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THE WASHINGTON GAZETTE.
JAS. A. WRIGHT, AGENT.
THE WASHINGTON GAZETTE.
Terms— Three Dollars a year, in advance.
JEFFERSON DAVIS IN PRISON. *
Mr. Craven has done the cause of hu
manity a service, and afforded the world a
satisfaction in his narrative of President
Davis’ prison life. We make a few ex
tracts from this hook—relating more to
the sayings of Mr. Davis than his suffer
ings—for the entertainment of our readers.
They will be found deeply interesting and
replete with practical good sense, philan
thropy and wisdom. First, we lay before
our reader:
SIR. DAVIS* REMARKS ABOUT EICHKOKD —;
HIS SENTIMENTS TOWARDS CITIZENS.
September 11.—Called on Mr. Davis.
Told him, as ho was well, I was about
starting that day for Richmond, to be gone
about a week, and would he happy to car
ry any social messages he might wish to
send any friends in that pity* Mr. Davis
asked me to cal! upon bii formei* pastor,
the Rev. Dr. Minnigerode, rector of St. |
Paul’s; also, upon other friends, giving me
their names, who would be glad to recoive
roe. He requested me to make his afflic
tions in prison appear as light as possible,
for they had sufficient troubles of their own
without borrowing more from his misfor
tunes. He also said Richmond had been a
very beautiful city in the Jays gone by,
hut what with years of military operations
and the fire, he feared its appearance must
he greatly altered. “Oh, the anxious mo
meuts I have speut iu that city 1" exclaim
ed Mr. Davis. “Cares that none can un
derstand who have not been called to fill
the first positions of responsibility in revo
lutionary times. What hopes nod fears,
tried by enemies without and murmurers
or mutineers within, though of the latter
there were comparatively few. Taking all
they suffered in view, my dear people
. oticn and. qpaniraity for which into ueY
'er be too grateful. God bless them, one
and all, and grant them the sustaining in
fluence of His grace.”
*" Mr. Davis spoke the’last sentence with
great fervor, his thip hands clasped and
tears brimming up jn his eyes, though not
allowed to run over. It was in such
moments that his face, though not hand
some, judged by any artistic standard,
became very striking and noble in the
dftdisate expression of its intellectual power
and fervor.
September 22.—Called on Mr. Davis
fur the first time since returning from
Richmond.
Mr. Davis inquired about friends in
Richmond, asking, with a smile, wa3 be
still remembered there or whether it had
been found convenient to erase bis name
from the tablets of memory? Assured
him that his friends appeared most Bolici
tous for his welfare, especially the ladies,
who had overwhelmed my wife with atten
tion during our brief visit, as the only
means of expressing their gratitude for
any alleviation of bis situation which my
duly as his medical attendant had imposed.
Told him the destruction from the fire had
been great, but in less than two years the
oity would Have retrieved a prosperity not
only equalling, but surpassing any it had
yet known. Overlooking Richmond from
the top of Gamble’s Hill, the clamor of
trowels »twl hammers everywhere resoun
ded beneath me, aud it seomed like an
enormous bee-hive, so incessant was the
industry. Mentioned that General- Terry,
my old commander, bad kindly placed the
carriage of Mr. Davis at my disposal du
ring the visit, and that I had visited, with
tnnch interest, and not without sympathy,
the beautiful ground of Hollywood Ceme
tery, where General J. E. B. Stuart and so
many other distinguished officers of the
Southern army now lie in graves, not
nameless indeed, but as yet with no indur
ing monuments.
Mr. Davis laughed about hia carriage,
and said that since some “Yankee” had
to ride in it, he would prefer ray doing
so to another. During the war they had
no time to buiid monuments to tbe illus
trious dead—scarcely time enough or
means enough to take care for the woun
d'd living. If their cause had been suc
cessful, the gratitude of anew nation
WASHINGTON, WILKES COUNTV, GA., FRIDAY MORNING, JULY 20,1866.
would have built splendid mausoleums and
trollies to those who had lost their lives in
founding it; but with the failure of the
cause this duty of piety and gratitnde must
now devolve on private associations of pa
triotic gratitude. Gen. Jackson (“Stone
wall”) appeared to hsvesome lively presen
timent of death shortly before its occur
rence, and had asked that his only monu
ment might be a battle-flag hoisted over
his grave until such limes as the cause for
whioh he fought was crowned with victory
and secure from aggression.
Speaking of a message of condolence and
cheer the Rev. Dr. Minnigerode had sent
him, Mr. Davis spoke in warm torms of
the learning, zeal, eloquence, fidelity nnd
Christian courage of that gentleman.
General Dee had occupied a pew in the
same church, and, unless when absent una
voidably in tbe public servico, was one of
tbe most regular and devout attendants.
General Lee was undoubtedly ono of tiro
greatest soldiers of the age, if not tbe ve
ry greatest of this or any other country ;
but had he drawn his sword on Iho Feder
al side- «ntf?t have beon remitted to ob
scurity uuder their sj'steni, in the first six
months of the war. however,
shook the confidence of military moil com
petent to form a jnst opinion in his supe
rior qualifications for high command, nnd
his career bad nobly vindicated the calm
estimate of professional judgment.
September 23.—Recurring to my Rich
mond visit, Mr. Davis made many minute
inquiries relative to former friends; the ap
parent condition of the IraJes-peoplo in re
gard to prosperity ; the social relations, if
any wore allowed, between tbe occupying
army and tbe inhabitants. He said his
peoplo, having done all their duty iu tbe
war had now the two duties of forgetting
the past and preparing to accept the future-
One of their groat troubles in agricultural
£3
been so- nearly swept away by the war.
With nothing to report in tbe past but its
failure its consequences should be ac
cepted in good faith and without a murmur.
Tho future is always under tbe control of
resolute men; and with influx of North
ern and European capital—which must
soon be tempted by the pre-abundant na
tural resources in the South—there could
be no reason why natural .prosperity should
not be fully ro-eatablisbed within half a doz
en years; that is, if the Federal Govern
ment pursued a wise aud generous course,
allaying irritation and diverting the minds
of the people from their unsuccessful sacri
fices, by pointing out and encouraging tho
spleodid rewards of industry.
7’he following extract is alike remarkable
for its truth aud beauty :
FEMALE LECTURERS —AND THE TRUfc MIS
SION OF WOMAN.
Mr. Davis referred to some remark of
Miss Anna Dickinson, hostile himself,
which he had seen in the papers; also re
calling what he had heard of the lady’s
honoring Fortres Munroe with her presence
some six weeks before—he supposed to de
rive her inspiration from an actual view of
his casemate, or possibly to Caleb a secret
view of him though the admiring favor of
Gen. Miles, or some smitten officer. He
had noticed that Miss Dickinson had fig
ured largely upon the lecturing stage, and
had undeniable talent, but the talent rather
of a Maenad or Pythoness than most of
the mild virgins who worshiped Vesta and
kept the fires of faith and charily forever
burning on her pure altars. YVoman’s ap
pearance in the political arena was a de
parture from the golden path which nature
had marked out for her. The male ani
mal was endowed with more than sufficient
belligerency (or all purposes of healthy
agitation ; and woman’s part in tbe social
economy as she has been made beautiful
and gentle, should be to soothe asperilios
rather than deepen and make more rough
the cross tracks ploughed in tbe road of
life by the diverging passions and opinions
of men. It was a revolutionary age;
transportations and novelties were the fan
cies of the day, and woman on the political
ro&trum was only an outcropping of the
disorganized and disorganizing ideas now
in control of the popular mind. The clam
or of certain classes of woman for admis
■ion to the professions and employments
heretofore engrossod by men was another
phase of the same malady. Yhey deman
ded to be made self supporting, forgetful
that their most tender charm and safest ar
mor lay in helplessness. Woman's office
embraced the sweetest and holiest duties of
suffering humanity. Her true nllar is the
happy fireside, not the forum with its foul
breath and distractitfg calmors. Physi
cally unable to defend themselves from in
jury or insult, their weakness is a claim
which the man must be utterly base who
disregards. The highest test of civiliza
tion is tho deference paid to wi men. They
are like the beautiful vinos c tho South,
winding aronudtho rugged forest nnd
clothing them With beauty; ‘but let thorn
attempt living apart from this support, nnd
they will soon trail along tlm ground in
muddy and trampled impurity. While
woman depends on man for everything,
man’s lovo accepts, and his generosity can
never do enough to discharge-the delicious
nnd sacrod obligations; but hit woman en
ter into tho ruder employments of lifo ns
man’s rival, and sho pusses herself as a
slave under those inexorable laws of trade
which are without sex or sentiment. Per
haps in one branch of medicine there might
apponr a fitness in her claim to matricula
tion ; but oven in that branch circumstan
ces of sudden difficulty and danger wero of
every day occurrence, requiring the steadier
nervos, cooler judgment, and quicker ac
tion of a medical man to deal with. If
asked for his soblimeal ideal ol what wo
men should be in time of wa r , he would
point to the dear women of h i people as
he bad seen ibem daring tbe reees.S «lrog
; gle. Toe Spartan mother festh her
boy, bidding bra retain witfe e»ab*r
carrying hb shield or os it. Tbe treat:
| of tbe South teat forth theta... eons, Jiiwct
ing them to return with vieto-’r ; to return
with wounds disabling them from further
service, or never to return still. Alt they
m sk •>
gracvpAssfon, ornamenpAlho eioßirsHl
frivolities so deal' to the sex were oast aside;
their songs, if they had any to sing, were
patriotic; tlioir trinkets wore flung into
the public crucible ; tbe carpet from thoir
floors wero portioned out as blankets to the
suffering soldiers of their cause; women
bred to every refinement of luxury wore
homespuns made by tbeir hands; when
materials for an army balloon wero wauted,
their chost silk dresses wero sent in, and
tbero was only competition to seonre tbeir
acceptance. As nurses of tbe sick, as en
comagors and providers for the combatants,
as angels of charity and mercy adoptiug
as their own all children made orphans in
defence of thoir homes, as patient and
beautiful household deities, accepting eve
ry sacrifice with unconcern, and lightening
the burdens of war by every art, blandish
ment, and labor to their sphere, tho dear
women of his people deserved la) take
rank with the highest horoines of tbe gran
dest days of the greatest countries. Talk
ing further upon woman, Mr. Davis stated
his belief that when women proved un
faithful to their marriage vows it will in
almost every instance be found the hus
band's fault. Men throw their wives, or
allow them to be thrown, into tbe compan
ionship of male associates whom they
know to be dissolute; neglect them while
the illicit lover pays every attention, and
then grow angry at the result of their own
criminal folly. It is either this, or that tbe
man has chosen, without sufficient inquiry,
a woman whose unfitness for the relations
of wife might have been readily ascertain
ed. No woman will err if treated proper
ly by a husband worthy of the name;
but she is the weaker vessel, and must be
protected.
TDE POLICY OF CONCILIATION.
In tho better days of the Roman em
pire, when its possessions increased, and
conquered countries came in a few years to
be integral and even zealous members of
the imperial system, it was the policy of
conciliation, following that of military
conquest, which achieved the desirsd re
sults. Certain laws and restrictions of the
Imperial Government were imposed—so
much annual tribute, so many legions to
our military levies, aod obedience to all
such laws of the central government as
may be issued for your control. But
within these linesj an! with these points
conceded, the empire strove in all minor
and domestic matters to conform in so far
as might bo possible to the former habits,
customs, aud laws of the people absorbed,
and the independent governments super
seded. Even their peculiarities of morals,
mauners, and religious views were studied
and respected when not conflicting with
the necessities of tho empire; their leading
men wero justly treated, and no efforts
wore spared to make the new ordor of
things Bit lightly at first, and even pleasant
ly in a few years, on the necks of tho sub
jugated provinces. Generosity is tho true
policy, both of nations aud individuals.
“There is that muketb himself rich, yet
hath nothing; there is, that makoth him
self poor, yet hath groat riches.” While
my people are held as conquered subjects,
they must bo to you a coutinued source of
expense and danger—a country ponnod to
gether with bayonets. Let tbo past be ex
punged, if you please; wo have nothing
to blush for in it, nnd nothing to regret
but failure. The necessities of the North
ern Treasury and public dobt, Mr. Davis
thought, "would before long, compel us to
do justico to this section.”
MB. DAVIS ON FENIAN ISM—ntOIILY IMPOR
TANT —IIIS VIEWS OF RECONSTRUC
TION.
The present Fenian movements for Ire
land was n farce to make angels weep. The
last attempt was ia 1828. when the popula
tion of Ire’an 1 was more than a million
larger—the movement originating at home,
and all Europe in a convulsive and volcan
ic condition. History gave no example of
an oppressed raee that bad accepted exile
reior...ng wild, success to liberate their na
lire land. Tbe aristocratic refugees of the
French Revolution indeed got back to their
oeoutrv, but only under the swords of a
combination in which England, Austria,
Russia, Prussia, and tbe Gorman States
were etdisfed. with their whole military re
or of designing demagoguos in its cis-At
lantic aspoet; nor could ho soo that in Ro
land there was an organization of oven a
vigorous purpose to accomplish tho object
proposed. England’s control of the seas
was absolute, at least so near Lome, against
any less combination than the navies of
France and America. To land men iu auy
sufficient quantity in Ireland would require
some desperate sea-fights by navy with na
vy, and a transport fleet, costing for vessels
and thoir equipments not less than some
hundread millions. Tho men engaged in
this must be either fools or rogues. lie
had ao special cause to love England, nor
dislike; but such impracticable and pigmy
throatenings of her empire would be ludi«
crous if not too sad. Against the rocks
of her coast tbe storm clouds of a thousand
fold the Fenian power had dashed with
clamor of waves and mist of spray, but
next morning the sun shone bright again,
the air was calm, and only in a shore
strewn with wrecks could evidenoe be found
of any past commotion.
Asking Mr. Davis wbat were bis views
in regard to tbo reconstruction of the
Union, be spoke pretty nearly verbatim as
follows; this report not being condensed as
with other conversations, but taken down
in full from memory, immediately ou re
turn to my quarters;
“We could not otherwise define recon
struction than as a renewal to and by all
the States, of all tbe rights, privileges,
duties, immunities, and obligations pre
scribed and recognized by tbo Constitu
tion or original compact of Union, There
were several possible alternatives to this
plan of reconstruction:
“Ist. Consolidation—tbe swallowing up
of all State government by the General
Government, making tho whole country one
State, only divided into provinces for easier
administration, but connected as one entity
of policy and power.
“2d. Territorialism —the control of the
Southern States by a Congress aud Execu
tive representing only tbe Northern States
—that is, colonial vassalage and govern
ment by authority of greater force.
“3d. By open subversion and usurpation
to establish a a despotism over North and
South, while yet preserving a certain re
publican form.
“In replying to one who served through
tbe war for no other purpose, as you avow
than to defend and maintain tbe Union as
defined by the Constitution,” continued
Mr. Davis, “there ca n be no necessity for
VOL. 1.-NO. 13.
considering any other policy than that of
of tbe relations of all the
States and tbeir citizens to eaeh other and*
the United Stales Government.
“Every man’s experience must teach
him that quarrels between friends are best
healed whem they are healed meat prompt
v. Tbe alienation which was at first »
Ipain becomes by time habitual, and tho
mantle of charity being withdrawn, tho
faults of each become more and more dis
tinct to tbe other, and thus the bitteiest
hates naturally spring from tbe ashes of
the closest friendship.
“It is therefore probably to be regretted
that so much delay lias occurred in the
work of reconstruction, because of the en
hancement thereby of the difficulties in the
way of speedy and cordial reconciliation.
This opinion is qualified ns “probable,'’ be
cause of my waut of recent intercourse
with the people. A short time before the
close of the war the idea was infused into
my people, as you are well aware, that if
they would cease resistance the Union
would be restored, and all their rights es
person and property respected, save the
property held in slaves, which would be a
question for the courts. I have do doubt
that a majority—a very large majority—
of tho Southern people nccepted this pro
posed settlement with singleness of pur
pose, and would, if confidingly and gener*
ously treated, have been now industriously
ongaged in reparing their wrecked fortunes
without any thought of again resisting or
obstructing tbe General Goverdment in its
ordinary functions.
“How far tbe public wealth wound by
this course havo been increased, tbe public
expenditures lessened, may be measured
by many hundred millions of dollars. If
it be true that much has been lost, moral
ly and materially, by delay, it would seem
that trne policy indicate# the promptest ac
tion in what is termed reconetuction. Tbe
North says we have done evil, and when
bidding us “cease to do evil” ehould not
preven us “learning to do well.” This oan
only be done by removing all impedimenta
to the execiae of States functions and tbe
re-enjoyment of such oivil and political
rights as are left us in the Union,
“Each house of Congress it judge of the
election aud qualification of its own mem
ber#. Tbe Constitution has settled the
c Hlasa
cy may lose its rights for a time by selecing
ineligible persons to be its representatives;
but the right of representation is not im
paired thereby, and the mistake or abuse
may be remedied by anew election. Test
oaths are evil continually, aud only evil.
They restrain those honorable men who re
quire do fetters, while men of a different
class will either take them perjurously or
with a ‘mental reservation.’ All history
has proved them ineffectual and something
worse.
“Our forefathers emigrated to a wilder
ness, and waged the war of the Revolution
to have and to hold a government founded
on the consent of tbe governed. They
consulted and compromised with each oth
er to establish a voluntary Union. If that
idea is to be followed, confidence, generos
ity, fraternity, and not test oaths, disabili
ties, and armieß quartered in the interior,
must be relied upon to restore tbe Union
and make it re-effective for the end# for
which it was formed.
“Reconstruction,” continued Mr. Davis,,
“cannot properly involve or be made to
depend on those social problems whiob
have arisen from the sudden disruptions of
the relations existing between tbe white
and black races in the Southern States.
These problems belong to the several
States, and must have treatment according
to the different circumstances of each. No
general rule can properly be made applica
ble to all, and it will prove unfortunate if
the subject is controlled by distant and but
poorly-informed, if not prejudiced, author
ity. The self-interest of individuals and
communities, together with the demand
for labor so far exceeding the supply, may
safelv be left to protect the laborer.
“The public actions of the Southern
State conventions furnish conclusive evi
dence of the Southern people to resume
their position in the Union ; and it must
strike all observers with surprise that while
those who strove so desperately to leave
the Union are now so earnestly endeavor
ing to resume their places in it, it is the
very men who sent fire and sword to des
troy them, or compel them to return, who
now bar the door and deny them re-admis
sion to that very condition to which it was
throughout the war proclaimed to be their
first and last duty to return. Solitary re
flection,” concluded Mr. Davis, ‘has given
me uo key to the mysterious origin of tbia
change in Northern opinion, which I find
evidenced in every newspaper that reaches
me; and perhaps my own sad state has
tinged with its gloom the vista of the fu
ture. if' thus alienated, disjointed, and
adrift, the country should be visited with
such trials of foreign war, either with
Frauce or England, or both, as are now so
often suggested in tbe pnblic journals of
America, and their extracts from the Euro
pean pres#,”