East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-10-08
Col. Forney,s Estimate Of Jen Davis.

/ During tho time that the newspapers
and telegraph had jefferson Davis dead,
| Col. Forney, of the Philadelphia Press,
wrote tho following handsome and, no
doubt, truthful obituary. It's publication
can do no harm, even though the subject
OF the eulogy is stiIl kicking aud at the
head Of the armies Of the enemies Of the
country. ...
When Stephen a. Douglas was called
away, a fiendish exultation was exhibited
in many Of tho Secession papers. The
malignity with which they punished his
independence survived his death and riot
ed over his grave. Let us set better
example, now that the great leader OF
Secession tyranny has been summoned
before the eternal bar. lie was an impe-
rious and positive public man. lie rarely
surrendered an opinion once formed until
he degraded himself by throwing behind
him his voluntary professions in favor OF
the Union. He was close student, .
chivalric opponent, a steadfast friend, q
gentleman in all his relations, and in his
own family singularly kind and genial
Although undoubtedly the head and
heart Of Southern rebellion, he went into
it reluctantly, as all who heard his last
speech in the Senate will remember, when
with broken accents and fearful eyes, he
bade farewell at once to that body and to
all his real greatness. Jefferson Davis
was blessed with many accomplishments.
He was alike soldier and . statesman.-
No public man Of my acquaintance was
more devoted to scientific pursuits, aud
more familiar with the abstruse teachings
of political philosophy. Ne branch Of
human knowledge seemed to be unworthy
of his investigation. He was equally at
teutive to classic literature, to the details
of military life, to the doctrines Of polit-
ical parties, 10 the study Of men, and if
Professor Bache, of the Coast Survey,
could speak, he would say Of the fine
work, of which he is the accomplished
head, and which has lstterly proved it.
uncouquerable usefulness, that Jefferson
JAWS was as converssnt with the smallest
minutim of shat noble Institution as any
other man not directly connected with it.
He was passionately devoted to the Smith
sonian Institution, of which he was a
Regent in former times. He devoted
himself to the decoration Of the capital,
and stood by Captain (now GsnersD
Meigs in all his efforts to construct the
water works, 80 finish the Capitol build
ing on the grsndest scale, and TO push
forward the extensions of the Interior
aud Treasury Departments He was,
undoubtedly, great Secretary Of War,
| nd in irh If
delighted him as to take young men by
the hand, and when worthy, 10 advance
them. II he educated Beauregsrd to
destroy the Republic, he conferred many
advantages on Mcclellan to save it. IL
he assisted Lee and Johnston, and thus
strengthened their hands for injury
against the flag, he greatly favored Meigs
and Franklin. Unlike Floyd, who sue-
cesded him, he neither lied lor stole;
aud, unlike Msson. who retained his seat
in the Senate while trying 10 dsmorsli.e
the government, he retired gracefully, il
reluctantly, when called upon 10 carry his
terrible theories into effect.
Jefferson Davis was born in 1905, was
educated at West Point, served in the
army from 1923 until 1885. He WAS q
member of Congress for one year, Col
onel and Brigadier General in Mexico, a
Senator in Congress- for more than six
years, Secretary Of War under President
Pierce, and again member of the Som
ate, which position he left when Seces-
sion ripened into rebellion and when re-
bellion demanded his services. have
not q doubt that he died Of a broken
heart. lie was too thoroughbred gen.
tlsman to be an honest traitor. He had
too much contempt for falsehood to rep
resent government that was oil lie
Jefferson Davis had conscience, and
therefore his broken oath pursued him
like a Nemesis, and he who faced the can
non at Buena Vista, and stood unquaiing
before every personal peril, became a
coward when he beheld himself the rep
resentative Of perjury, and the first assas-
sin of country that had nurtured and
educated him. The grave was, unques-
tionably, welcome rest and refuge to
him. II had any reason for regretting
his death, it is because, IL he had lived,
his indomitable aud desperate character
would have driven his followers to more
speedy defeat than may now overtake
them. Who is to be Ills successor re-
mains to be seen. There is not one Of
all the banditti who may be called his
equal. The Vice President, Stephens,
with his feeble, fragile frame, could not
endure the weight of labor and of shame.
Hunter is timid, selfish, narrow man,
who never rose to the dignity Of bold
fight, and who never figured, save as the
follower Of another. Toombs is an un.
certain, vapid, noisy gascon; Slidcll dis
tinguished only for the venom of his poll
tics; Benjamin personally disgraccd 10y
revelations affecting his personal integ-
rity; Yanccy distrustcd because Of his
Northern birth, and remarkable only for
his pyrotcchnic oratory. think our So.
cosson friends should beware lest some
unexpected chief should leap into the
saddle Of their dead Cid. The brains
and conscience Of the South, after such
dispeusation, are undoubtedly with the
Union men of the South. Ii the eonspir-
acy has lost his head, the Union men may
thereby have recovered their heart. Why
should not old Sam Houston come forth