The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-19
ANSWER TO 5CHURz
ATTACK ON DAVIS.
Col. Shelton Defends the Reputa.
ton of the President of the
confederacy.
aol,or Of rhe Tlmes. Dispatch:

Editor OF The Times Dispatch:
Sir,--In April Mcclure's.- General
Carl schnrz. in his article. THE South
After the War" has the following to
say about President Jefferson Davis,
VIZ:
When wrote that letter, I. of
course, had in mind the trial OF Jefferson
Davis. and one sof the late senators
from Alabama, Clement c. Clay. who
when he found himself charged with
completely In the murder OF Abraham
Lincoln, voluntarily surrendered him
self to General James II. Wilson. and
Was incarcerated with Jefferson Day-.
1s in Fortress Monroe. Tho Immediate
accompices OF Booth wcro tried by a
military court appointed for the pur-
pose. and met their fate on the gall
lows. But as TO Jefferson Davis, 1t
soon became painfully clear how car
rect Abraham Lincoln's instinct was,
when in hts quaint way, he expressed
the wish that. 'unbeknownst to him
self tho Confederate chieftan might
escape. As an exile from his country
who had sought personal gafety in
flight. he would soon have been re-
duced to a minimum OF signhcanco;
but imprisoned i'll "A dungeon. the great
representative OF the lost cause, the
prestige of insrtyrdorn. was thrust up
on him. and, when by some mis-
take. or official stupidity, chains were
Tor short time put upon his limbs
lie appeared In the aurcole of :. hero
suffering for his people unhcardof tor
lnents and indignities at the hands OF
rutilcssly vindictivc foe. This pres
1ige of martyrdom gave him still n
certain measure of influence upon the
opinion, or the ina sination OF til.
Southern people. lie subsequently,
"a ~ u lac s
lee did IN his frank and gen
arous way. TO encourage among his
friends loyal acceptance OF tho o.
DER of these things. and a patriotic
devotion 10 tho restored public. but
rather TO fonient in a more or less con
cealed way, sullcn animosity against
the Union lie stimulated the brooalns
over past disappointments rather than
cheeftm contemplated of new ,,,-
portunities He presented the sorry
spectacle OF a soured man who wished
every one else to be soursd. too Thcs
he forced unprecedented observers q
conclude that, measured by the true
standards Of human greatness, he,
With all his snowy and by no means
valueless Qualities. wound up his "a
reer as small man.
The vefdence of Jefferson Davts.s
completely, In the assassination%of Lin
coin, which President johnson had in
his possession when he issued his
proclamation Offering a reward for
Davts's capture. subsequently turned
out TO be absolutely worthless. After
ne had been for two yeas a prisoner
IN Fortress Monroe. Davis was in
dictsd and arraigned for treason be-
fore the United States Circuit Court
at Richmond, Va, and released on bail.
Horace Greeley, the old anti-sIavsrv
apostle. Gerrit Smith, and Cornelius
Vanderbilt.beins his principal bondsme
The case. however, as might have been
foreseen, was never tried. and in Dc
cember. 1868. he. with ali his follow
ers In the rebellion, received a full
pardon and amnesty for the offense OF
treason, suffering no other punish
ment than the disability to hold office,
imposed by the Fourteenth Amend
ment to the Constitution.
1T cannot, therefore. be said that
he and the other Southern leaders. after
all that had happened. were harshly
treated. On the contrary, the leniency
4 with Which the victorious government
which had item in its power dealt
with them Is without parallel in his
tory"
Again he says. Jefferson Davis was
captured on Nay 10. 1865. near Irwin
vile, Ga. by a detachment Of Michi-
gan cavalry regiment. 1t was re-
ported that, trying to escape, he put
fon some of his wife's clothes but
that his cavalry boots had betrayed his
identity. The story. although some
what stripped OF its comical aspects,
was widely believed and relished In
the North"
1t has been cynically said Nothing
; e. SO lying as an epitaph. except his
tory" The character and the dist;n-
guished career of Gen. Carl Schur2
makes everything from his pen note
worthy, and he will in future genera.
lions be referred to- as very high
authority. But even Homer some
times mods; so does Carl Schurz wher
he is governed by his violent preju.
dices. and in speaking, not Of Presi-
dent Jefferson Davis or even of Mr.
Jefferson Davis. but always ffersor
IS Davis.
Note this amazing statement: III
cannot, therefore. be said that he and
the other Southern leaders, after al
that had happened, were harshly
treated. On the contrary, the leniencS
with which the victorious government
WHICH HAD THEM IN ITS POWEI
Capitals mine). dealt with them, Is
without parallel in history'-and Their
considerlthe horrible treatment for {
part Of two years Of President Davis
at Fortress Monroe;F the indictment OF
!
treason; the fearful nightmare Of the
reconstruction period; the numerous
military districts which took the place.
of sovereign States. etc. We have ne
doubt his statement would have beer
true had Pestdent Abraham Lincoln
not been foully assassinated but his
deeply deplored death left us to 81
through wild orgie OF mlsrule.
Note again the disingenuous refer
ence 10 the clothes Worn By Presiden
I = Davis when captured. Why did he no
tell the Whole truth, that the sill,
story about his wearing hiss, wife'l
clothes was absolutely without. an,
truth. that the Very clothes he wore
at the time OF his capture are now ii
the Confederate Museum here, am
that the story has been as often re
futed as the absurd story, OF Genera
Lee having offered his sword to Gen
eral Grant at Appropriations. S
on June 3, 1905, occurs the oenten
lAs5 mia sQaf I0ayis's 8brt Thu