Stiles/Akin
Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Location
- Atlanta, Georgia
Savannah, GA
Monday 10th 1865
The Scty of State,
Mr. Seward,
Sir,
Enclosed please a slip from the Savannah Republican of today, copied from the Boston Advertiser headed "Glimpses into Jeff Davis desk. Interesting correspondence." After stating that Mr. Davis' baggage had been captured etc. "We have received copies of several of these captured letters, the authenticity of which cannot be doubted and find in them much readable matter." These are strictly family letters as is evident from the character of the garbled extracts.
A government may be considered to have taken a justifiable "glimpse into Mr. Davis' private desk", or into that of any other gentleman to whom offence against that government may be imputed but I had always supposed that after the ends had been answered for which the privacy of family letters of the accused had been invaded your government would not feel itself justified in spreading those private letters upon its files, a prey to the news mongers who for the gratification of a vulgar curiosity parade garbled extracts in public journals, as "readable matter."
The only legacy your government has left to my children is the record contained in those letters of their father's love for them and the constant unpremeditated exhibition of his moral rectitude and I had hoped, after the government had made use of them, to receive them again.
Though a prisoner and helpless in your hands I respectfully protest sir against such an improper use being made of my private correspondence as unjustifiable and unusual.
Very respectfully
Your Obt. Srvt,
Varina Davis
Monday 10th 1865
The Scty of State,
Mr. Seward,
Sir,
Enclosed please a slip from the Savannah Republican of today, copied from the Boston Advertiser headed "Glimpses into Jeff Davis desk. Interesting correspondence." After stating that Mr. Davis' baggage had been captured etc. "We have received copies of several of these captured letters, the authenticity of which cannot be doubted and find in them much readable matter." These are strictly family letters as is evident from the character of the garbled extracts.
A government may be considered to have taken a justifiable "glimpse into Mr. Davis' private desk", or into that of any other gentleman to whom offence against that government may be imputed but I had always supposed that after the ends had been answered for which the privacy of family letters of the accused had been invaded your government would not feel itself justified in spreading those private letters upon its files, a prey to the news mongers who for the gratification of a vulgar curiosity parade garbled extracts in public journals, as "readable matter."
The only legacy your government has left to my children is the record contained in those letters of their father's love for them and the constant unpremeditated exhibition of his moral rectitude and I had hoped, after the government had made use of them, to receive them again.
Though a prisoner and helpless in your hands I respectfully protest sir against such an improper use being made of my private correspondence as unjustifiable and unusual.
Very respectfully
Your Obt. Srvt,
Varina Davis
Bringing the