The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1861-07-04


renee He could not well have escaped
suspicious of bad motives or personal
feeling, in either view.
friend, to whom [ read the foreeo
ing short time since, gave me the fol
lowing sketch of Davis relations to an
old MississippiaD, renowned for desperate
aud reckless courage: Alexander Mo.
Chung often proved himself, on the field
of battle and on the dueling ground. a
man Of dauutless and unsurpassed valor,
showing an absolutely suicidal contempt
of death on every occasion that presented.
He killed many men with bis own hand,
and finally shot himself in the head
happened to be iD constant communi-
cation with Colonel a. r. MsClupg of
Mississippi, in ls49 and 1850, and had
almost daily conversations with him in
relation to prominent Mississippians. AS
matter Of course, JEFF Davis was fre-
quently named, and for him McCIuDg en-.
tertained the most supreme conte opt
He said Jeff. vas not man of true oour-
age-that he wished to be regarded as a
duelist; but, in giving a challenge, would
always cast about for a non combatant,
and would exercise enough prudence to
creep oat of accepting one from an an
tagonist over whom be had not a great
advantage. McClung said, on one occa-
sionl
IL am very sorry that I ever fought a
duel. 1t is not pleasant business, and
yet I would like to fight one more, with
one man, and that man is Jefferson Da-
Wis, because l think the United States
will be better off without him. But be
would not fight me; he is too great a
coward, In fact, he is not now, never
was, and never will be, a brave man, in
the true sense of the word He is a dan
gerous and willy politician, loaded down
with vanity and self conceit, wishing on
ly for bis own aggrandiaenent, and he
cares not at what expense, or over how
many desolate households. He thinks
of himself, and himself only; and should
not be surprised to fnd him one of these
days, taking such step in public as will
place. his neck in a halter; for he is bad
man and ocoundrel, aud have fre-
queDtly denounced him as such before the
people of Mississippi, and the dirty pol
troon aud artful villain never had the
courage to resent it,"
These conversations occurred on board
the ship Lavine, B. Gardener, u aster, on
our passage from New York to Valparai-
SO. Mcclure was on bis way to Bolivia,
as Charged Affairs from the United
States.
In introducing to the notice of the
Sunday Mercavy's readers these facts in
the history of the arch traitor, am not
violating any rule of propriety which pro-
tests the "strictly private" moral delin-
quencies of public men. By common
consent of all gentlemen engaged in the
business of writing for publication, and of
all publishers, the sius and errors Of per.
soual and domestic life are not to be bla-
zon9d to the world, as means ofimpair-
ing the general reputation of any poliii-
clan, how deserving bis political course
may be of condeu nation and moral re.
probation.
As said in my article printed in the
Iadependent, a few months ago. exposing
the system attic thefts of Yale College
student, committed thirty-three years
since: "Had not that little thief (now a
Senator 10 Congress) reproduced in pub
lie life the morality of his early private
lifs, the secret of the sins of his youth
would have remained hidden in the bo-
SONS of those who then knew, and now
remember them"
Tba Tribune, Times. and other papers
say that my little thief was Judah P.
Benjamin, now Attorney General of the
Southern Confederacy of traitors and pi.
rates. I did not publish the name OF
the person described. but will promptly ;
furnish it whenever the right man calls
upon me for it. 4
When Benedict Arnold "a man Of far
higher character as to courage, truth, and
honesty, than any of his present imitstors
at the South) committed his bold treason
it was considered justi6able to search
through his whole previous life, to his 'e'
ry childhood, for evidence of bis innate
total depraVity; aud incidents constitute
an interesting and instructive portion ol
his published biography. | am doing nc
more or less than simple duty in con
tributing to the history of our time and
country these characteristics of Jeffer
son Davis and his coadjutors in treason
theft, assassination, and piracy" Among
the IN may be specially mentioned David
i. Youlee, ex. Senator from Florida, o.
whose early life | will give some similar
sketches at my earliest leisure and CON
yeUience.
| afix my name to these statements
not merely on the general principle tha
anonymous charges are entitled to no re
speet or belief, but because | am partleu
larly desirous to furnish my proofs aDc
authorities to the immediate "partles II
interest" whenever they dare apply tt
me for them, Of no other person will
take any Dotice in this connection. IL
those nom accuse, | am impossible.
D. FRANCIS BACON, Nj. d.
i aT U C,,a<IoaJ 1J1y,olJT7y