The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-05-28

Aho n I. World, the leading Northern
organ Of Jefferson DaYis---and, according
tOths Louisville journal, IAN admirable
organ Of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the
belief the other day that the men at the
head Of the rebel Government were
mentally and morally" superior to our
rulers. We now quote the opinion Of
Mr.. Pollard, one of the editors Of the
Richmond Enquirer, on the same subject
REBEL OPINION OF JEFF. DAVIS.
Mr.. Pollard, of Virginia, who has iust
written history of the first year of the
war, from the rebel stand point, is not al
all complimentary in his estimate Of
JEFF. Davis. He says:
Unfortunately, however, President Da-
Wis was not the man TO consult the senti.
ment and wisdom Of the people: he de-
sired TO signalize the infallibility of his
own intellect In every measure of the
revolution, and to identify, from motives
OF vanity, his own personal genius with
every event and detail of the re-
markable period Of history in which he
had been called upon to act. This i'm
Perious conceit seemed TO swallow up
every other idea in his mind. By what
was scarcely more than q consti,uii nal
fiction, the President OF the Confederate
States was the head Of the army; but Mr..
Davis, while he made himself the
supreme master Of the civil ADMINISTRATION
OF the Government so far as to take the
smallest details within his control. and
10 reduce his cabinet officers to the con-
ditiOn of head clerks. insisted also upon
being the autocrat of the army, con-
trolling the plans Of every General in the
held, and debating to him the precise
limits Of every movement that was UNDER
taken. Many Of our Generals frette d
under this p sgmatism of an executive,
who, instead of attending 10 the civil
affairs of the Government and correcting
the mOnstrous abuses that were daily
pointed out by the newspapers in the
conduct of the departments, as unfor-
tunately possessed with the vanity that
he was great military genius, and ID at
IL was necessary for him to dictate, from
his cushioned seat in Richmond, the de-
tails Of every campaign, and to confo, IN
every movement in the field to the in
variable formula of "the defensi Q
policy"
In . revolutionary leader something
more is wanted than scholarly and pol
ished intellect. The hist,ry of the
world shows that, in such circumstance
he plainest men, in point OF learning AZ d
scholarship, have been the most success
ful, and that their elements of success
nave been quick apprehension, practical
judgment, knowledge of human nature,
and, above all, a disposition to consult
the aggregate wisdom of the people, and
70 increase their stores OF ia ement by
deiguing to learn from every possib Ole
ounce Of practical wisdom wi hin thor
reach.
President Davis ,gas not a nan 10 cons,tt,
.eVen in the smallest matter Of defaL che p,s
dam Of others on TO reia1 his paypo es or per
so1at prefei ences, at The instan-s If any Coa-
sheraton that might comp omise HIM an re-
speet Of colcet or p1acttijO About nothi &
connected with the new Government hau
the popular viii been 80 clearly and en-
phaiically EXPIRE sed, as the necessity Of
- VI JUG OADtUtt. NO
body expected those offices 10 be per-
minently filed by provisional app in
tees. They were put there under an
| emergency; in some instances simply as
compliments TO certain States, and with
out the slightest expectation that they
would be imposed on the country fer seven
| long years. Had the Union continued an d
Mr.. Davis been elected TO the Presidency,
tue selection of such CajGnet of intellertual
pigmies from The nation at large aoould haze
aStonishea The public. The two great
branches of the Administration-the
War and Navy Departments iCere in The
hands of men t0hO had neither tho respect nor
The confidence Of 1se public. Mr.. Benz amin,
the Secretary OF War had been serious
ly injured by q number Of doubtful OIL
cial acts, in the public estimation, which
nevsr held him higher abono spla g. expeditions
and a6oble Official, Mr.. Mallory, the Sec
rotary of the Navy, had, In the old Gov
eminent in which he was Chairman OF
the Senate Committee on Naval Affairs,
been the butt Of every naval officer in The oou1-
try for his ignorance, his sang froid, his slOtr
and blandatng manner, and tho eagroSsmSnt
Of his mind BY provisions to provide gratifca-
tons for his social habits.
President Davis refused to concede
any thing to public sentiment with refer
ence to the recognition Of his Cabinet
although il is to be remarked that the
demand for change was made not by
n popular clamor, which 4 wise ruler
would have done right to disregard and
to contemn, but by that quiet, conserva.
tive and educated sentiment which n,
magistrate in a republican government
had the right to disregard. Mr.. Mallory
was retained at the head OF the navy
Mr.. Benjamin was promoted to the Sec
retaryship Of the State, and the onl,
material change in the Cabinet was hi
introduction as Secretary of War, O
General Randolph, of Virginia, gentle
man whose sterling PERSONAL worth mad
him acceptable to all parties, and pro
missed at least some change for the bette
in the administration OF a government
that had been eaten up By seyVility, and ha
illustrated nothiHy more than The imps,Iou
ooaeeitcf single man
DR.. COLEMAN, formerly Of rue Dead
srick, is now located on Cherry street,