Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-24

Tbs Infs,u ytion OF pavis.
We published, yesterday, an extract from
a letter written oy a gentleman who occu-
pied the position. of Private Secretary to one
81 he most influential members Of JED.
Davis Cabinet throughout the rebellion
(probably Benjamin, in which chg intatua-
ton OF Jefferson Davis and his satellites was
clearly demonstrated. We did not suppose
that, AFTER hearing Of Gen. Lees surrender,
Davis would have entertained for moment
the absurd idea Of maintaining au organized
Government, but il appears from the letter
Of the .'Private Secretary" who, doubtless,
vas an eyewitness OF what he records, that
"siter spending three or four days at Greens
ooro', no (Dayis) left for Charlotte, where
he proceeded to locate his capital, open up
Government offices, confer promotions, ap-
point generals, etc. Nothing could exceed
his infatuAiion."
The friends and relatives Of Confederate
officers and soldiers who were slain or
MANNED in the closing battles around Peters
burg, aud thence until the surrender Of Gen.
Lee. have cause 10 deplOre Davis ''iniatua-
tion." lie had every opportunity TO know
that the army Of Gen. Lee could not sue
cessfully de fend the lines around Petersburg.
HIS own judgment, il he exercised II, must
have brought him 10 this conclusion, but, ua-
fortunately his "infatustion" obscured has
diseernmeut; AMI, Instead Of making an ef-
Tort 10 prevent the further ctusion OF blood
even al the sacrifice Of pride and position,
he allowed the war to 20 on. The conse-
quence Was, thai thousands Of poor fellows
who, amid the long priyltions Of the camp,
had been convinced that the war was nearly
over, and we're eagerly looking forward TO d
reunion with their families, were added to the
already great number Of victims Of this cruel
and horrible war.
The "iniatuatiOn" which seems to have
possessed the President OF the Confeieracy
IS his only palliAtiOn for the further prosecu-
ton of the war, when even outsiders, with
10 official information to guide them, fore
saw that defeat was inevitable, without mi
raculous interposition of Providence.
The same letter, from which We have a.
ready quoted, says that Mr.. Davis was crude
IL intolerant Of any difference Of opinion,
aud seemed 20 rejoice in isolation from
those who were likely TO express an indie
pendent judgment" IL then communi-
Gates = scrap Of secret history, the main
point Of which is, that al investigation into
the "resources and spirit of the South,"
instituted by the Confederate Congress, re.
suited in = movement Of which Senators
Hunter, Of Virginia, Graham Of North Ca
rOlits, and orr OF SOnth Carolina, were the
headings spirits, to induce the President to
negotiate for peace, and secure the best
terms possible for the South. Judge Camp
bell, the Assistant Secretary OF War, la
bored earnestly aud constantly to this END,
and it is understood that Mallory, OF the
Cabinet, was anxious Tor the adoption of
this policy. Il vas perfectly obvious 10 the
rejecting men of the Contederacy that 10
continue hs coatsst for independence ,cGs a.
hopeless p,rSuit-thAt when the Spring
weather permitted the immense masses OF
Grant and Sherman to be precipitAted upon
I hem, the Southern armies would be utterly
insufficient 10 resist the shock. To go on
wGS simply to cause . useless illusion Of
D oo9, only 10 be followed in the end by ruin
and subiugatiOn. Il was believed that while
the Southerners had two large armies in the
held, possession OF their capitol and an or
gAuized government, they could, with this
show Of strength, secure liberal terms upon
the basis of a restoration Of the Union. 1t
was believed that Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Sc
ward would favor policy Of conciliAtion.-
Ia = word, these men held that reconstruc-
ton was infinitely preferable TO subjugation.
Continue the contest, and the upShot would
be that no terms whatever could be OBJ
tanned"
These views we're pressed upon Mr.. Davis,
but partly from jealousy Of Hunter, partly
from the denunciAtions of the ultra war men
aud presses, and chiefly, We presume, be-
cause be Vas INFATUATED" with the idea that
the Confederate cause would certainly pre-
vail, be rejected the eOunsels Of the peace
party; and hence the number Of widows and
orphans in the land has been largely in
creased.