Year: 1876

JuOH. JuHtS AyVHS


My DEAR SIR Your very kind letter
OF the 14th inst. was forwarded from
Memphis, and has been received at this
place. Ihaye been so long the object OF
malignant slander and the subject Of un-
scrupulous falsehood by parties OF the
class of fMr. Blaine, that though ! can't
say it has become to me matter Of indif.
fence, 1t has ceased TO excite my surprise,
even in this instance, when 1t reaches the
extremity Of accusing me OF cruelty to
prisoners. What matters 1t to one whose
object is personal and party advantage
that the records both Federal and Con-
federate disprove the charge; that the
country is full OF witnesses who bear oral
testimony against it, and that the effort to
revive the bitter animosities Of the war
obstructs progress towards the reconcile
alton OF the sections? 1t is enough for
HIM II his self.seeking purpose be pro-
noted. It would, however, seem proba-
Bile that such expectations must be disap-
pointed, for only those who are
wiliulIy blind can fail to see in
the circumstances OF the case the fallacy
ofMr. Blaine's statements. Thepublished
fact OF an attempt to suborn Writ when
under sentence Of death by promising
him pardon il he would criminate me in
regard to the Andersonville prisoners is
conclusive us to the wish Of the Govern
ment to make such charge against me,
and failure to do so shows that nothing
could be found to sustain II. May We
not say the evidence Of my innocence was
such that Holt and Conover, with their
trained band OF suborned witnesses, dared
not make against me this charge, which
Wirtz for his life would not make, but
which Blaine, for Presidential nomina-
tion, has made. Now let us review the
leading facts OF the case. The report Of
the Confederate Commissioners for the
exchange Of prisoners shows how persist
ent and liberal were our efforts TO secure
the relief of captiyes. Failing in those
attempts, l instructed Gen. R. E. Lee to
20 under flag Of truce and seek an inter-
view with General Grant; to repre-
sent to him the suffering and death
Of Federal prisoners held by us;
to explain the causes which were
beyond our control and to urge in the
name OF humanity the observance OF the
cartel for exchange Of prisoners. To this
as to all previous appeals deaf ear was
turned. I will not attempt from memory
to write report, made too true, OF the in
cidents OF this mission. Lee no longer
lives to defend the cause and the country
he loved so we'll and saved so efficiently.
But General Grant cannot fail to remem-
Der so extraordinary a visit, and his objec.
tions to the executing Of the cartel are well
known to the public. But who ever else
may choose to forget my efforts in this
regard the prisoners at all events never
will. Delegates, I permitted them to
send to President Lincoln to plead for
the resumption OF the exchange OF prison
ers. They can not fail 10 remember how
willing was to restore them to their
homes and to the comfort Of which they
were in need provided the imprisoned
soldiers Of the Confederacy should be in
like manner released and returned TO US.
This foul accusation, though directed
specially against me, was no doubt In
tended as an arraignment Of the South.
by whose authority and in whose behalf
my deeds we're done. Itmay be presumed
that the feelings and the habits OF the
Southern soldiers were understood by me,
and in this connection any fair mind would
perceive in my congratulatory orders to
The army after victory, in which the
troops were most commended for their
tenderness and generosity to the wound
ed and other captiyes, as well as the in
stincts OF the person who issued the Or
der as the knightly temper OF the soldiers
to whom it was Issued. It is admitted
that the prisoners in our hands were not
as well provided for as we would like to
have had them; butt Is claimed that we
did as we'll for them as we could. Can
the other side say as much? To the allega-
tions Of i'll treatment OF prisoners by our
side and humane treatment and adequate
supplies by our opponents it is only neces-
sary to offer two facts. First, It appears
from the reports Of the U. s. War De-
partment that though we had 10000 more
Federal prisoners than they had Confed-
crates, 5000 more Of the Confederates
died in Northern prisons. Second, the
want and the suffering OF men in North
ern prisons caused me to ask for permis-
sion to send out cotton and buy supplies
for them. The request was granted, but
only on condition that the cotton should
be sent to New York and the supplies be
bought there. General Beale, now OF st.
Louis, was authorized to purchase and
distribute the needful supplies. Our SYM
pathy rose with the occasion and respond
ed TO lis demands, not waiting for ten
years then to vaunt itself when it could
serve no good purpose to the sufferers.
Under the mellowing influences Of time
and occasional demonstrations at the
North OF desire for the restoration OF
peace and lgood will to the South, the
people have forgotten much and have
forgiven much oftthe wrongs they bore.
II Il be less SO among their invaders, it is
but another example Of the rule that
a wrong.doer is less able to forgive than
he who has suffered wrong. It is
not however, generally among those
who brayed the hazards Of battle that un-
relenting vindictiveness is to be found
the,brave and generous and gentle-it Is
the skulkers Of the fight; the Blaine's who
displayed flag on an untented field.
They made no sacrifice to prevent q sepa.
ration Of the States. hyshould they be
expected TO promote the confidence and
good will essential 10 their Union2 When
closely confined at Fortress Monroe l was
solicited to add my name to those OF
many esteemed gentlemen who had
signed petition for my pardon,
and an assurance was given me
that on my doing so the President would
order my liberation. Confident OF the
Justice Of our cause and the rectitude Of
my own conduct I declined to sign the
petition and remained subject TO the in
excusable privations and tortures which
Dr.. Craren has but family described.
When after two years OF close confinement
! was admitted to bail, and as after re-
quired l appeared for trial, an indict-
ment was found against me, but in which
Mr.. Blaine's faction don't appear, the
Indictment was finally quashed on no ap.
plication OF mine, nor have ever eyaded
or avoided trial on any charge. The
general government might choose to bring
against me, and have no view Of the future
which makes 1t desirable to me to be in-
cluded in an amnesty bill. Viewed in
an abstract or as a general question, l