, 1864-10-23
Jeff Davis, Macon Speech,

When JeU DaFt8' Macon speech ur5t Hp'
pcared in the papers, many people were dis
posed to regard 1t as q hoax, and come of
the Coplerhead prints pronounced 1t an
"Abolition " forgery"
And yet there ia no doubt of the genuine
ness Of this speech. It is commented on, In
various style and spirit, In all the Southern
papers, AID Was copied from the Macon 1el-
ttc Charleston md Richmond Journals. Ev-
err day we receive fresh annotatlons upon 1t
IRON the Southern editors. The truth was,
that tre tki1ltu1 and cunning consptratos,
who had brought such u1numnered woes on
his country men aud friends, % no mar, how
ever rtsergetu], has ever. visited upon his
worst enemies; who had suffered a nation to
be plunged i1to bloody fraternal strife for
the fas t OF his own wretchcd ambition, now
saw aal his grand schemes Of WIckednsss
falling TO Places before Lis eyes; his country
deEolMtcc, Ills Iibsulen and com pan1ons kill
ed, himself IN outcast aud exile and hrs
crime to Etand as one OF the blackest and
mott unsuccessful on the page Of history
With these leattul specters haunting him Of
coming ruin, irrit.tud by deteat, the willy
rebel leader LOST his self. control, and let out
to the wurl0 confessions which he Would now
undoubtedly give @n5thing to have buried
up forever.
Davis. up to the present time, has acted a
!: part before the world very different from the
character which belonged to4l1m be1ora the
war, or from that manifested by his public
actions since.
:, It was understood in former years, when
he was Senator Ut. the Unized States from
mississippi, t3at he Was q man Of no great
personal coursge, of Irritable temper, and
unbouDded ambition, but enc who, in gene
ral, could cover up the most dishonorable
-chemts or the most intense hatred with the
manners OF gentltulau. His torte through
ont his admins tratfon Of this Rebellion has
gentlcmun." With the most 9uave proprtety
Of manner. he has let loose a WhtrlWind
which Will deso1ate this continent for years
to come.
With perfect good breeding be, more than
any other man, has instigaIed hundreds Of
thousands OF men to cut the throats OF their
brethren. Seltom loslng his self-control OF
manner, be bus welded an iron aad felent--
less despotism over his own subjects. With
mild words, aud even with the phrases Of
Christian, be has carried on war US no deBpot
OF Asia would suffer it to be carried on; per
hitting pfieoners to be starved, negroes to
be lunldEred in cold blood, and the moat as
tennoing batbafi1its to he committed.
Yet, through 1t all, he has preserved hss
ploprtety; with Que or two exceptions bis
speeches have shown comparatively little
temper, and he haa had the immense selt.
contrul III being abla to conceal the fearful
WOUNDS which war was continually makfng
in the resources of his insurgenr followers.
Now at length, however. he has lost his TEN,
per; he lets out the savage Southern Wild
beast which tho slaveholdera' Utilization
keeps 70 carefully under concsalment; hs
blacBguards bis enemies; he olurts out his
secrsis; Ec brt1a,s to the whole world his
weakness; he il almost maudlin.
Il eeemed like hoax, that the first great
Southern commentary On Grants famous ep.
igram Of ssrpbblDg the cradle and the
graves" shonld he the rebel President &C.
md calling OF. tQe aged ani the maimed to
drive out Tue invnderl THIN, for tue cool
.Butler, the Beast" and L., to ackno %leaee e
were abse:t without leave, and that
Virrini. = % as badly offas Georgia. certain
IL appeared like practical ioks.