The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1865-06-13
[From Charleston Courier. I

slnteresting Statement of the Position
of Davis and the Confederate Gov
ernment.
RIoHMoND. Monday, May Is, 1865.
Owing to the mystery of secret sessions
and the reticence observed by she jour.
mails, much of the real history of the
great struggle remains to be, written
Its known to the world that Mr.. Da.
Wis welded to the last the full powers Of
the South, and that the Southern Con
gress granted nearly all his requests for
power Unsuitable as he seemed to be in
this respect But it is well known that
he. was unpopular with the leading
statesmen of the South. They thought
lightly ofhis capacity, and deemed him
an incumbus upon their cause. Some
opposed him openly, but the majority,
while deploring his errors, did not think
it a fit period for opposition. Among
the former class were Orr, Toombs,
Wigfall, Graham. Among the latter
were Messrs, Campbell, Cobb, Hunter
and many others. On the other hand,
Nh Davis had cordial hatred for Con.
gress, and took no pains to conceal it.
One of his last proceedings was to send
in a special message. which, when an.
alyzed, was found to to be nothing less
than carefully prepared bill Of indict-
ment and designed TO throw upon the
Congress all the odium in the event of
failure. This document elected severe
reply from the Senate at which body
it was supposed to be especially aimed
No person, perhaps, ever occupied a
prominent position who availed himself
SO little of wisdom or experience of 9th.
ers as Mr.. Davis. He was rudely in.
tolerant Of any difference of opinion, and
seemed to rejoice in isolation from those
who were likely to express an indepen.
dent judgment His dcspotism over
his Cabinet was supreme He admitted
that, he knew nothing of finance, but
upon all other subjects made no pretence
of modesty.
When the Southern Congress met in
in November last, Mr.. Davis sent III
a message, which was, upon the whole,
of a confident tone. He seemed to
take no account of the waning re.
sources and spirit of the South, or the
diminished numbers of her armies, and
still less of the cohstancy, discrimination
and power of the North. The members
OF Congress were not disposed to accept
as gospel this cheerful manifesto, and ae.
'cordmglya resolution was offered BY
Mr. Caperton for. Joint committee to
look into the condition Of public affairs.
The necessary effect Of this was to com
lpellthe administrator to look into its
own hard, and this motion Mr.. Davis
regarded and resented as a hostile pro-
tceeding This Investigation lasted a
month or more, and the resolutions It
4 provoked produced a marked effect upon
the temper of the Southern Congress,
which, some, weeks after the. informal
conferences at; Fortress Monroe, ripened
into action, A movement was organ
lied, Of which Senators Hunter, of Vir.
.ginia Graham, Of North Carolina, and
Orr, of South Carolina, were the lead
ing spirits, TO induce the President to
negotiate for peace, and secure the best
terms possible; for the eSonth. Judge
Campbell, the Assistant Seoretary Of
War; lahored earnestly and constantly,
to this emu, arait is understood thai
Millory, Of the Gabineb was q anxious 5. ia for,
the adoption Of this policy. ii was per.
fectly obvious to the reaectipg men Of
the Confederacy that to continue the
contest for Independence was 4 hopeless
pufsuit--that when tie spring weatlier
permitted the immense masses of Grant.
and Sherman to be- pescipitated uFon
them, the Southern armies would be ut.
terly insufficient ! to resist the shock
ITO SO on was simply to cause useless
'effusion Of blood, only to be followed IN
the end by ruin and snbjugation. IT.
was behssedtbat while the SoutherDers
had Two large armies in the field, pos.
session oftheir capital and an organized
'GoYetueient they could, with Sliis show
of strength, secure liberal terms upon the
basis of q festorationof the Union. IL
was believed that Mr.. n 1ncoln ami Mr.