Newspaper Page Text
- 'ally from thi* dismay. ' *
tutioi.s of his lrney how
-11 "trough Xortl> (-•aro ma, the fugi
’ ideut appears to have conceived
t Ve if.rriative of venturing- to the South*
th,> a ‘ reach of the forces of Taylor
Forest in thr hope of reviving the
ar " J . (i f fj n > Confederacy within a
for' 11 J ;
J cmited territory.'
*' Surely these statements do not shew
'• w.pnt and ignominious flight of the
m, M ***
bhow. A man who was flying in*
l ." t | v a „d ignominiously from danger,
1 or real, would have had no care
f ) h ; iS officers or Inenas; would have
| no time to look “sadly” at the mis
;:r(lnes surrounding him: would not
have been “the first to rally 7 ' from the
(I , lli:i y which had seized the party;
•voul'i not have conceived the alternative
.[ill maintaining his cause on a distant
!■ ction of the Confederacy, and argued
that alternative with his followers. No,
; ,i' These very extracts refute Mr.
inaeeu. j
Pn-lurds logic, and condemn the posi
f , which he assumes; but that writer
is Ilo t satisfied with thus destroying his
unfortunate assumption; and so goes on
tins*to thoroughly annihilate them, and
t 0 vindicate Mr. Davis from his unjust
and unmanly attacks:
A! Abbeville Mr. Davis resolved upon
council of war. It was composed of
,j lt . jj ve brigade commanders, and Gen.
Braxton Bragg (for the year past the
'•military adviser” of the President) was
admitted "to this last scene of the deliber
ations of the Lost Cause.
In the council Mr. Davis spoke with
moo than his accustomed facility and
earnestness, inspired by hope, but with
out volubility or extravagance, lie made
a statement of surpassing plausibility.
The South, he declared, was suffering’
tgiin a panic; it yet had resources to con
tinue the war; it was for those who re
mained with arms in their hands to give
an example to reanimate others; such
■ui act ol devotion, besides being the most
sublime thing in history, might yet save
the c untry, and erect again its declining
resolution. ‘lt is but necessary/ lie said,
'that the brave men yet with me, should
renew their determination to continue
the war; they will be a nucleus for rapid
reinforcements, and will raise the signal
of reanimation for the whole country.*
No one of the council answered him at
length; the replies of the commanders
were almost sunk to whispers; the scene
was becoming painful; and it was at last
agreed that each in his turn should an
nounce his decision. Each answered
slowly, reluctantly in the negative ; the
only words added were that though they
considered the war hopeless, they would
not disband their men until they had
guarded the President to a place of safety.
“‘No/ exclaimed Mr. Davis, passion;
ately, ‘ [ will listen to no propositions
lor my safety. L appeal to you for the
cause of the country.’ Again he urged
the commanders to accept his views.
“‘We were silent/ says Gen. Basil
Duke, one of the council, * for we could
rot agree with him, and we respected
him too much to reply/
“ Mr. Davis yet stood erect, raised his
bauds tu his head, as if in pain, and sud
denly exclaiming, ‘ all hope is gone!
' Tied haughtily, ‘I see that the friends
dtne Eolith are prepared to consent to
her degradation;’ and then sweeping the
* ompony with a proud and despairing
police, he attempted to pass from the
room.
“ but the blow was tou much for his
t'ecble organization. His face was white
with anger and disappointment, and the
l <hst ot unshed tears was in his eves—
[cais which pride struggled to keep back,
ur sentiment, that all was lost, went
■ lruu g - h his heart like the slow and raeas
"rd thrust ot a sword; as the wound sunk
lnto ’b it; left him speechless ; loose and
tottering, he would have fallen to tiie
■ w"., had not Gen. Breckinridge ended
, seeile by leading him faltering from
'•* ''Ui. In a dead aud oppressive
•a once tiie deserted leader, the fallen
c ,:'b soured a decent retreat for agonies
" t* ars only could relieve.”
1 us this the role of ‘‘an obscure, mean
iu 8 1l ; ve : ” “a deserter ?” Would a base,
tinpiincipled, cowardly chieftain have
, u "* up lor bis cause, and urged its fur
“e‘ ’b-uense, when his own advisers and
, silent and despairing around
' lm ‘ And, therefore, Jefferson
‘ tU "■ by this single extract, stands re
(.)ie;'le''i llum any ignominy that Mr.
J ‘'h mis pen would place upon him.
lv Uas tbe “patriot’s devotion,” the
* v bravery, the soldier’s honor; and
W'. in the language of his trauucer,
,ie Sl nncnf (hot all v:as lost, went
through his heart like the stoic and, meas
ured thrust of a sword /”
Mr. Pollard, to add to the charge of
Mr. Davis’ infamy, asserts that “ he did
not forget the gold in the Treasury; that,
amounting to less than forty thousand
dollars, it had been proposed, some days
before, in Congress, to distribute as- lar
gesses to the discontented soldiers; but
-Mr. Davis had insisted on reserving it
for exigencies, and it was now secured
in bis baggage.”
I here seems to be so bare an insinua
tion covered up in this statement that we
might pass it by without further notice;
but Mr. Pollard Las himself furnished the
best answer to such an insinuation, and
we give it in lieu of further consideration:
Ihe soldiers (those who were with
Mr. Davis and party,) were discharged ;
but they clamored that they bad no money
to take them home What of the Treas
ury gold that remained \v:as divided
among them."
Following the ex-President in his sup
posed ignominious flight, the Southern
writer lor the Northern magazine, em
braces Mr. Stephens, the Vice-President
in his hatred; asserting that Mr. Davis
passed through Griswoidville. the home of
Alexander 11. Stephens, where he re
mained two or three days, without Mr.
Stephens coming near him, or sending
him token or message. Griswoidville is
not Mr. Stephens’ home; and, hence,
this charge falls to the ground. Nor do
we believe that Mr. Stephens would have
so slighted the fallen Chieftain if he had
remained two or three days near his home.
But we are dealing now rather with the
charges against Mr. Davis, and believe that
we have, from Mr. Pollard’sown statements,
vindicated him from Mr Pollard’s own
charges. These charges are neither Wi
eal nor just ; and must recoil in popular
indignation against the Southern man
who made them. We regret them for
Mr. Pollard’s sake, tor we entertain a
heartfelt wish for Southern unitv and
•/
Southern justice to Southern people.
That there were errors in the conduct of
the late war, we will not deny; but that
the leader and men who fought that war
were knowingly and wilfully guilty of
these erros, we shall at all times and
under all circumstances, deny, and to de
fend them all, from the highest to the
lowest, whether against open enemies or
pretended friends, shall be one of the
highest as it is one oV the pleasantest du
ties winch we have takcu upon ourselves.
’ We might review this singular produc
tion of Mr. Pollard’s pen still farther, but
we have not the time nor the patience,
and shall conclude it with the following
extracts from Mr. Alfriend’s excellent
Biography of Jefferson Davis :
“ President Davis received the intelli
gence of the disasters while seated in his
pew in St. Paul’s Church. * * *
Mr. Davis immediately left the Church
with his usual calm manner and measured
tread.”
“ Pending the negotiations between
Generals Johnston and Sherman, Air.
Davis was earnestly appealed to bv his
attendants to provide for his own safety,
in the event of the failure to obtain terms
from Sherman. * * * Apparently
regardless of his personal safety, he was
reluctant to contemplate leaving the
country under any circumstances.”
Air. Mallory, in giving an account of
this so-called ignominious retreat of the
President, says :
“ Air. Davis, who was more generally
known by the soldiers than any other man
in the Confederacy, was never passed by
them without a cheer, or some warm and
kindly recognition or mark of respect.
* * * Hitherto, as has been already
said, his coming along his selected route
was known to the people miles in advance.
* * # Schools were dismissed that
the children might upon the roadside
greet him. Ladies, with fruits and flow
ers, presented with tears of sympathy,
were seen at the gates of every home
stead, far in advance, awaiting his ap
proach ! * * * IPs escape from the
country and a secure refuge in a foreign
land, sustained by the respect and affec
tion of tin? Southern people, were within
his own control; and lie might have rea
sonably looked forward to a return to his
native Nate as a result of a change in her
political status at no distant day. But
he refrained from embracing the oppor
tunities of escape which were his by for
unc or by Federal permission
•BABISJM fEI I©!! 1 Jio
This is the language of one of his at
tendants, Mr. Secretary Mallory, and to
which Air. Alfriend, his biographer, adds:
“ The solicitude of Mr. Davis for the safe
ty of his family, led to his capture.”
Thus refuting - the calumnies of Air.
Pollard, and vindicating the character of
our martyred ex-President, we leave the
subject, only asking our readers to pe
ruse the article which we have thus criti
cised, assured that they will share our
regret and mortification at its appearance,
and agree with us, that, while abroad it
may injure Air Davis, here, where he is
known and loved, it will detract not one
laurel from his brow or one leaf from the
garland of glory which a grateful but de
feated nation has woven around his name
and his deeds.
NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE
OF THE BANNER OF THE SOUTH.
Christ mas in New York—High Ch urch
ism—A “Midnight Mass’* at Si. Al
ban's—The Ceremony—The “Rinks"
Skaters and Skateresses—The Cos
tumes and Scenes — Handed's Messiah
—Superb Performance — Gen. Grant
and the Radicals—Prospects of a
split—The Tenure of Office Law
and the Indian Bureau — Will Grant
be beaten ? — l)u Chadlifs new work on
Africa —Obi Superstitions - “Tyrone
Powers ” sends Greeting to the Read
ers of the Banner of the South.
Banner of the South :
Os late years the observance of Christ
mas has become much more extended in this
city, and a curious reason is assigned for
the increased respect. Under the old Dutch
regime the festival was kept up in full
proportions, but as the slow and easy old
burgher was rooted out by the wiry Puri
tan from the East to wffom Christmas was
a superstitious, and even ‘‘Papistical” ob
servance. Thankgiving became the
great day ol the year. Then as the
foregn element, which is largely Catholic,
became more and more prominent, the
holyday was once more brought into honor,
and now the Christinas time is almost as
much of a festal season as in England or
the South. With this little historical
sketch let me turn to some of the con
comitants of the day ju,:t passed. To
properly usher in the -‘holy tide” there
were sundry services at midnight in the
churches, the chief in point of interest
being a “midnight Alass,” as it was called
at St .Alban’s, the highest of all high
Church. Here, punctually as the clock
struck twelve, a faint sound of singing in
the vestry was heard; nearer and nearer
it came, till at length the head of a ritual
istic procession of the first magnitude
appeared. First came a small boy in a
red envelope, lidding a white silk banner
aloft; then some boy choristers; then a
“ crucifigerf or little fellow with a huge
cross; then more choristers; then two boys
with long, lighted candles; then another
banner; then another ‘‘crucigerf bigger
than ’totlier one; then three “Priests,” asr
they call themselves, though in reality min
isters of the Protestant Episcopal Church;
these gentlemen, it is to be noticed, wore
the square, flat, blackcap, usually worn
by celebrants in the Catholic Church;
the tail of the procession was brought up
by a string of white robed boys, whereof
one would get ahead of the rest in his
singing. Moving slowly to the front of
the chancel the procession went in and
the “Mass” began. The ajfar was hand
somely decorated with flowers, lit with
over an hundred wax tapers, and canopied
in evergreen. To the right and left were
ranged the “ crucijigcrs ,” choristers and
banner bearers, Os these, one held a
standard of white silk, having embroid
ered upon it a crimson and gold cross ;
the other had also a white silk standard,
but on it was a fearsome thing. On re
flection I am inclined to think it was
meant to represent the rising sun of right
eousness, the fact that there was a circu
lar object with rays diverging therefrom,
leading to this impression, but at some
distance it certainly did look like a Me
dusa’s head, with the hair standing per
fectly straight under the influence of a
powerful shock of electricity. The Epis
copal service was read very much after
the manner of the Catholic Alass, the
clergyman holding up his hands and in
that position delivering the lesson from
the book held before him by an assistant
Incense was liberaly used, silk, satin, and
gold lace were in the high ascendant, the
music was very line, and, altogether, as
an exhibition of the spectacular, the St.
Alban’s midnight Mass was a success.
Next day the “rinks” divided attention
with the churches, a “rink” being a large
ball where theiicor is of ice for the bene
fit of those who wish to skate without
encountering the chilly blasts that howl
outside. Fancy a mammoth bath tub
with the water in it frozen, and you have
an idea of a “rink.” There is one here'
that is three hundred feet long, and on
this the skaters glide about, while around
the sides are seats for the accommodation
of spectators. There being a price of ad
mission the “rink” is more select than the
skating grounds of Central Park, and in
them, therefore, it is possible to see the
latest agonies in the way of skatorial
fashions. The men usually appear in
excessively short coats, pants so tight
that it is a wonder the material admits,
without fracture, of the rapid movements
the limbs they enclose are called upon to
make, round woolly hats without brim,
and, in about three cases in five an eye
glass. Ihe skahstesses rejoice in abbre
viated robes, innocent of crinoline, and
generally of a very aggressive hue, as
bright red, green, blue, or even yellow.
Some ot these are trimmed with white
fur, and generally a muff is suspended
by a cord passing around the neck, so that
it can be used or no as occasion may re
quire. 1 bus accoutred,, and both being
eqnipped with bright, shining skates,
John Adolphus seizes Araminta Jane by
one or both hands, and then puts his
legs in motion, while Araminta, nothing
loth, gives a lurch toward Adol
phus, and performing a spider-like leap,
locks arms with him and darts off into
space. On the public skating ponds in
the Central Park these elegancies do
not obtain, but for all that there appears
to be a huge amount of amusement among
participants. Beside the regular skating,
there is a species of recreation in vo<>ue
foi the use of timid fair ones, which con
sists in inserting them in a chair which
has skates fixed beneath it and, then, as
tilt* damsel thus reposes, her escort seizes
the back of the chair and, skating behind
it, pushes it about with extreme velocity.
Some of the skaters are very swift and
can put a first class trotting* horse to his
spet dto keep up with them. The Cen
tral I ark ponds, it should be mentioned,
aie Lee to all, whenever in order, a fact
which is notified by hoisting a black ball
to the top ot a flagstaff on one of the
buddings in the park, whence the expres
sion, “the ball is up,” to denote that skat
ing is allowed.
011 Christinas night Handel’s magnifi
cent Oratorio of the Mcssiali was per
formed in full, by the Harmonic Society,
as lias been tiie custom for seventeen
years past First produced in 1741 and
now, consequently in the one hundred and
twenty-seventh year of its popularity,
tnis grand effort ot music is peculiarly
appropriate to this season, treating, as it
does, ot the advent and mission of the
liedeemer. When performed before King
George 111., it is related that, at the Haf
lelujah chorus, the monarch and his
court were so affected that they involun
tarily rose to their feet, audit has thus
passed into a custom for all audiences to
do likewise at the triumphant song which
proclaims “the Lord God Omnipotent
reigucth.” This was superbly given, as
also, the wild aria , Tift trumpet shall
sound, where, as the mystery of this
world is announced, the hall rings with
| the sound of a trumpet like the war cry
; of an army to battle.
There are some evidences in the politi
cal world that the ultras of the Radical
party are about to lock horns with Grant,
even prior to his entrance in the Presiden
tial office. It is the well known wish of
Grant that the care of Indian affairs be
taken from the Interior, and be given to
the War Department, but, so far, the hos
tility to that measure of the Sumner
stripe, has prevented the change. Next
to that comes an intimation on the part of
Graut that he will veto any appropria
tion schemes for the benefit of the
“rings” that swarm in Washington, and
that he wants the Tenure of Office Act
repealed. The intimation of economy is,
of course, sufficient to array against him
all the vast lobby interests that are so po
tential with Congress, and the enmity of
these is not to be despised. As to the
repeal of the Tenure of Office Act, there
is evidence that Congress will refuse
point blank to accede to the wishes of the
President elect. It is argued that if he
is in accord with the party he will not
care to go outside of this law, if he
is not, teen it is as necessary to restrain
him as it was and is, to restrain A. J.
The point involved in the Act is, as the
reader doubtless knows, that the Presi
dent cannot, at his mere will and pleas
ure, remove Federal officials, as has been
the usage, from the foundation of the
Government. The immediate purpose
in passing it was to prevent President
Johnson front turning out the adherents
of the Congressional policy; but beyond
this the a*ct is of importance as it virtually
transfers the executive patronage to the
legislative branch of the Government.
No one can be appointed, under the Con
stitution, unless tue Senate confirm, and
by the Tenure ot Office Act no one can
be removed without the concurrence of
Congress. This, as will be seen, gives
that body the power to admit, and, vir
tually the power to eject, and this juris
diction is, in effect, one that controls the
entire patronage. What the Usue will
be of the split, remains to be seen, but, as
stated, the weight of evidence is that
Grant will be beaten, at least so far as
this present Congress goes.
Du Chaillu, the adventurous French
man who spent so many years in the in
•Cl |° l ° Africa, hunting the gorilla, has
jus pu is lied a book here which singu
iar v confirms the existence in that land
- v. i "n superstitions that have from
tine v line (eu alluded to in the public
DV H * /tu a o DOW 0,1 the in crease in
llaH l and the South. One day, he re
lates, he heard there were some magical
ceremonies going on in a hut in°the
village where he was staying, and on
parting the reed walls beheld three with
ered old hags performing the rites before
some idols and charms, or monda, as they
call them, in the shape of sculls of ani
mal.?, iish bones, anti the like. Being*
discovered, he had to flee for his life, and it
was only by the interposition of t ie Chief,
whom he had concdiatcd. that he was
spaied from the wrath of the old hags
and their female adherents.
This letter being the last, in this year,
of the writer, to the Banner of the
South, he cannot but, in drawing to its
close, avail himself of the holvday season,
to say to such as—in the old-tashioned
phrase of our country folks—have “read
utter Ivrone Powers with any liking,
that he tenders them his best wishes for
the New Year, and would bid them be of
good cheer, for, if signs fail not, a better
day is dawning for an oppressed and dis
tressed land. Let them but keep up a
stout heart, stand like the anvil to every
stroke, trust in God, and keep their pow
der dry. All will be well.
Tyrone Powers.
NEW ORLEANS (LA) CORRESPONDENCE
OF THE BANNER OF THE SOUTH.
.4 Merry Christmas ami a Happy New
lear—The Holidays in the Crescent
City—The President's Amnesty —
The Olympic Theatre—lts Destruc
tion— The Sisters of Charily—The
Great Grain Elevator.
Editors Banner of the. South :
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year, to the Banner and all its readers !
May each anniversary be merrier and
huppicr on Earth, and be followed by an
eternity of happiness in Heaven !
May the whole world be tilled by
“ men of good will,” so that all shall par
ticipate in the angelical benediction of
“ Peace on Earth.”
Christmas Eve and the Holiday itself,
were about as piercingly cold days as we
have in this latitude. Cistern and hydrant
faucets were frozen tight and many jars
and pitchers were burst by the swelling
ice within. During the long Christmas
services in the Churches, numerous chil
dren, and delicate persons were over
come by the intense coldness, and had to
be carried out for relief.
Ou the streets all was Tte and gaiety,
the little folks reveling in the delights of
news boys and noisy fire-crackers, while
the “children of a larger growth” were
(piite as joyful in their merry greetings
and social entertainments. Some inno
cent folks were actually made happier
by the repeated intliction of the .Presi
dent’s pardon, to which they have be
come so habituated since the war, that
they cannot now enjoy any holiday
thoroughly without a repetition of the
accustomed dose.
Afyeryour property has been pillaged
and your destruction attempted by a
horde of ruffians, it is certainly refresh
ing to be visited periodically by the leader
of the gang with a gracious tardon for
your daring to be alive in their presence!
Alter all, though puerile, it is a pleasant
bit of pleasantry on the part of the Pres
ident, and is not worth carping at by
those whom it pretends to affect; but, at
the same time, it will doubtless cause a
howl ot demoniac rage from the bloody
hounds at his heels in Congress.
Our city was much relieved early in
the week, by the disappearance of one of
our temples of infamy, yclept the Olympic
Theatre, which was happily wiped out of
existence by a purifying conflagration.
This vilo den was one of the most pesti
lent schools of dissipation and immorality
that cursed our city, as many families,
once happy, can now mournfully testify;
and its destruction is hailed with delight
by all good citizens.
According to the hand-bills, its chief
attractions were choice segars, prime
liquors, and stunning dancing, all accom
panied by “pretty waiter-girls ;” the re
sults may be imagined. During the in
tensely cold weather the past few days,
many minor fires have occurred, mostly
resulting from the faulty flues yielding
before the unusual heat that comfort re
quired. 0- 1 r dauntless fire brigade,
nowever, has managed to answer every
call with such success as to prevent any
serious losses.
The Sisters of Charity having charge
5