Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-04-23
JEFFERSON DAVIS.

IL Is one OF the misf1rtunes of an extensiy,
cOhIederated republic like ours that the peo
PIE oi different sections of the country must al
Seneral rule, know but little of The grea
men VINO are remote from them, even if they
40 not cherish unreasonable preiudices agains
them This is a tendency against which every
wise man and good patriot ought to exert hls
influence; but unhappily considerable por-
ZION OF those to whom the country just now is
entrustlnS its interests, short-,ig ht ed
anu mistaken to be doing all they can to in
crease an evil which the laws of nature itself
leave slready too great The leading states.
1nen Of the North DO not often visit the South:
the leading statesmen of the South do not often
visit the North; Northern speeches are not
read at the South, and Southern speeches are
not read at the North. Mutual ignorance and
mutual eStTanSement are every day inc reasing
The common expression which the South has of
the Yankees is as far from the truth as are the
caricatures of the English squire-Sir Smith or
Sir JOnes-which are presented on the French
stage; and In like manner the North visits upon
the whole Southern people the vices and vio-
lenee5 of their outcasts and outlaws. We think
therefore, that we are setting u good example
to- others, and doing our readers no harm, in
dey0tIDg portion of space this day to q
consideration of the public services and leading
mental traits OF the distinguished man whose
name stands at the head of this article
The name of Jefferson Davis is doubtless well
known at the North; and most readers of news
papers at the North are aware of his services
IN the army. in Congress, and in the cabinet of
PRESIDENT Pierce; but few, we apprehend, have
any very distinct impression of what manner
Of man he Is, or of the traits of mind and char
acter by which he is distinguished from the
other men who are now taking part in the gov
eminent of the country. This country is now
and indeed always has been, governed by a
body Of men quite small in comparison with
the whole number of those to whom its charge
1S apparently entrusted. FOur-ffthS at least,
perhaps seyen-elghths, of the members OF
Congress, In both houses are mere walking
gentlemen, who strut and fret their hour
upon the stage, make their set, school boy
speecheS-which are half the time written out
and committed to memory-print them and
send them to their constituents, but really take
no part IN the conduct of the government ex-
ert no influence, whether for good or evil, are
not valued as friends, or feared as enemies
The Senate has been for many years becoming
more and more the governing power of the
country, and large proportion of the men
who shape its policy, and control its destiny
are Senators; and we fear that truth must COM
pei US to add that at this moment the South has
more of these at Washington than the North.
BE this a 1t may, 1T Is very certain that at
this moment Mr.. Jefferson Davis is one of the
men who are governing this country; and per-
haps there Is no man i'll Washington whose in
fuence Is more important, or whose opinion
would be entitled to more consideration in re-
gard to any contemplated measure. This CON-
manding position he owes In part to his native
powers, and In part to the training and disci-
pline of his life. Born in 1903, he was gradu-
ated at West Point in 1928, and served in the
army for seven years, resigned his commits
sion in 1888, lived in retirement as a cotton
planter in Mississippi till 1915, was then elected
10 the House of Representatives and took his
seat in that body in December of that year
served with great gallantry and distinction in
the Mexican war as colonel of a volunteer reg
lment, was in the Senate from lS47 to 1871 was
Secretary of War in President PIerce's cabi-
net, and has now reentered the Senate for the
term ending March 4, 1863 Thus good deal
of his education has been military and his
mind and character were under military in
fiuences during its most ductile and plastic Pc
RODS. Now between wits and soldiers there
naSever been feud. When the Duke of Wei
1ingtOn came in as prime minister in 1929, all
the wits III England were against him. Much
the same thing was here during the contest
between Adams and Jackson for the presi-
dency- Men of books, young men of books es-
pecially, get from their books a notion that the
training of a soldier units n man for the
proper discharge of civil functions But
the instincts of the common mind are the
other way; and the longer we live, and
the more see of life and human NJ
ture, the more inclined we shall be to c2me
to the conclusion that the common mind is
and observation the fact that general rule,
the man who is competent to command an army
l. competent to govern country. Soldiers
learn 10 obey before they learn to command;
and the former dsciplineis is n good preparation
fJr the latter. In administration, especially,
as distinguished from government, the habits
of order, method and punctuality, which mill
tary service of necessity forms, are of great
value 1t was admitted alike by friend and
foe. that Mr. Davis administration of the War
Department in President Pierce's Cabinet was
most able and energetic; and to this successful
discharge of its duties his training in the field
undoubtedly contributed.
But Mr.. DavisS preparation for public life
has not been wholly military. During the
time he was in the army, and also while he was
living In retirement upon his plantation, he
must have been n diligent student; for there is
no man IN Congress who has a greater amount
of the knowledge that is wanted there than he
No man Is more familiar with the political his
tory of the country, and the general machinery
Of government He understands we'll the ge-
oSrsphy and physical resources of the South,
the Southwest, the West, the territory recently
added to the United States and Mexico HIS
knowledge of the physical and exact sciencesis is
said to be full and accurate. His purely lite
rary culture has probably not been beyond the
average.
In his qualities of mind and character he pre-
sents a com mbinatiOn not often found anywhere,
but perhaps as often found among ScOtchmen
as among any men; but wherever found, never
failing to give him who possesses it influence
and consideration. He has practical sagacity,
metaphysic subtlety, and fervid tempera-
ment A good man of business, an acute To-
gician, he is impatient of opposition, and by
nature of an imperious spirit, which he has
learned to CONTROL though the effort it costs
him is easily seen. He has some of the traits
of character of Gen. Jackson and some Of the
intellectual peculiarities of Mr.. Calhoun. His
speeches are concise, pointed, and analytica
He takes hold of the subject with a strong grasp
and goes at once to his heart. He is not an
crater rhetorcian; he is a skillful and
vigorous debater, though the strength of his
convictions and the ardor of his temperament
often elevate him to eloquence. He never
speaks without commanding the full and undi
vided attention Of the Senate. His natural
impatience and irrItability, aggravated by the
suferings of wound received during the Mex
lean war. lead him sometimes to say things in
the heat of discussion, which he would after
wards be doubtless glad To recall; but no mar
Is more generous and msgnanimous in &c
acknowledgement when an error of this kind ha
heen committed His eOuraoe ia If sueh nor