we had states
men whose utteranccS were the insplra-
tions Of patriotism and not the cunning
devices and selfish calculations of poll
cy. There are no statesmen of the
present day, because there are no per-
fectly pure patriots. Some there are
who under the glamour of pseudo ma
tional reputation, or the guise of an
idiosyncratic genius, would have us
mistake the efforts OF purely selfish
and prurient ambition for the dictates
Of disnlerested and self-abnegating
patriotism, but TO me at least they are
transparent, and think that | can
readily detect the frauds. Mr.. Davis
certainly does not belong to that
class"