Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-10-02
4 correspondent CT the 8a!timore !

Of the Gulf OF Mexico, jefferson Davis gave
me, among other valuable "reminiscences,
some interesting details OF the foreign lcls.
tons of the Confederacy, and OF bow near il
was severa! times to recognition by both
England and France. He spoke in the
kindest terms of Pope Plus IN, who,
he said, was AN angelic man. In 1868, af-
ter reading the publish ed letter of Plus IN.
inviting the Catholic clergy of New Orleans
and New York to use all their efforts for the
restoration Of peace in the United States,
Mr. Davis deemed It proper to convey to
his Holiness by letter his own thanks aud
that of the Southern people for tho charity
and sympathy displayed in that epistie.
Mr.. Davis wrote his letter ca Sept. %, 1868,
and sent it over 10 4. Dudley Mann, the
Confederate commissioner, then 10 Brus-
sells, with instructions to proceed: TO the
Holy See and deliver it in peraon 10 the
Pope
Mr.. Mann received the letter on The 3Otf
of October, and on November 18th was ia
vored with an AUDIENCE Of Plus Y, and pre-
seEted the letter os Mr.. Davis. After g very
agreeable Interview the Pope said: 4 will
write letter for you to convey to Mr.. DA-
Wis Of such q character that ii may DO pub.
lished for genera! pe!ugal' On the 81 CT
December Cardinal Antonelti transmitted 10
Mr.. Mann the Pope's answer 10 Mr. Davis,
in which 10 said he saa overjoyed 10 iinG
Mr.. Davis so peaceful in his nature. and ex-
pressed a. wish that otLer rulers aud people
10 America might DO animated with the
same feelings.
1T has been said that by this letter his 10
illness recognized the SUutheru ConGeleracY,
but there is nothing in i. to support the
claim unless it is the introduction, which is
as follows: TO the lilustrious aud Honora.
BILE Jefferson Davis, President Of the Con.
federate States of America hfter the de-
cease OF the great and nohly good Pic Mono
Mr.. Davis thus wrote Of him 'When oar
wer had closed III the defeat CT the south,
aud | was incarcsratad with treatment the
most needlessly rigorous. if not designedv
cruel: when The Invention of maleuauts
WAS taxed 20 It's utmost &c iahrca,s stories
to defame anG degrade me in the estimation
of mankind; when time servers at home rs
we'll as abroad Joioed in the clY with which
the ignoble ever pursue tie victim, voice
came from aiar 10 chez. ard console ne in
my solitary captivity The Holy Father
cent TO me his likeuIss, #nd beneath i; was
written, by his own Eaad, the comforting
invitation our Lord gives to- All WIG are op.
pressed in these words: 'TsHic ad NE oancs
qui loboratiS, eli ego rcfciam COS Gici Domi.
nus That the inscription WAS photographic
was attested by Al Cardinal Borncbp. De-
camber, 1866. under his seal.
mir Davis is member Ct tho F,pisconaI
Church, and received! on Sunday, the =! OF
April, 1865, the intelligence of the disaster
at Petersburg while seated IN his pew in :.
Pants Church, Richmond, where he had
been a communicate for nearly three
years. The momentous intelligence was
conveyed to him ny q telegram from
r General Lee announcing his speedy
withdrawal from Petersburg, and The con.
sequent necessity for evacuating Rich
mond. Mr.. Davis says: L quietly rose and
left the church. The occurrence probably
attracted attention, hut the people of Rich
nond had boon too long beleaguered, had
known me too often to receive notice oil
threatened attacks, and the congregation Of
st. Paul's was too refined to mako Il scone
at anticipated danger. went to ICY office
end assembled tho heads Of departments
and bureaus, and gsve the ueedlu iustruc
tons for our removal that night siGultane.
ously with Gen Lees withdrawal from u
teraburg rho event w@s net unforeseen
and somo preparation has; been made for j,
though 1t came sooner thsn WAS expected
Myself and staff were occupied uatii i&ti IL
the afternoon arranging my papers ll3 -.
moyal. Being alone in Richmond, mg ,a.3
lily having been sent South sGi2e days be-
fore, the few arrangements uocaful for my
personal wants were soon made after reach
ing home. Then, leaving all else L. care o.
the housclseeper waited until notified O.
the time when tho train would depart; then
going TO the station, startad !or D,uyii!e
whittier supposed Gen. Lee would proceed
with bis army.
"Mr. Davis speaks in strong terms Of tie
double dealings of Louis Napoleon. who,
after inviting Mr. Slidell, the Confederate
!, commissioner, to have Confederate vessels
! built at Cherbourg, and assuring him tha!
there would DO no obstacles to their going
out afterwards, went square back OF his
word because of certain representations of
Mr.. Dayton, the United States ninisterl and
refused to allow them to go ont. When nc
was in France, after tho war, the Emperor
sent him word that i! ha desired au inter
view with him he would he glad to grant IT,
But said Mr.. Davis, 4 wanted no inter-
view with The man who played u false, ard
so promptly replied that did Tot desire
it,. Like Washington, Davis was elniiar.
raised, in q hazardous cuuse, with detection
and discomfort. But. unlike Washington.
Davis did not receive the assistance Ct /;
powerful ally at the moment when aid could
be most serviceably employed
Referring to the 'iIem1ir Of Uric Dahl
greu, by his father, Rear Admiral Dah!.."n, !
in whch it is stated that tho object Of Col
Dahlgren's expedition to Richmond in Feb.
ruary, 1861, wac undertaken aolely to re-
lease the csptiva Uuion prisoners who were
confined III tho Confederate capital, Mr. Da
Wis spoke very warmly, and gave some new
and interesting details. He sag: 'Onthe baay
OF Dahlgren was found an address to his off .
Gers and men, another paper giving special
orders and instructions, aud Que giving biz
itinerary, the whole disclosing the IN.
soldierIy meaus anu purposes of the
raid, such as Disgusting the men in
our uniform, carrying supplies OF oak.
um and turpsntine to bum Richmond
and, after releasing their prisoners on Belle
Isle, to eShort than 10 destroy tho hateful
city, while Gu I'll was impressed the special
injunction that the city must be burned and
jeff Davis and cabinet killed" Mir Davis
says the family of Col. Dahlgtcn aad othrr
Northern writer's have sntesvorea 10 prove
that the pauerS were torrrIia- shut ;Ihntn