Year: 1866

The editor of the Natchez Miss Courier,
| (Mr. Hillyer) has recently visited Mr.. Davis,
and writes as follows to his paper concerning
the present state of the illustrious prisoner s


health, and the fate which awaits him:


Mr.. Davis health is sfeeble-precarious in the
extreme. Long confinement, and the treat


ment he received during the first year of his


horrible incarceration, have told terribly upon


his tender frame. He was never a man OF
| muscle. The intellectual ever predominated
over the material He is one Of those gifted,
intellectual men, born once in century, whose
brain is thought, and whose mouth is eloquence.
In his prison dungeon, he can almost be spoken


Of as hero of the past, and his acts, principles,
and ambition have an historic and heroic in
terest. AS State prisoner of the great empire
of the United States, he is surrounded with
more personal interest than any other man can
possible be. The iron mask Of the Bastile was
but g curiosity. The State prisoner of the U.
States Is a wonder and an object Of glory
It would be difficult for an old friend of Mr..
Davis to recognize him, were he not presented
to him as the great State prisoner. Emaciated
to the extreme almost walking skeleton ht-
tie left but a great and stately form; a gray
beard covering that peculiar style of features
and Of mouth which in other days has given
life and thought to a nation; an eye undimmed
and full of the fire of intellect; he yet might
pass upon our streetsunknown to former friends.
His physical condition is such that in walking
he is obliged to use cane and the arm of a
friend or attendant. The writer does not know
what skeleton weighs. Add ten pounds to
any medical mans report On the subject, and
Mr.. Davis weight can be ascertained. His
lower limbs are as a man s wrists, and the pris-
oner's steps totter as he walks. But yet he is
reliant on his own integrity and on the God
whose favor and mercy, with beautiful simpli-
city, he asks at more hours than the imprisoned
Daniel did


Mr. Davis, confined as he is, will not live
long. Emaciated in the extreme, without ap-
petite and without hope, he is gradually going
down to the long home where million sf man


ly and womanly tears will follow him. The first
chill, the first attack of any sharp disease, will


carry him away to the great Judge who ruleth
over all. Tempered may be the wind that blows
over Fortress Monroe May her breaths be


sweet, and her winds soft


Mr. Davis is yet denied the use of pen, ink


or paper. He violates the parole that allows
him walk inside the Fortress, If he even give
his autograph. During the day, he has little,


except as prisoner, to complain Of During


the night, he has grated doors, guards and Of


ficer to watch every time he turns over in bed,


Or changes the position Of his pillow.


In all probability Mr.. Davis viii never see


our people again. He Is an Individual victim,


whose life by confinement will be sacrificed to
solve a great political embarrassment. Like


the man who drew the elephant in lottery,


the Government knows not what to do with
him should not death, less remorseless than


earthly power, consign him to a tomb which


will be hallowed for ages as that of martyr


sacrificed for people! No matter what Mr.


Davis political views might have been, and


certainly the writer Of this article was, up to
1861, as much opposed to them as any South


ern man living, that ilustrious State prisoner


now lives, and will die if longer confined in For


tress Monroe, as the vicarious representative Of


people that loved him in manhood trusted


him when in power, and now turn their eyes


upon him as one suffering unjustly for their


doings.


1t is useless to speculate as to the future of


Mr.. Davis Unless the great hand Of mercy


soon intervenes the silent and cold hand Of


death will shortly relieve Mr.. Seward and Mr.


Stanton from further trouble in the NATTER


Speaking of his hopeless condition, and of what


he had endured, almost the last words of that
illustrious State prisoner were: Would that


[ could be the conductor by which the light
ming Of vengeance could be warded off our dear


people, could then live or die here contented-