The weekly sun., 1862-03-08
The Inauguration of JeG. Dsv-.
rHE cARKKR OF THE RERKL PRESIDENT.

age. His birthplace was in that part OF Chris
tian county Kentucky, which now forms part
Of Tood county. Soon after his birth, his fifth
or, Samuel Davis, planter, who served daring
the Revolutionary war 10 the mounted force Of
the state of Gcorgis, removed with his family to
Mississippi and settled near Woo lville. Wllkin.
son County. Young Davis received an acAle.
mical education, and vas sent, at the usual re-
TO Transyivania College, Ky, which he left, 10
1924 20 enter the United States military Ac ,1e-
my at West Point, where he was gtaiuated in
1S2s, and was appointed brtvet second lieuten-
ant. de remained In the army seven years,
and served as an infantry and staff officer ia tho
north western frontier with such distinct m that
March 4th 1888, he was promoted TO first lieu.
tenantcy Of dragons, in which capacity he was
employed In 1884, in various expeditions against
the Camanches, Pawnoes, and Other hostile lu-
dian tribes, He resigned his commissi N on the
Both Of June, 1885, returned 10 Mississippi and
became cotton planter, living in rotiremon.
until 1S43, when he began to take an active
part in politics on the democratic side, and in
1t4l was chosen one OF the presidential electors
OF Mississippi to vote for polk and Dallas, the
democratic ns'ionsl cindidAtes.
In November, 1915, he was elec'ei repre-.
tentative 10 the Congress ot the United States,
and took his seat in December Of that year. IIe
bore a most conspicuous part 10 the di-cussions
OF the session OF the tariff on the Oregon quss.
tiob, on military affair, and pirlicularly on tho
preparation for war against Mexico, aud on the
organization Of volunteer rili ia, whsn called
into the service o. tho [ nited States. While
IN Congress, Jolly 4, 1916, the first regiment Of
Mis,issppi volunteers enrolled for service in
Mexico, elected him their Colonel. lie prompt
iy left his seat in the House oi Representatives,
ard overtaking his regiment at the city OF New
Otleats g. on its way to the seat Of war, lod IL to
reinforce the army OF Gen. Taylor on the RIO
Grspde. He was actively engaged in the at.
tack and storming OF Monterey in September,
1876 WAS one Of the commissioners for ar
ranging tho terms OF capitulation OF the city,
and highly distinguished himself at the memo
fable baitle Of Buera Vista on the % Of Feb
tuAry, Isi7, where his reg eimcnt attacked by
an mmonstly superior force, maintained thoir
ground for long lime unsupported, while Co-
lionel Davis himself though severely wounded,
romail I'd in the saddle untl the close OF the
action, and was complimented for his c)olness
aud marked glllantiy, by tho Commander in.
Chief, in his dispa',h to the War Department.,
dated MIch q, 1Si1.
At the ON Dirstion OF the tsrn OF enlistment,
in July, 1Si7, the Mississippi regiment was
ordered home, and Colonel Davis, while on his
return received at New y loans a commission
from President J. X. Polk, as a bngadiSr.
general Of volunteers, which he declined ac
cepting on the ground that the Constitution
reserves TO the states respectively the appoint
ment Of the officers Of the militia, aud that,
consequently, their appointment by the fede-
raj Executive is a vsoldfi0n Of ne rtghts #
states. In August, 1917, he Tas appointed by
the Governor OF Mississippi, a United States
Senator, to 6ll vacancy, and at the ensuing
session II the ate Legislatu-e, Jan II, 1918,
was unanimously elected for tie residue q the
term, which expired March I, 1851. In 1880
he was re. elected for the ensuing term which
expired March 4, 1897. In the Slnate he WAS
chosan Chairman Of the Committee on Military
AFFAIRS anu TOOK promi nent part in the de-
bates on the slavery question, In defence Of tho
inslitut on and policy Of the slave statcs, and
was Jealous advocate Of the doctrine OF states
rights. In September, 1851, shortly afler tn he-
ginnr K Of his second tei m in tho United States
S. nate he waa no N mated candidate for Covering
Of hlssssippi, by ha d. m'crutic party, In oppOsi
tion TO the Hon. Henry S. Foose, tho candilite
OF the Union party. lie resigned his seat in
the Ser ate on accepting the nomination, ard
was beaten in the election 10y 9y9; a marked IN.
dication Of his personal popularity in his own
s ate for at the 'cOnvention' election. two
months b,fore, the MON party hal clear ma
jority of nearly < 900 votes. After his defeat
lionel Davis remained In retirement until the
Presidential election Of lSJ2 when he took the
stump in behalf Of Gen. Frank Pierce, 10 the
States OF Mississippi, Isunessse, AMI Lpul-anl,
where he rendered ess, u'iai service TO the De-
IN n.cratic parry. In lojb to was appointed, by
Pres,den' Pierce, Secretary Of War, which Ppst
he held till the accession % President Bach man
10 the executive chlir Hls administrt'IJn Of
the war department was unlike tso rHiouJt-
ADle IlONu--uh' kNu nv ann v Aut nofrN, anu
was highly popular with the eufite standing
army Of the nat ON. lls either pr, pose or o,r-
fied into titcc', among oth9r m, .puros, the re-
vision Of the army r,glla'ous; the Ia.
reduction Of camclS in'O Am.rcl;the in-
PRODUCTION Of light n'aRtry Or riae system Of
tactic; the manutt ture Of iitsl mu,kets
and pistols, anal the usO Of the mins
ball; the addition Of four regiments to the amy;
the augmentation Of the sea coast a1d frontier
deiences OF the country AID the system OF
explorations in the Western pUt Of he con-
Gnent for geographical, purposes, and for tho
determination otthe best route for n railroad
direct TO the Pacific ocean. Having been pre-
viously 70 elected, on his retirement from the
War department, Colonel Davis, re. entered
the United States Senate for the term ending
March 4th, 1868. In the sessions of the Thirty
hth Congre's, he Was most conspicuous in the
discussious On the French SpOlii'i0n bill which
he strenuGusiy opposed, and on the Pacific Rail
road bill, aor the y ulre'n r)u =, Of which hs
wasa zqalous ard most inhuen,i al advocate. lIe
'-sen<ened in the Senate until the S a'e of Mis-
Assippi seeded u from the Union, when he
retired after making brief speech on the right
OF State TO withdraw from the Union. lie
was subsequently, elected Provisional Pro-
tdent u the ro-,lil,ed "GOntt derate S ates Of
America, and ex Ii. Stevens, of Gsorgis
elected Provisional Vice PiesiIsnt. Both were
reelected TO these Offices fo' thu first regular
aerm commencing in February, 1862, for six CY)
years. " Pfesident' Davis epiOys for q brief
period th~ same rights as our own no 10 Exc
cut'ye "Od Abe, as the head Of the Southern
COnf,dera,y. His term OF Lilice il six wears
years but We predict IT will no. exiat one-sixth
q that time.
THE MAUGrBAL ABpRERA
FELLOW CITizESs On IhiS, the birth day OF the
,IAh nost Identified with the astabishmeut al
AmercA An lcdepsndeLce and ne ~ A. a n, nun, =,
erected W commemorate tis heroic virtuss arJ
those ~ his cpmpatruts we have asastnu.d a. ,,.b
er M eNWt nee the p-ruaueut government Of the
ConisdeIat steH. Though mi. luArur snt.,it,,
under tle favor OF Divine Providence gs hone ~
peTpetuNe tre principles II our Rcy .lutraary
hthers Toe dtv, she me LOry anu the purpose
teem ritly ass cist'd
It's wnh mingled feelings ~ hunt ~ and pride,
tlt u pear ,u . Ke, IA 80, Prrsouse ~ the people
AMI lef"e ~ ga II ayen, the atn prescribed ~ a
qualification y the eX ltet stauou 10 which the
unanimous voice o' tne people has called us,
ID eply n-Iue ot u. tat .uIli-d Is tie Inani-
fes a'on o. iae peoples C,un tuHr, sja YET more
PROFOUNDLY impressed by tie vast responsibility of
the 'ihof, ana uumrly { Il ny own uLV.r Illness.
In rturr i'r their Eindless | uau only o'iar a.
surAhces ut te Rra4Iure with viii 4 IL rec lyel,
ana can lui pledge d 30 ,our 4 vOu n uf every s.c-
ultY T. thh = ryi of those who nave ch son ne az
th'ir Chief n lgistrais
When a long course ~ lc.isation. dirertsd
not " Cue ger era welfare, bui T. the agyr.pd ~
ment OF tie Ncltnetn s6cton ~ tee nj d. cuIr,i.
nat In wa 'a'e on the doms4tr ipst tutor on
che SOUTH IN s. los HEen the dngfnps ~ a -eo.
tional party, suSs;itutei hr Ne pr vt,l us 0f the
oonstituncus compact. ,hr' a'rntd ~ destroy the
sovereign rights ottue s'st =. sir ~ 10 re states,
Withdrawing from tie Union, 'ed rated tpgstH.
70 eNerCftE , Ftf Co. n , a of In.