The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-10-19

on one side. and Grant on the other--he
was literNlly between two terrific and
fatal fires. DO not delay so in your Jour
ney,' continued the Major, 'let your
be rapid and yelled as far as
possible Davis replied, Major, com
prehend the situation exactly. 1t is all
clear before me, and l would not evade
it if could For myself I care nothing
it is my dear people that I. am think
ing of-what will become of my poor
people!
" My dear people Tiny poor peo-
ple." Will any one believe that Jelfer-
son Davis, educated in the strictest
school of the Democratic faith, and a
life long republican, would be guilty of
making use of such monarchical, auto
cratical, .anti-republican, and patroni-
zing expressions, when abiding to any
portion of the American people, as my
dear people," and " my poor people.
Who made him their masters, or gave
him this authority? How wonld 1t
sound in the. President of the United
States to say "my people," in address
ing the people Of the country whose ser
want and representative he is? such
language might do for the autocrat OF
Russia, for the monarch of England, or
for the Bourbons Of the past and pre-
semitic Louises Of France but for
any man to use this patronizing tone
towards any portion of the American
people would be insulting and presump-
tuous in the extreme, and subject him
to deserved and whitening rebulSe.
Americans are "the people, of nobody.
They are themselves. They are their
own rulers-and not the slaves or sub
jects of any man or set of men. They
have neither masters nor iulers-no one
to whom they give permission to say,
"You are my people," Their public
functionaries are their public servants
in reality-and while they do their duty
are respected as such, and their acts are
accepted by the people as their own.
We do not believe that Mr.. Davis ever
made use of such nonsensical or rather
anti-democratic expressions. 1t is an
error of this snobbish and toadying New
York correspondent, who is so servile in
his ideas of servility that he cannot see
the insult such language conveys to q
free people. Mr.. Davis very likely did
say, if he said anything, "my poor
countrymen," or my dear fellow-citi.
zensn - but not "my poor people,
Antelope may think this is distinction
without difference-but with demo
crat the difference is as broad as that be-
tween master and slave. Away with
such servile cringing! ''
But, the correspondent thus closes his
account of the hegir0 '.'
"The subsequent slow and careless
movements OF Mr.. Davis, his dismissal
of his b0dy-guard, etc., showed the same
total indifference to fate as that which
marked his conversation with Major
Sutherland at Danville. He literally
courted capture. Yet, if what hear be
true, President Johnson wished it had
been otherwise. AT this hour he had fai
rather that Jefferson Davis was where
Secretary Benjamin is, or anywhere else
than within the United States, and al
occupant of Fortress Monroe. We have
been repeatedly told that Davis wOult
he "tried !" Do not place too. much re
lance upon that! 1t is the opinion o
those Very near Davis and the EXecu-
tive that he will never be tried at all, bui
will be allowed quietly to leave the
country. .Ha .tr
Davis best friends, however, are ex-
tremely anxious for trial, and have
made earnest entreaties to secure it, but,
thus far, without the slightest prospect
that their desires will ever be granted.
Davis himself has also plead for it,"
This last paragraph contains direct
falsehood. There is not one of Mr.. Da-
vis' friends, either North or South,
-" anxious that he should be tried" On
the contrary, their entire solicitude is to
avoid trial and all their efforts are
directed to securing his unconditional
pardon and return to Mississippi. And
finally, let us say, upon authority, that
Mr.. Davis when captured was not with
out money. He had eight Thousand dol
lars in gold, which, we believe fell into
the hands of the party that surprised
him. This was not great sum for a
man in his circumstances and We
only mention the fact to help the histo-
rian. .....+ g