The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-09-05
OONFEDERATE TALK.
EN-PHFaIpENT JoHNooN's FAMILY
WE'RE NOT ABUSED.

There Was No smAiipoH In his Array ths
wintsr Referred to-The oeafsdeFats
General HAD Two Interviews with ths
PTssidsnl-Ths other Tales Raaaiiy
uatms.
DuRHAM, N. o., Sept l,-'Not long
since thars appeared IN the Washington
correspondence Of the New York Even
Ing Telegram q story concerning tho dis
tinguiehed southernef and valiant eN'
Confederate soldier, Gen. Longsireet,
The narrative opens by declaring that
Gen. Longatreet Ia "bitierly remembered
for his treatment OF the family OF en-
President johnson during the war. The
story then proceeds 10 relate how Den,
f.OngHtreet when In command OF the
Confederate forces In Tennessee, "dIoye
the ladies Of the family from their
home" Mr, johnson and his sons had
crossed tho mountains into North Caro-
lima, and the family were practically
without male protection, whom Gen,
I0ngtreet Ia alleged 10 have effected
eOrdlng 10 the story, he turned tho eie'
CANT residence OF the eH'prealdent into
d smallpox hospital, broke into his
library, d small frame house which sel
out from the dwelling In beautiful
grove,
The Spelling Book Done,
In this little building Mr., johnson had
formerly worked AT his trade, and after
ward had turned II lnt0a library, From
this house Gen, LOngatreet 10 alleged %
have taken the ex'prealdent'a books and
papers and "diatrlbuted them among the
soldiers" After the war many Of these
books and documents were returned 70
Mr., Johnson, but the one ho priced
most, the little worn blue-baok spelling
book, from which no had learned 10
spell after reaching manhood, no never
recovered, The narrative concludes
with the statement that when, In the
changes OF war, Mr., johnson became
president, that Longatreet gave the
White House q very wide berth.
The Statements have, since their orlgi'
nal appearance In tho New York papers,
been quite generally puhliahed In many
parts Of the country, and % tho report
has been reiterated, II has become
clothed with additional inaccuracies,
until tho account as now published 70
full Of errors,
Gen, Longatreet, deemlng the matter
worthy Of correction, has written q lot.
tor 10 Mr.. Edward A, Oldham, editor OF
The Globe, In which no eayai
A Sweeping Denial.
There 10 not one word Of truth In the
observations contained In the New York
Evening Tolemama recent article rofer-
ring 10 theoonduct OF the Confedentea In
Fast Tennemee during the winter OF
1858 and W. Had thero been, II n hardly
possible that such facts could escape
notice for no many years, Union people
within our lines were under the same
orders and treatment ha were the Con-
fOdoralca. unlQni0is who wiahed to 80
north were given safe conducts, and
when they asked FOR Gcorts were sent
out undor military protection. There
was no case Of smallpox In the command
during that winter, 10 for ~ | now TO-
inombOr, and tho Confederate inspection
surgeon reported 10 me that tho hrmy
was healthier than any other Of the Con.
federatee In the field, During my frat
visit 10 Washington after the surrender,
| called 10 aed Gen. Grant, Secretary
stanton and Prcaldent johnson. The lat.
Tor gave mo quito long interview, and
when arose 10 take leave invited me 70
mako another call the next day. Tho
following day | had another sitting OF
probably an hours duration. AZ no
lime Of our conversation did lac allude
20 the conduct Of the Confodoratoa In
East Tenncsaeo or elsewhere, except that
no said, There aro three men OF the
south who can mover receive amnesty,
Mr.. Davis Gen. Lee and yourselfi YOU
have done the Union cause too much
damage