Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-07-12

oped, IT was not thought wrong to show 9th,
si0s OF his youth" as proof that ssthe child i
father of the man" When Judah p. Benia
min advocated theft on a large scale as u. s
Senator from Louisiana, the author of the fol
lowing did not think it wrong to show that be
exhibited the same crime when pupil In Yale
College. respectable citizen of New Ha.
ven Tor New York; gives in the -Nelr York
Mercury the following telling account Of the
previous career of the head rebel
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
There are some facts, in the history Of this
person, which have not yet been made known
TO the American public, and which seem to me
to be worth communicating through tho news
| paper press. They are instructive, especially
/ at the pre- sent time, as illustrating and demon.
stfatilg his character, and consequently, to
some extent, the characters of those who, we'll
knowing him, Felected him as the Nena Sahib
of the Southern Sepoy mntiny.
| do not think it worth while to eo ieto the
details of bis threatened duel With Col. Bis.
| sell, OF Illinois tsnce deceased in The tloyer-
notsbip of that State. though general refer-
nee TO 1t IS proper TO show The undispu.ed
TACT, that having appeared, in public, 70 pros
yoke aud seek mortal combat-ir. pysrafe
correspondence he was availing himself of ev-
! cry paitry quibbIe to eUade the impendsAz ccn>
sequences of bis rash repetition of the very
stale trek OF Southerner bullying North
efneT in Congress, on the presumption that the
man of the North viii not fight duel, know
ing that duelist Is more Infamous here than
cow ard is in the South.
1t has been announced that Davis will CON-
mand IN person 10 the campaign now couiinepcs
lng l hope be will. But l doubt whether
mr. Davis has the courage to expose himself
TO the peculiar risks not of immediate death,
but OF capture which he would not incur in
that position. Some of sour boys'' are
'bound" to shave his carcass attue, if il cost
thousand Of their lives.
Ii he should lead the Secession army. IL IL
to be hoped that bis memory for couraeel won i
fail him, as 1t did at the bat tie of Bue1a Vista
when he omitted to give the third and essen
tial command to throw his regiment into solid
square: "By the right and left of flank bat.
talioDs--to the color -MARoH!n The eon~
sequence of this was, that his regiment were
left spread in the form of v, 60 reooi a the
charge OF 1000 Mexican cavalry, coming
down upon them in full career, on the slopes Of
BueDa Vista. The survivors of that regi-
ment know to at nothing saved them from auni-
hllatIon' but their loDg-prac,iced, deadly mark
nanshiP with rifles.
Perhaps it was we'll for Davis that Zachary
Taylor Was his father-in law, through anuifiingE
$50. Il sterner aud more Brutus like com.
mander might have ordered a court-martial ON
the SPOT, that would have condemned him TO
be shot for cowardice or other moral iucompe-
;ency. When Davis came under the immedi-
ate command of his father in law IN the Mexi-
can war, Gen. Taylor refused to recognize him
IN any way, except officially, as in giving or
ders, and 10 other matters of purely military
form and duty.
friend, to whom l read the foregoing
short time since, gave me the following sketch
of Davis relations to an old Mississiprian, re-
nowned for desperate courage
81 happened to be III constant commuuica-
tlon with Col. Alexander K. McCluno. of Mis-
sissippi, in 1S49 and 1850, and had almost
daily conversations with him ia relation to
prominent Mississ ippians. He said jeff Da-
Wis was not man of true courape-that he
wished to be regarded as a duelist, but, in
giving challenge, would always cast about a
non eombattant, and would exercise enough
prudence to creep out of accepting one from
an antagonist over whom he had not great
advantage. MvCluDg said, on one occasion
81 am sorry | ever fought duel. 1t is
not pheasant business; and yet would like
to light one more, With one man, and that man
is Jefferson DaglS, because think the United
States will be better off without him. Bat
he will not tight me; he is too great coward.
In fact, he is not now, never was, aud never
will be, brave man, in the true sense of the
word. He is dangerous and ao,Eg politician,
loaded down with vanity and self con ceit,
wishing only for his own aggrandizment, and
he cares not at what expense, or over how
many desolate households He thinks of him.
self only; and | should not lie surprised to End
him, one or these days, taxing such step IN
public as wfU place has neck in halter; for
be is bad man, and scoundrel, and | have
frequently denounced him as such, before the
people of Mississippi, and the dirty poltroon
and artful william never had tho courage to re-.
sent it,"
These conversations occurred on board the
ship Levine, b. Gardiner, Master on our pas
sage from New York to Valparaiso. McClung
was on his way totBolivia,as Charge d. Affairs
from tho United States.
! afix my name 10 these statements, not
merely on the general principle that anonyp
nous charges are entitled to no respect or
belief, but because am particularly desirous
to furnish my proofs and authorities to the inn
mediate "partes in interest,"" whenever they |
dare apply to me for them. Of no other per-
son will take any notice in this connection.
d. FRANCIS BACON, MD.
Thirty four companies of bona fde Kentuek- |