The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-06-13
NUMBEsR.53I8'.. / 5.
Jefferson Davis.-.A few, Interesting nm.
published Facts exemplifying his Cow.
ardice and Treason. 3m z Ek ga

Jefferson Davis.--A- few, Interesting nm.
published Facts exemplifying his Cow.
ardice and Treason. eE .e1a
There are some important facts in
the history of this very conspicuous
and very despicable person which have
not yet been made to the American
public at large, and which seem to me,
to be worth communicating to the
world, through the newspaper press.
They are interesting and instructive,
especially at the present time, as Illus
trating and demonstrating his charac-
ter; and, consequently, to some extent.
the characters of those who, well know
ing him, selected him as the Nena Sa-
hib of the, Southern Sepoy mutiny.
| i do not think it worth while TO 20
into the details of his threatened duel
with Col. 'Wm. II. ,BisseH of Illinois
(since deceased in the ,Goyernorship of
that State,) though general reference
to 1T is proper, to show the undisputed
fact that-having appeared in public to
provoke and seek a mortal combat-in
lprivate correspondence he was availing
himself of every .paltry squibble to
tevade the impending consequences of
his rash repetition of the very stale
trick of Southerner bullying a North
erner in Congress, on the presumption
that the man of the North would not
fight duel, knowing that a duellist is.
more Infamous here than a coward is
lin the South. - r.. Il.s- -
l have, never been able to suppress
my contempt in reading correspou-
dence tending, or relative to-. a pro-
posed or possible duel I; The case is in.
yariably SO befogged withtechnicalities,
and pettifogged with rascaIities, which
would make an attorney in the Marine
Court or, Tombs blush on suggestion,
that no. honest man of courage can feel
u particle of respect for either party
principals or seoonds-.after the perusaf.
have been friendly and intimate with
many men who have done these silly
things, but have never been able to es-
TEEN or honor, one of them after such
performance. .-.....estf.
1 only refer to Davis's- affair. with
Bissell to remind the public that ne
t"backed, down" and backed out of a
l fight which he himself. first proposed:
and that he requested Col. Bisseil to let
him do SO, on a pretext suggested and
furnished by himself. :; F7.ss-,re-
1t has been repeatedly announced
that Jefferson Davis will command the
Southern Sepoys in person, in the cam
Ipaign now commencing, I hope he
will lead the way on their first battle
field, for mean TO be there myself.
But / very much doubt whether Mr..
Davis has the courage to expose him
self to the peculiar risk-not of imme-
diate death, but of capture-which he
would incur in that position. Some Of
Sour boysn,are bound to ss.haye bis ear
cass'' alive, if it costs thousand of
their lives. 'olp -'',-5 1i.,S
+ BY the way, if Jefferson Davis should
I lead the Secession army in person, it is
hoped that his memory for courage)
won't fail him, as it did at the battle of
Buena Vista, when he omitted to give
the third and essential command to
throw his regiment into solid square:
BY the right and left of flank battal-
lions! To the march r' The
, consequence of this hiatus cale debzen-
f dus. was, that his regiment were left
spread in the form, of V, to receive
the charge of 1000 Mexican. cavalry,
5 coming down on them in full career, ON
+ the slopes of Buepa Vista. The sur
I lvivors of that regiment know that
lnothing saved them from annihilation
, but their long -practiced, deadly mark,
manship with rifles. go Jas S''.,'i 70
| Perhaps it was well for Jefferson
Davis that Zachary Taylor was his
, father-in-law, though nnwillingly SO.
"A sterner and more Brutus like com
mander might have ordered court
r martial on the spot, that would have
condemned him to have been shot for
cowardice or moral incompetency.
= In my, opinion, Jefferson Davis
SHOULD have been court-martialled for
). his disgraceful misconduct in that bat
! tie, as soon as it was decided. Perhaps
j he would have been, but for-his pecu-
1 liar relations to Zachary Taylor, whose
. daughter he had married by stealth, in
!. opposition to the expressed wishes and
e positive commands Of her father.
e General Ghen Col.) Taylor said to his
: daughter, /" If you marry Lieut.. Davis.
e | will never see your face again, dead
or aliyei" The Infatuated girl, never
t ltheless, eloped with Davis, who had
e taken advantage of the patronage of
e his commanding officer, and violated
II the laws Of hospitality by secretly gain
If ing the affections of his daughter. In
o such adherence did Zachary Tay-
s lor hold Davis, that he kept his word
e with frmness that may be deemed
Z. lpittiless cruelty. When in the course
}. of time, his disobedient daughter lay
l. on her. death bed, she sent to him pen
1t itent message, entreating him to visit
e her, that she might die in peace, with
,e her fathers blessings, or at least his
it forgiveness, the stern reply of the mex
e. orable old man. was :ss warned you
ID that if you ever married that man, ]
,e would never see your face again, living
Il. or dead, and / NEVER WILL" And
SO the unhappy lady died, unblest and
s. unforgiven by him. -
ID When Davis came under the immedi
ate command of his father-in-law in the
tMov;,o, xvar Con TavlOr refused fr