Washington sentinel., 1900-08-11

character and intelligence, Of whom It
could not be pretended that they we're
IN any manner connected with the
charges under consideration, or other
wise Of doubtful credibility.
When time shall have softened passion
and prejudice, when reason shall have
stripped the mask from misrepresenta.
ton. then Justice, holding evenly her
scales, will require much of past censure
and praise to change places.
Had this despicable attempt to involve
Jefferson Davis in whole ale conspiracy
against the Union prisoners succeeded,
the South would have dearly paid the
penalty That section would have been
treated as a military conquest, like Porto
Rico and the Philippines are treated
now their right to self government
would be wiped out. and they made
mere provinces to he robbed and
pluudered by a Republican oligarchy
Fortunately the brave manner IN
which Wirz died, and the feeling which
gradually became more general that
there had been something wrong IN this
trial, saved Jeff Davls's life, and pre-
vented the Republican military conspir
ators from carrying out their plans. A
ge1eTal reaction get in and the great
trouble with the Republican leaders
then was how 20 get rad OF Jefferson
Davis. who was still kept in his prison
at Fortress Monroe
Finally on the I4th OF May, 1867, he
was delivered to the civil authorities,
was al once admitted to bail, Mr. Greeley
and Mr. Gernt Smith going personally
to Richmond, in attestation OF their
belief that wrong had been done DAVIS
in holding him SO long accused upon
those charges, now abandoned.
1t IS not improbable that a letter,
addressed by the writer to the American
people, and dated April 4th, 1867. which
We shall print in the next issue Of the
WASHING ON SENTINEL and In which
letter we charged that Wirz had been
murdered, was instrumental in bringing
about this discharge OF Mr., Davis a few
weeks later.
had read this letter to President
Andrew Johnson a lew days before
left for Europe, IN May, He was quite
surprised on hearing these facts, which
seemed to be unknown to him, and he
asked when and where this letter had
been published.
When told that II had appeared in all
the leading papers OF this country. be
wished to know if anybody had contra
dlcted il. then told him that nobody
had answered 1t because it contained
the truth. ! then added that # at the
time when begged OF him (the Presi
denD the life of Wirz. he had commuted
the sentence, the committing OF this
great wrong could have been avoided.
At his request / handed him a copy of
the New York W0rH containing my
letter, which he said he would keep in
the Executive Mansion archives. AT
any rate Jefferson Davis was released
fourteen days later. without trial. and so
were all the others slleged to be
involved in the Andersonville atrocities
The really guilty who caused the
deaths at AndersOnville. were the Re
publican generals who forbade the
exchange Of prisoners. Grant, the prin.
cpal one OF them. was elected President
twice over by the Republican party.
Captain Wirz was the only one who
suffered for the murder Of thousand, OF
American soldiers, for refusal to ex-
change or to give them medicines and
letting them starYe was murder
Jefferson Davis wrote me the following
letter shortly before he died, which
letter has never been published before;
Private. Beauvois. MISS.
Ostober S, 1881.
LOUIS Schade. Esq.
My Dear Sir: | have often felt with
pOignantTegretth that the Southern public
have never done Justice to the martyr
Captain WirZ. With a wish to do some
thing TO awake due consideration for his
memory l write to ask you to give me
true circumstances as early as may oe
agreeable 20 yougoi the visit made TO
HIM the night before his execution when
he was tempted by the offer Of pardon
if he would cTfminate me and thus
exouerate himself from charges Of which
he was innocent aud with which | had
no connection.
Respectfully and truly YOURS,
JEFFERsoN DAVIS.
All honor to Jefferson Davis who had
not, like others, forgotten the poor
adopted citizen and still reminded the
Southern fpeopIe, in TACT, we ought 10