The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1861-02-28
Davis ana stephens.

oeheTson DaVls Is statesman, q schO.aTl
and soldier. He was educated for mill
tary life, served eaily in the regular army
OF the United States, in the line, first d
the LIST infantry, and then of the lst drsl
goons, and as Adjutant in the last regiment
Twenty-Five years ago he resigned from
the army, and devoted himself to civil oc5
cupation and studies Elected to Congress|
in 1915, he resigned to become Colonel ol|
the First Volunteer Regiment OF Missisip5
pi Rifles in the Mexican War, and distin-|
gulshed himself greatly in his services byI
his skill and Tor his bravery He led his|
Regiment at the storming of Monterey
and WIS severely wounded at the battle od
Buena Vista.
Declining the appointment of Brigadicr-
General, lie returned to Congress MS Seua1
tor from the Stale of Mississippi, and served
there until appointed by Mr.. Pierce Secrc-
'ary of War. In that Office he naintained
the reputation he had previously acquired
of possessing extraordinary administrative
capacity, His firmness in what he believed
to be right was unqueztioDable, and hid
integrity beyond the taint of suspiciouI
When Mr.. Buchanan succeeded MT. PierceI
MIR. Davis returned to the Senate, and
held his place there by the firm tenure, "a
the unlimited confidence of the people ol
his State. He is eminently fitted by thd
grasp and character of his mind, his studiesl
his temperament and his unsullied intcel
rity to be the organizer of new adminisI
tration.
In the politics Of past times, Mr.. Davia
has belonged, for long time, to tho Statc.|
Rights wing of the Democratic party. Ir)
the cant phrase of the day, he bas
been sometimes classed rs u fire -eaterI
But 1t is great abuse of language to applJ
such an cpithet to Mr. Davis. A zeaIous|
and, II you please, an ultra supporter of thd
constitutional rights of the South, his cours4I
has been calm, and dignifed up to thd
moment when secession came, in his iudgI
ment, to be the last and necessary rcsourcs|
for sclf-protection, he was for fighting tha
battles of the Institution, and in thd
Union. He clung to the Union hopefullj
when many others, not more firm in thei}
devotion to Southern rights, dcspondedI
He. maintained the right Of secession, buI
he made 1t, except as the extreme remedJ !
FOR incurable disease. subordinate to thl
| Union with the Constitution. Such med
illustrate the dignity of the cause.
His associate, Vice-President Stephens
has not had 50 diversified career as MrI
Davis; but he is known, respected ant
trus:ci. lie was originally of the State
Rightss wing of the old Wing party oj
| George, nd on tie dissolution ofthe old
organization, united himself with the State
Right Democrats, because they showet
hp sttn IL.
ance at the North for maintaining th@
Union with the rights of the South.
When the North ovcrwht lined us in thd
late sectional Presidential election, Mr|
! Stephens was among those who counsellet|
! JOINT Southern cooperation for the securI
/ ing of the rights of the States within th(
Union, or for joint and concurrent departI
uTe from it. The tide of events rolled on|
and washed this ground from beneath th@ !
feet OF thousands ofthe purest patriots id
/ the land, and, obcdient to the will OF hid
State, he embraced her cause, not grud.J
ingly or coldly, but with the warmth of !
generous heart and the thorough devotion
OF his brilliant intellect to her service
Never submissionist, he is the represen
tatlve of that noble class, which; faithful u
home and to duty, sacrifice the mere punc|
tilios OF private opinion to the common
cause of the country, and gave himself un|
reservedly to its service. A brilliant ors,I
tor, chivalrous gentleman, an acute an!
iar-sceing statesman, the association Of hid
name With that Of Mr.. Davis, in the Exe|
cutlve functions of the new Union, is
( pledge of the consolidation Of the entird
southern sentiment in one feeling Of loy|
ahty to the Government anl of an unbru|
ken front to its advcrsar;cs
4Nctc Oy-ieuss Picayane.