Year: 1876

made against our people il unjust and
impolitic. II the fact be equality and
purpose be fraternity among the citi.
zens Of the United States, conviction
and sentence without . hearing, with
out Jurisdiction, and affixing penalties
by OK post facto legislation are part OF
proceeding which had its appropriate
end in the assumption by Congress OF
the executive function Of granting par.
dons. To remove political disabilities
which there was not legal power TO i'm
pose was not an act OF so much grace as
to form n plausible pretext for the
reckless diatribe Of Mr.. Blaine. The
papers preserved by DIR. Stevenson
happily furnish full proof Of the causes
OF disease and death at Andsrsonville.
They are now, believe, in Richmond,
and it is hoped their publication will
not be much longer delayed. have
no taste for recrimination, though the
sad recitals made by our soldiers re-
turned from Northern prisons can new
er be forgotten, and you will remem-
ber the excitement those produced and
the censorious publication which was
uttered against me because / would not
visit on helpless prisoners in our hands
such barbarities as, according to re-
ports, had been inflicted npon our men.
Imprisonment is bad lot at best, and
prisoners are prone to exaggerate their
sufferings, and such was probably the
case on both sides; but We did not seek
reports OF committees with photograph
ic illustrations to infame the passions
OF our people. How was it with our
enemy? Let one example suffice. You
may remember a published report Of
the committee Of the United States
Congress, which was sent to Annapolis
to visit some exchanged prisoners, and
which had appended to 1t photographs
of,some emaciatsd subjects which were
offered as samples Of prisoners return
ed from the South When q copy of
that report was received sent IL to
Col. Ould, commissioner for the exam
ination Of prisoners, and learned, as i
anticipated, that the photographs had
been taken from men who were IN our
hospitals, when liberated for exchange
and whom the hospital surgeon regard
ed as convalescent, but too weak to be
moved with safety to themselves. The
anxiety of the prisoners to be sent to
their homes had prevailed over the OBJ
jections OF the surgeon. But this is
not all for have recently learned from
a priest that the most wretchcd looking
Of those photographs was taken from q
man who had never been prisoner,
but who had been left on the sick list
at Annapolis when the command to
which he was attached had passed that
place on its Southwark march.


Whatever may he said in extenuation
OF such imposture because Of the exi-
gency OF war, there can be no such eI-
cuse now for the attempt OF Mr.. Blaine
by misrepresentation to revive the
worst passions of the war, and il 10 to
be regretted, it will have the good
effect OF evoking truthful statements in
regard TO this little understood subject
from men who would have preferred TO
leave their sorrowful story untold il
the subject could have been allowed
peacefully to sink into oblivion. Mu-
tual respect is needful for the common
interest, is essential TO friendly union,
and when slander is promulgated from
high places the public welfare demands
that the truth should strip falsehood
OF it's power for evil.


/ am respectfully and truly your
friend. JEFPERsoS DAVIS.