Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-02-24
MRS. DAVIS
Makes a Public Demand
on General Miles.
Wants Him to Produce a Letter
He Says She Wrote.
Also Further Arraisns Him for At.
ttude in Recent Controversy.

Savannah. ia. Feb. 23.--ln letter to
III" Savannah Press. Mrs. Jefferson Da-
Wis calls upon Gen. Nelson A. Miles to
I letter which he says he received
from her thanking him for his care of
jefferson Davis while II prisoner. or to
cease his references - it to justify his
treatment Of lne president of the con-
s-reracy. Sh- s;iy: in her letter:
AS | understand. Cen. Miles claims
that he has su"h Il not. IN his POSSES
Son. ] have not the least memory of
having writtan s,lch q hOte to him. 1t
is conceivable that. while ignorant Of
The facts or in hopeful recognition Of
SOME Improvement IN the treatment in
rtictcG upon m. husband. | may have
made some acknowledgment of what |
may have construed as common hui
manty At a tim" when had | known
IL. facts as they existed | never could
nant protest.
Forty years have nassed since Gen.
Miles, prrpetl .tt"ti the cruellies fO-
" hi'h he is now undergoing some meas
ere of punishment at the hands OF his
own public. Dun ing that period he has
not hesitated To shift the responsible
u for his act upon Others. The publica-
Iion g. the distinctions under which
he claims to have acted. and the corre-
%ponGence which red up 10 them, haze
long since convinced every candid mind
that his tre2tme d Mr.. Davis was
S'ra'uit0;S. n"ii'l"r Justified nor re-
uuired by the orders of his superiors.
1T has long since cOnclusively ap-
Oeared that he invited authority to do
what he knew Ia be unnecessary and
cruel and that he prevented the instruc-
tons which h" I'D receive into a Ii
cense to infiict indignity and needless
suffering upon helpless prisoner
overwhelmed by misfortunes and in
the agnoy of physical pain.
No one at any time could by any
possibility have oecoE'e more thor
oughly convinced :han Gen. Miles that
q pressing necessity was upon him to
establish by every scrap of evidence
that he had been misunderstood OF
N srcpresenta.l. Tho public mind has
long ago passed the point where Gen.
Miles by NEE assertion could revers"
The judgment passed unoi' him. His
distinguished lccusCr was known Of all
men to be Of SDotleSS honor. one who
could not by any possibility stOop to
:hisr"present the mos. trivial act of his
most contemplate enemy.
THE public attention cannot be de-
nected from the terrible charges under
which Gen. Miles rests bv controver-
~ over u letter conc erning even the
,,f, Of ,yti 81
advanced than the bare assertion of
Gen. Miles. But in 50 ia" as it may
be of any Importance. my estimate OF
Cen. Miles character is such that
I'm constrained to demand that. Il the
letter exists. 4 Photographic reproduce
ton. showing the date the place of
writing. the contents and the signature
be given to The public. IF il Is OF the
vital Importance which Gen. Miles
seems to claim. surely the situation
from his own standpoint suggests that
the slight trouble involved would be
justified
awakened t. the Nervousness of his
conduct by /: loser association with
educated gentlemen he doubtless feels
The shame which StaEi and clingS to
him now that the passions attendan.
upon war are Iassins Gway and the
stands forth revealed to his country
me n in his true light
I'VE are cautioned in Holy Writ not
to bring railing accusation against
any sinner. however great his fault,
and | do not desire any controversy
With any one, especially not with one
whose perceptions OF truth are SO
Y; cue and miSty. Respectfully,
". JEFFERSON DAVIS"