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cotton° < ilant;; ,Sn ,p 1 ; y e e n ars th ° Quiet life of
r 0 ng and Eventful Career in
Business, War and Politics.
pOUH
St’ORK YEARS AND MOUE.
and
— A
The
Two Kentucky Ooye. Unrein
*** . nn the Northern Fronts er
p»vl»"“ ...
Cotton I*l»»ter—Knter* CooKreee— ___
jIchii ^v»r—ITeuhlrnt of the Southern
(Mleraoy—Imprisonment, Release and
Old Ap*>-' ' v" 1 V '
., nr * than eighty.y*M»«tg6 twnKentncky
* bom in widely different sodal 1 spheres,
”°S«d iiDon still more widely d#e#»ih'oaiWs:
“ibrriian* Lincoln, in HanlfaT^oW Larne)
* t v and Jefferson Davis, In Christian
L,* Todd) county; Lincoln' bon* February
!fi«09 and Davis on the 8d o£ Juuepre-
!I " '
annexation of Tmu, aino a “crisis;” the
first issue over which 7Y ° *“*» “ «.o
and southern parties ls luutlVe! y northern
lit 1843 Um. J jS?^ fr ° nted ea <* other,
effective part in t° actlve and ™ost
1844 he was one ofth In Camr ’ ai « n »ud in
for Mississippi VtST^ elL ‘ Ct ° rS
ciiSimeon tari^ttaTo 77 '? the dto *
IStaT ^f XiC ' m ^roglio.S'ihe slater^
itUat far it came up, but faia speech^
mJ h l\ lu 0 ln,1iratte a Position far more
moderate than was afterwards attributed to
2S,; ^ n ° e reafc consequence now, but
r V 0 " g as curious matter of history,
.hat in the heated discussions regarding
Texas the threats of disunion came largely
from the extreme northern men, while the
most eloquent qulogies upon tho union came
frorn the south. In a speech on the Oregon
question, Feb. 0, 1840, Mr. Davis said:
hroin sire to son has descended the love
of union in our hearts, as in our historv are
mingled the names of Concord and Camden,
of \orktown and Saratoga, of Moultrie and
Plnttsbiirg, of Chippewa and Erie, of New
Orleans and Bunker Hill. Grouped together
they form a monument to the common glory
of our common country; and where is the
southern man who would wish that that
monument were less by one of the northern
names that constitute the mass?”
JEFFERSON DAVE...
[From a war time portrait.'],. .
jj 0 dark sibyl hailed them at them birth as
the coming exponents of' ftn awful struggle.
No prophet wonld have dared predict in the
dnysof their prominence- that tbe rugged
Lincoln was soon to fall, .while the defeated,
an invalid during a third of his life, would
mrvive his great antagonist for a quarter of
a century, outliving all the actors of his, age
1„ the great struggle, yet such was to be the
irony of fate. History presents many para
doxes, but none greater than this: that the
victor should fall in the very hoar of victory
uA the defeated live till almost every trace
of the conflict had vanished^ to die of mere
old age.
The ancestors of Jefferson Davis were of
pure English stock, but so long resident In
America that the typo had become thorough
ly southern American. On both sides they
wived in the war for American independ
ence, his father, Samuel Davis, winning
(time distinction in the mounted troops of
Georgia. Of his two sons, Jefferson early be
came a soldier, while Joseph; ahum of talent,
icarcely, If at ell, tofcrier, gained a local
rocee* as lawyer and ’ planter' in Mississippi.
The brothers were * notably affectionate in
childhood, and remained through life devoted
to each other. ' '».>hnft.iw “ ■;' Ml ,* ,‘! J ‘
Soon after the birth of Jefferson; Samnel
Pavla removed to Mississippi; locating near
Woodvflle, in Wilkinson county. The sons
there acquired -ah unusually good English
education for the time, and at ari early age
Jefferson entered Transylvania college, Ken
tucky, In 1831, however, President Monroe
appointed him a cadet at West Point, whence
ha was graduated in 1828, at the early , age of
SO. He bad stood high. in. his chum, and at
once entered on active duty, though for some
time commissioned only as a brevet second
lieutenant Promotion was very Bjorn-t***"** 0 "'
peaceful huiiia«« — *pn his full com-
ana rathe next three years demon
strated bis organising capacity, both as in
fantry and staff officer on tto northwestern
frontier. r ,' ...
The year 1831 brought a smprise and many
promotions. Black Hawk entered on his fa-
rota* campaign, and Jefferson Dayis waa at
tnce given an active and i^ipippsibte position
torauster in and organise the. new recruits.
There has long been a tradition that in this
capacity he mustered in the company of Illi-
uois volunteers from New Salem and vicinity
commanded by Capt, Abraham Lincoln, but
there is no record of it - *
CAMPAIGNS,4G4HT8® XHEINDIANS.
Duly in 1833 Lieut. Davis was transferred
”wn his place to Company B, First United
States infantry, and in recognition of his
•errioeg Jq the Blade Hawk war was promo
ted to a first lieutenancy In the First United
States dragoons, of which command he was
made adjutant. In this position he
made a very brilliant record, not only as an
organiser end efficient administrator in gar-
nsoa life, but in several active campaigns
agajjst the Comanches, Pawnees and other
""10111 And it is at this stage of his career
jtafc active, one might say acrid, criticism
concerns itself with Jefferson Davis.
•"•Jffiters.who persist in attributing tho
dwhall of the Bohthbrn Confederacy to
Davis Allege that thus early he ex-
“®tesd the same faults and virtues which
Ma administration in greater and
fi'Witoc degree with each successive increase
and power. The greatest fault al-
yA perkapi, is unreasonable attachment
friends and corresponding prejudice
ottwperaons. ■
“ Wto while in this service that Lieut. Da-
"a.WQqed «pd WPSft daughter of tbe eminent
**4president. Zachary Taylor. Her
^Jtja*jWk,fiqi«Pnaud of Fort Crawford,
"■^Prairie Du Chien, and his daughter, a
"•““ini and refined young lady, was the
attraction among the subordinate
™** 1; Wiii| , fline are the romantic sto-
£P“ture-by u
b *b-*rfedby>
ighter,
the young couple to
on the wostern'bank of
son-
tent
JEITErson DAVIS 1 BIRTHPLACE.
!®lppi. Let the young and romantic
t££2*V°readaud believe. Suffice it that
•odtiSf* •v® 8 ? obdurate for some time,
tala* tm** co mpletely reconciled to his
•ftert^L/ 10 bitter lay wounded in his
* Buena Vista. There i
ths^fn 501111 ^ 80 ^ what was said there
t 1 Gen. Taylor’s words
“Coto ,, been these, or very near theptf
^■Vonf,’tn° U bave saved the day—God
'teiabeti ■ *'° n would have you, she
i t oectQr jndge of s mall than I was.”
! Jqjjq a ?° RT YK ARS a tlanter.
Dieut. Davis resigned his
'toOn aid located in Mississippi, where
COL. JEFFERSON
Heroic
DAVIS.
Action at
and Successful
Itueria Vista.
Whito Mr. Davis was active in congress in
July, tbe First regiment of Mississippi volun
teers enrolled for the Mexican war elected
him their colonel. Ho resigned at once, over
took bis regiment at New Orleans, organized
and drilled it to a high stute of efficiency,
and early in September was on the Rio
Grande, 1n the army of his father-in-law,
Geu. Zachary Taylor.’ ' A few days later' be
pore a conspicuous part in the siege and
storming of Monterey, and, as commissioner,
aided in drawing up the terras of capitula
tion. ..... ..... .. . , Za
Five months of comparative quiet followed,
and then came the crowning glory of his
military career, the achievement of which,
more than all else, fixed him firmly In the
affections of the southern, people, aided him
effectively at each turning point in his subse
quent career, made him secretary of war and
finally president of the Southern Confeder
acy. This was his gallantry, coolness in dan
ger and soldierly skill at the battle of Buena
Vista, Feb. 23,1847. ■
In July, 1846, Mr. Davis was In congress, in
September he was leading his regiment
against Monterey; in February, 1847, he was
at Buena Vista, and July of the same year
found him again a peaceful planter, tho regi
ment’s term of service having expired. In
August, 1847, the governor of Mississippi ap
pointed him a United States senator to fill
a vacancy; the legislature in 1848 J re-elected
him to complete the term, and in 188(1 re
elected him for a full term. The ever, mem
orable congress of 1840-VH, at its long session,
had adopted the noted “compromise meas
ure,” but fully satisfied neither party.*
WALKER.
MEMMTXOXa^l
MALLOKY. BnPBBM. REAGAN.
BENJAMIN. TOOMBS.
COOTXDKHATR CABINET AND VICE PRESIDENT.
The result was the famous Foote-Davis
gubernatorial campaign of 185L The “Union”
party, as it was called, carried the state by
7,600 majority on the convention question,
but Mr. Foote’s majority for governor was
but 0*J0—a remarkable proof of the popular
ity of Col. Davis. He had resigned bis seat
in the senate, and now remained in retire
ment till 1853, when be canvassed several
states for the Democratic candidates.
WAR SECRETARY DAVIS.
His Able Administration of the War Do-
. *j partment.
March 4,1853, President Franklin Pierce
named Col. Jefferson Davis as secretary of
war. That of Pierce was a strong cabinet,
and secretary Davis was certainly among tho
strongest men in it. Men of all parties agree
that his administration of tho war depart
ment was marked by ability and energy, pad
many old officers testify that of all secre
taries in their time Col. Davis was (save for
his quarrel with Gen. Scott) most popular
with tho army. He reorganized almost the
entire service, drafted a new code of army
4gtilati6b8, i introduced tho light infantrjr
rifle system of tactics, tried the experiment
of camels for transportation on the south
western deserts, added four regiments to the
regular army, and improved the entire sys
tem of sea coast defenses, lie also had the
boundaries between Mexico and the United
States fixed accurately, and secured the com
plete survey and almost the adoption of tbe
southern route for a Pacific railroad. He
sent Capt. George B. McClellan and two
other officers to the Crimea to study the mili
tary tactics of the armies there fin 1854-’5),
and was so pleased with their report that he
retained warm personal feelings for them
even through the civil war.
With the events of President Pierce’s ad
ministration congress and tbe country may
be said to have entered in full course upon
the proceedings which led to the civil war.
It is not to be expected that any American
could at this time take a dispassionate and
philosophical view of that part of history.
All that remains then is to recite the princi
pal events and quote briefly tbe matured
judgment Of friends and foes. 1 •
At his retirement from tbe cabinet to
March, 1857, the legislature of Mississippi had
elected Mr. Davis as United States senator
for the term to close March 4, 1868. He
plunged at once into the heated debates of tbe
time.maintaining the rather extreme southern
view, and with an ability and courtesy which
elicited warm praise even from his foes. The
editor of Harper’s Weekly has this sketch of
him in 185S: _, ,
“In the north, GoL Dayis is regarded—
somewhat unjustly, porhaps—as^fype of the
southern fire eater. Many persons who fif
never seen him fancy him quarrelsome, petu
lant, hot headed; turbulent. His appearance to
the senate does not justify these views. A prim,
mooth looking man, with a precise manner.
would pick out as ‘the fire enter.’ In his own
country he is intensely beloved, chiefly from
his Lind and gentle disposition. Ho is a man
of whom Mississippi may well be proud.”
He also took an active part in opposing the
French spoliation bill and advocating the
southern route for tho Pacific railroad. Ha
led the so-called “Leoompton party” in con
gress In opposition to Senator Douglas, and
in debate with the latter propounded the once
celebrated queries and propositions which
drew from tho Illinois senator his famous
theory as to the right of a territorial legisla-
ture to adopt ‘‘unfriendly legislation” against
slav ery, and bis article in Harper’s Magazine,
which set forth the creed of the “Douglas
Democrats.” The breach was now complete.
Meantime, in the summer of 1853, he made
a tour for health aud pleasure through the
eastern states, delivering several addresses,
in svhich the warmest attachment to the
union was avowed—always, however, with a
proviso, expressed or implied, that aggres
sions upon the south would certainly be met
with resistance. Some of these addresses
liave a strange sound now. In a letter ac
knowledging an invitation to join in a Boston
celebration of the birthday of Daniel Web
ster, in January, 1859, be wrote:
“I send you my cordial greetings to the
friends of the constitution, and ask to be en
rolled among those whose mission is, by fra
ternity and good faith to every constitu
tional obligation, to insure that, from- the
Aroostook to San D.iego, from Key West to
Puget sound, tbe grand arch of our political
temple shall stand unshaken.”
DID WAR BEGIN IN 1859?
An event was at hand, however, which was
to precipitate'the conflict—namely, the en
terprise of John Brown. ‘A million southern
men aud women, who had laughfxl at tbe idea
of danger from “northern agp-ession,” were
pradenly converted, saying, as one of them
expresiai It, “We can no longer live in peace
With tho north; our allies have become our
enemies, and we must seek release from th«
connection while we can do so with safety.’ 1
The feelings of Jefferson Davis for the next
fifteen months may be gathered from the fol
lowing letter, written at the close of the dis
cussion to’ his long time friend, ex-President
Pierce:
Washington, D. a, Jan. SO, 18QL
Mv Dear Friend—I have often and sadly turned
my thoughts to you during the troublous times
through which we have been passing, and now 1
come .to the hard task of announcing to you that
the hour is at hand which closes my connection
with the United States, for tbe independence and
union of which my father toiled and In the service
of which I have sought to emulate the example
he set for my guidance. Mississippi, not as a
matter of choice, but of necessity, lum resolved to
enter on the trial of secession. Thoqe who have
driven her to this .alternative threaten to deprive
her of the right to r -quire that her government
shall rest on the consent of the governed, to sub-
stitute foreign force for domestic support, to re
duce a state to the condition from which the col
ony rose. In the attempt to avoid the issue which i
hod. been joined by the country, the present ad-
ministration has complicated and precipitated .
the question. Even now, if the duty “to preserve |
tho public property” was rationally regarded, the <
probable collision at Charleston would be avoided."
Security far better than any which the Federal
troops can give might be obtained in consldera-
tloh of the little garrison of Fort Sumter.' If the
disavowal of any purpose to coeroe South Caro
lina be sincere, the possession of a work to com
mand the harbor is worse than useless.
■fKVhea Lincoln comes in he will have but to con
tinue in the path of his predecessor to inaugurate
a civil war, and leave a.sol-disant Democratic ad
ministration responsible for the fact. Gen. Cush
ing was here last week, and when he parted it
seemed like taking a lost leave of a brother.
I leave immediately for Mississippi, and know
not what may devolve upon me after my return.
Civil 1 war has only horror forme, but whatever
circumstances may demand shall be met as a
duty, and I trust be so discharged that you will
not be ashamed of our former connection or cease
to be my friend.
Mrs. Davis joins me In kind remembrance to
Mrs. Pierex and the expression of the hope that
we may y^ have you both at our country home.
Do me the favor to write to me often. Address
Hurricane P. O., Warren county, Miss.
May God bless you, is ever the prayer of your
friend. Jefp'n Davis. -
President F. Pierce.
In that fifteen months events bad moved
rapidly towards the dread culmination. In
the first Democratic convention of I860, Mr.
Davis received some votes, Benjamin F.
Butler voting for him 57 times. In the
subsequent election the “two northern candi
dates,” as Mr. Blaine styles them, received all
the votes of tho northern states save a mere
handful, less than 100,000, while Breckin
ridge and Bell received the almost solid vote
of the southern states. “In truth os well as
to appearance,” adds Mr. Blaine, “it was a
sectional contest, in whioh the north support
ed northern candidates and the south south
ern candidates.” “Disunion was already
completed to the hearts of the people,” says
Tourgee, ,r tbe options simply fell apart be
cause there was no cohesion. ” These opinions
of philosophic obssryers long after tho strug
gle, have their value.
Mississippi had appointed him commander in
chief of all hoi forces, with the rank of major
general. On ’.he 41.h of February, 1S01, dele
gates from several states convened in Mont
gomery, Ala., and soon adopted a constitu
tion for the Confederate states. On the 9th
the convention iuianimously elected Jefferson
Davis president. Alexander H. Stephens was
named for vice president and inaugurated at
once. On the 16th Mr. Davis arrived; on
the 18th ho was inaugurated.
THE CONFEDERATE CABINET.
Ho named for liLs cabinet: Robert Toomhs,
of Georgia, secretary of state; Leroy Pope
Walker, of Alabama, secretary of war;
Charles G. Memminger, of South Carolina,
secretary of the treasury; Stephen R. ’Mal
lory, of Florida, secretary of the navy; Judah
P. Benjamin, attorney general, and John H.
Reagan, of Texas, postmaster general. In
the divisions which soon arose, Messrs.
Toombs, Walker and Memminger retired;
the others remained in the cabinet to the last.
Mr. Benjamin was popularly credited with
being the “ruling spirit.” He was among
the last to leave Richmond and to part with
President Davis; he escaped arrest and im
prisonment by flight to Londou, where he
became a British subject, and soon entered on
a career at tho bar so brilliant and successful
that it caused his American failures to bo al
most forgotten.
; THE CONFEDERACY FORMED.
Jefferson Davis Sees Washington for the
i i: Last Time.
South CajroUua led off in secession;. Mis
sissippi soon toUp^ed, uu4 Aye more states.
It is idle to recount the fiitiie attempts at
compromise. Senator Davis was pamed Qflp
Of the committee,of thirteen in tbe senate,
but asked to foe excused on the ground that
propositions for compromise such a gmp
ought’to come from northon? meih ap4
men r.wboaa party standing w#s * guar
antee of good faith—ft positfop highly pjraisoj
in the north at the time,’ A JJtiJo Jaier he
consented to assist, saying:
THE-WHITE HOUSE OF THE CONEEDEBACy.
“If, in the opinion of others, it he possible
for me to do anything for tho public good,
the last moment while I stand here is at the
command of the senate. It'I could see any
means by which I could avert the catastro
phe of a struggle between the sections of the
union, my past life, I hope, gives eyidhnoe
of the readiness with which I would make
the effort. If there be any sacrifice which I
could offer on tbe altar of my country to
heal all the evils, present or prospective, no
man has the right to doubt my readiness to
doit.” JjOO-£ 'Joi
With only two or three exceptions the de
parture of southern statesmen as their states
seceded was singularly calm and dignified.
On the 21st of January, 1861, the senators
from Florida, Alabama and Mississippi with
drew. Mr, Blaine praises the maimer of Sen
ator Davis, adding: “No man gave up more
than Mr. Daviis to joining tbe revolt against
stiff soldierly carriage, “ d ! the Union. In his farewell address to the
his head fuller, seemingly, ^ his senate there was a tone of moderation and
hard, dry principles “ 1 dignity not unmixed wiEh regretful and ten-
voice cool and firm, ^ho^ treto^®^ de ^ Qtlon8 „
citement; he is the last person —, Rafore Senator Davis could reach home
DAVIS IN PRISON.
The Inaugural address of < President Davis
was read with breathless interest in every
part of ttift country, as, to the prevalent
Ignorance and confusion, men sought in it the
indications of peace or war. But it. was not
In the power, of any man, however wise, at
that time to give assurances. The most sig
nificant passage to it, perhaps, was this:
“We have entered upon a career of inde
pendence, and it must be inflexibly pursued.
Through many years of controversy with
our late associates of the northern states we
have vainly endeavored to secure tranquil
lity, and obtain respect for the rights to which
ye are entitled. As a neoessity, not of choice,
/ve have resorted to the remedy of separation,
and henceforth our energies must be directed
to the conduct of our own affaire, and the
perpetuity of the Confederacy which we have
formed. - <-i: ."at *ni*. vp.t*’.
Commissioners were sent to Washington
and fruitless negotiations conducted. Be
tween the inauguration aud the 1st of April
public opinion to both sections turned to the
conteniplatlun/jf war. In vain did President
Lincoln proclaim that he “certainly had no'
desire and believed he hod no authority to
interfere with slavery.” In vain did Presi
dent Davis reiterate that he longed tp avoid
the effusion of blood. On the 12th of April,
.1861, the war began with the attack on Fort
Sumter.
“The uprising of the north”—that most
marvelous of all reoent popular phenomena—
followed at once. The uprising of thosontb
was scarcely, if at all, less prompt and unani
mous, save in tbe northern tier of states.
Virginia socoded April 17; Tennessee and
Arkansas followed May 6, and on May 20
North Carolina completed the list of eleven
Confederate states. May 20 the Confederate
government was transferred to Richmond,
and President Davis followed in a few days.
His journey was a continued ovation; his
speeches were chiefly exhortations to unity
and courage, with brief arguments which
were merely variations of the clause fa
his first message to congress, April 29,
viz., “All we ask is to be . let alone—that
those who never held power over ns
shall not attempt our subjugation by arms.
This we will, wa must, resist to the direst
extremity.”
At Montgomery tho congress had already
provided for “a vigorous prosecution of the
war"—that is, for a loan of $50,000,000 at 8
per cent., to addition to a previous loan of
$15,000,000, and tbe creation of an army
which “might, to the discretion of the presi
dent, be increased to 100,000 men!” Priva
teering was also organized. Tho people re
sponded with such alacrity that President
Davis, on arriving at Richmond, had only to
officially confirm their action. In a surpris
ingly short time 60,000 men were organized
fo Virgjfito, and fifteen vessels commissioned
as privateers, The Federal government was
also moving with a celerity that now seems
wonderful, but to the impatient people ftt flje
time seemed criminal slackness. A blockade
of all Confederate ports was proclaimed
April 19, and nearly 100 vessels were soon
to -enforce it By the 1st of July a
Federal efi^y.qf gyPF 300,000 men was "or
ganized. -.; ‘i r AW* p „ < ' . 'V,'
A PERSONAL DIGRESSION.
¥&&& Pf Administration Urged A gains*-,
president l>av!s.
4»d here the fcfographer of Jefferson Da
vis is compelled to take ijqticQ jof a contro
versy which went on to a quiet way during
the war and more openly afterwards, tjfl R
reached a furious climax, and is still waged
with much bitterness. Without*indorsing
the harsh philippics of Edwin Pollard and
Tbwn™ Jordan, or even the milder
criticisms of Gens. Johnstoq ftnd Beam-egard,
Federal and Confederate may now agree
that President Davis made two serious—
should one say fatalf^-mistakos: ’the one was
common to him and nearly ail the leaders on
hoto sides, tlie other peculiarly his own. It
was a. manifestation of that spirit which is
often praised as the quality of “always
sacking to one’s friends”—a very amiable
quality fadeej in a private man, but one
which fa a .corumauder-iq-pbief in time of
war may be a erto/ina) folly. A most un
happy instance fs thus set fortlf by Gem
Thomas Jordan, chief of staff to Gen. Beau
regard:
“Mr. Davis had been at TFfOt Point, and
subsequently served for several years to tho
dragoons at a frontier post with a Lieut. Nor
throp, to whom he became attached. The
hitter jpgs disabled by an accident, went to
his home aud turned parish doctor. Mr.
Davis became iq time a politician. Lieut.
Northrop grew so eccentric and full of mental
crotchets as to be geqerally regarded in
Charleston as of unsound intellect and unfit
for the management of his Qvm small affairs.
He bad rt()t served Joqg enough to the army
to acquire familiarity with military adminis
tration; neither hud bis ayocatioq to Charles
ton brought him to relation with men engaged
to large commercial affairs. This man, with
whom Davis had no personal association since
they were cavalry lieutenants together on the
Indian frontier, he did not hesitate to make
ills chief of subsistence, nor scruple to intrust
a bureau upoa which -the vet y existence of
the Confederate armies Trust depend, and for
the labors of which it is a^pAr^it tli* sound
est practical order of intellect; 'was essential. ’*
It would bo easy to find Confederates or
high rank and, pppioi-rdj-jadgnieti^r h'jyiiU-
tary affairs wfco still upon this, uppoint-
nieut aud two others as the mam causes of,
the downfall of the Confederacy..
WHO FORESAW A LONG WAR!
As to thuother charge so persistently urged,
that Mr. Davis was “not. able , to t compre
hend tho proportions of the struggle impend
ing,” the obvious answer is, Who was? A
few, a very few, thoughtful men in the north,
who drew their conclusions largely from his
tory, predicted a long and bitter struggle; in
the south it is exceedingly doubtful if there
were fifty men who believed the contest
would outlust a year. : If there was one who,
froiii the beginning, anticipated a four years’
war, be succeeded admirably in concealing
his views. That President Davis, his cabinet
and all bis advisers shared the current’delu
sion that the war would be short aiid its thea
tre confined principally to' the'coast axul t-he
border' between the two sections, is certain.
Such belief was the parent of mnny'arrors.
In the first place, it was estimated that the
south bad almost arms enough, and the first or
der sent to Europe was for but 10,000 Enfield
rifles! Before the blockade could ,be> made
effective it was urged that the Confederate
government should take the (xitton and to
bacco, of' which a fargo stock was still on
hand, issue bonds to ’ 'pay* 1 the' o wners, export
the stuff to Europe, and make it the basis of
a fund to draw upon. The owners generally
were willing, and the effect would have- hwan
tremendous. At the same time n considera
ble 1 amount of foreign excbhiige in the 1-auks
was offered to the government on favorable
terms. -Both prOjxisitiqnk were 'rifected or
ignored; iriS the golden' opportunity soon'
passed, uev^rf to return. It'should be noted
also that the legislation of the provisional
congress, aud of the f first session Of ‘ the regu
lar congress at Richmond; shows tho snttir
lank of perception us to >the greatness of the
bhpitaAitt^ struggle.<>)< (•*:! i' . V
On the Federal side of the line m nob of the
froth and ’nonsense al-out “a short;'‘Wap” war'
swept away by! the battle of Bull Run; tilt
rest wa» done for at Shiloh. After tbe latter
thoughtful men both north: and south mack
up their toinc^ that tho Issue was- to be tena
ciously fought to a close. . The north erred
often in ex]>eotiiig great and decisive victo
ries; the south .quite <ds often In . expecting
foreign interference or a di vision in the north.
True, Mr. Benjamin at-Richmond continued
to promise “pacification in: ninety; dayb” long
after Mr. Seward at Washington bad oetutd
to do bo,-but tie found few echoes.
:l ( l AN APPALLING DIEklUOtTV. -
: | ;Tbe. victory of Bull Run produced great
exultation in the south, but appears to havf
had a decidedly sobering effect, upon Presi
dent Davis and cabinet. .It mny now be con
sidered proved that ho was in for aggressive
option immediately after that battle, but
him from -o-rtnua hlunui In the mutter
of Tk-nimh-ary Northrop. Hu uxorted
hiruKt-lf heroically in preparing for thn
campaign of IHf-l, and' it. upwind with
some slight suei-esses All the rest, of tho
year presents « painful record of desperate -
struggle against tho inevitable; every vic
tory was Iwr-n, every irremediable..
As the ship of state vmt -lo-i-erin the vortex,,
mutual recrimiuatioi-> naturally multiplied,
Tho removal of ini .lohnstou, the niiterprisa
of Ilrxsl and -lie restoration <>f Johnston, the
“shelving”of Beauregard and tie- l-iwilt with'
Governor Brown, of* Georgia tl-eie is riot
space to dtmw thotu Are they not argued
aiii4'reargued at length iu the magazines?
Gen. Hood came uobly to tho rescue by as
suming "full responsibility, and Governor
Brown was so far reconciled as to censo seri
ous opposition. “
,.j IfhlGHT AND qATTUHlt.
. Tho wild projects in the, Gqnfwlerate con
gress in. the winter of 13IVP5 were hut the
frenzies of dissolution and de-fiair. , Military
movements reully decided everything and to
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
1 ' [From a recent portrait.) !!
them this fact was ever prominent: A maa
lost by Grant could be replaced if* desired by
“fW*. *tt*r w tthree: a map. lost by Lee was a final losa
yielded to the adverse opinions of, Jvhnston, ■ D„ the a j of Apidi, 1865, seated to
and Rgauregard, aud thereafter, with rare
exceptions, insisted! upon a defensive policy.
During -tife Jong period of inaction which, fol
lowed he embraced' every opportunity tp de
clare, his earn«»t desire, fog pey*),; H^ even,
excited criticism by.suggesting houqiltatory
.measures;.fo? many jnpp^f t Wr uttor-
an.c^s, were mnpUficatiqnsrof.liftt pataqpp in
ihis first regular message. , “Tfle moment that
this pretense of our subjygation is abandoned,
the sword will drop from our grasp aud we
shall be ready to 1 inter into treaties^‘of amity
and friendship.’
emit ti(l
oift ata
i- Mia. DAVIS’ HOUSE, REAtTVOTR.
In November, 1861, a genoral electioh'wa* ^
held, and President Davis and Vice President federaey’ hkd di-oifaed ’ topees fike a*hbmB
Stephens.were re-elected for-tiiofull term of
six years. Febi 18, 1862, the first congress-'
under.the permanent; constitution' Assembled
in. Richmond; on the £2d,s President Davis
was inaugurated, and .deliverdd a carefully
prepared, message. Disasters,hAd already set
to, to continue with scarcely- rh Interiniijoit
for thi ee, months. Before President Davis
was this ominous, situation: In all the Con
federate States tiiera were-not quite 6,000,O0C
white people, among whom , the per cent, of
men capable of bearing, arms was surpris
ingly siqaLL In the Federal or. “adhering
states,” excluding nlj the doubtful and dis
puted . strip, were at. least l^OOOjOPd white
people, among whom tbe ,per-qeuL of adult
males was phenomenally, one might say un
naturally, large.
By the census of 1830 the south contained
about 200,000 more women thin men, the
north about 4Q0,000. more men than women:
so the north could tend into the field 600,000
irieq and pfill t hove at home a percentage of
men eqiial to. that of tile south fa peaep. Of
the enormous immigration of 1845r’6l, ebn
sisting largely of young abd stroijg men, only
8 per cenL hafl locate^ in the south. This
explains the paradox that such states as Kan-.
933 fW$ 'Nevaxla' tent a larger per cent, of
their/total populate^ |nto the field than any
state of the south, and yet had many mare
men left'at’hqmo than older states ever have
jjnritig the longest peaco. The disparity in
'jvealtif u?ss jfp'r 'greater—by‘some estimates
fopfWnmsm great Witbpufi ncpep||m:.so
Strong a statement it may yet b« admitted
tiiat the Feiierals were fhreq' times as numer-
oqa and eight a* rich 'as the Confecler-
iif “ . 1.
THE LOST CAUSED"
-Twonty-flve-
Th» Confederacy Overthnwn-
; 1 R Y eara In'Peace.
Never thecas hope and confidence were
stropg. Rpesident Ijayis’ (tost gtato papers
showed great ability, and ije assented,' some
what reluctantly, to a conscription law,
which was ariiqng the first acta passed by the
congress. • excited much opposition, of
course, mid a little later the habeas corpus
was suspended in a district ten miles around
Richmond, and a ’military - police organized
Under Ger^. \yinc)er, which continued during
the remainder of the war. The summer
closed favorably to the Confederates though
they regained little or none of the ground
lost fa the spring; and in December Presi
dent flavin ipqdo ja. tour of the western
camps, from which he returneq greatly en
couraged. In April, 1863, ho issued a rather
exulting address tQ tho people, but ti*
ejaims in it were just. The Confederacy was
theq fit fts maximum as a military power.
The disaster^ of that sumrpqr from Gettys
burg tq Vicksburg need not be detafled.
The year closed under the black shadow of
coming dooip.
The real greatness pf Jefferson Davis shone
conspicuously as disasters thickened. He
resolutely dofendefl his appofatees, and as
sumed the responsibility wherever it was not
clearly theirs. He regained the hearts of
the people and almost nullified the opposition
to tho congress. A committee of investiga
tion entered upon Its work in a hostile spirit,
with, the organization and administration of at| d ended by indorsing almost every one of
tbe president’s acts, and even exonerated
— his pew ;
|in : St/ 1 Raul’s^“church, Richmond, President
E " Ls received the dispatch from Gen. Lee
fWrjf* h ! s pompletc discomfiture. At 8
. the president, cabinet and other offi-
lfeft foV rianville, at which point Pres!- ‘
deqtj'Davis! Uwtod his-lost proclamation, his
tqst.jstota paper.: Ton' days.later he was at
Greensboro, N. q.; ( a,.week later ho halted at
Charlotte, where he first leitruod that $100,*
b()0‘rdWard had boon 'offered for his capture
as an instigutor of the assassination of Presi- >
lent Lincoln. All men now admit that, the
harge was false.
Another'week found him almost alone, a
■figWivo 1 in' ttto‘forests of Georgia, with hii
vife add a, few devoted adherents. On the
0th of May be was captured near Irwius-
vill^Ua,, by a body of cavalry under Lieut.
Col. Pritehard. “Mr. Davis,” says one of hi|
captors, “had ori when arrested an ordinary
suit, with a very long raglan overcoat and a
Shawl on his shoulders.” In tbe dim light of
, morning he was at first taken for a woman,
hence the story so widely published. He was
conveyed At dace to Fbrtress Monroe, which
he entered bn the 19th of May, to remain a
captivo for uearly two years.
And so all was over. The Southern Goa
fs cards, and: its president, oneo the beloved
o)quel, the honorei 1 senator, the Federal n»
rotary of war, the successful statesman aud
aspiring politician, was a prisoner—to irons!
Yes; all that was bright ami hopeful wai
gone; nothing now remained but to hang thfi
prisoner, as bml btx:n so often prbqtiised; to
write his history 8» as to fix his'name in fa.
famy, arid in rib long time bis own peopl«
would disown him as tho cause of their woes.
All this, in the opinion of many sanguine
ones, was soon to bq. Only it did not prove so.
The world was pow to witness another of
those; fa imphlap feating WittM
often; delight j-hp emptional ftqd ppzzle {he
philosophic. sight pf thiii Jioroly stricken
* taVr rt '’vT.T * i t'r*
te’ta all southern criticism wi« iustantiy
husb«3, and In due time thoughts'of aomo
-thiog far noblek than vongeauc-V pervaded
tho north. Mr. Davis bore his sufferings
with such Roman fortitude that southern
hearts were knitted to him as never before.
His critics apologized, even when truth was
on their side. His wife shared his captivity
and excited the world’s interest in his case.
His first wife; claugijter of 'Gen.' Taylor, had
died many years before.bitffc t^ephe sgftjofrarad
his fortunes as official and as'cftptiyq^n^
«• lady of refinement and intellect worthy «
any station. His oldest and most inveterate
opppneqta were fii-st to toftenV thpAbolition
ists askefl cienjeucy, and in MaP] ISfiL {leforg
Hor^e ^reeloy and Gerritl Sn^£^^n^
with many soutberxi men in signing hfs bail
bond. Ho half'been formally indicted foe
treasop; hut, }n December,
court, a nolle prpsequi was entered, and tup
ca«a pf I’The XJqjted States vs, Jefferson
Dayis” was ended forever andto the satisfaQ.
tion of almost every American. • 1 * • )
RETIREMENT AND A QUIET T.TTMH
After a brief tour in Europe l:e hx-ated at
Meniphis as president of a life insurance com
pany, but soon re
tired to priyatalifo,
to pmerga only gj
long intervals, euch
time to j’eceive r&-
newcnl expressions
pf affection and
sympathy. .-A be
quest by a southern
lady gave hhp p
loyt-iy i) pmp at
Peaiiyoir, M|ss., on
the shore- of the
gulf. Tbe loss of
his son, a manly
gentleman, by yel
low fever at Menj-
phis, was a ’ ’
pAytg,
i'Tho phild of the Coic
blow; but bis wife and two daughters re-'
mained to him. Of these the younger'
' a l' llla Davis, nffeetionutclyjkqown as Wtoi
pie, is styled “The Child of the'Coufederacy.’-t
paving been liopn ju the president^! mansion
in Richmond diming the war. |3he has lately
shown jqterary ability of a high pj-der, and
piay yet rank among the noted authoresses of
America, f — *.**
Killed by « Cave fni
Iro.vton, 0. t Nqv. at-JoIm Hxxbf
para, aged 24, waa instantly killed Man,
day about 10 a. m. in an ore bank by
the caving in of the bank. He wai well
known in the oity.