Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-09-01
From the New York Ledger.
Jefferson Davis,
BY JAMES PARTON.

/
Lincolns was log hut in Larue county,
near the centre of the State. The home
of the Davis family was planters house
in Todd county, on the southern border,
close to Tennessee. Both families on
the fathers and mothers side, had lived
long enough in Southern States to become
identified with them in feeling and char
acter; though the remote ancestors Of
Lincoln were Pennsylvania quakers.-
His father and mother were both natives
of Virginia. The father of Davis was a
Georgian by birth, and served bis coun-
try during the revolutionary war as one
of the mounted militia Of that State
Thus, both these men were Americans
and Southerners, equally bound to stand
by their country, equally guilty if they
should betray it.
But the father Of Lincoln being very
poor man, discovered that he was out Of
place in a slave state, aud so removed TO
Indiana when Abraham was seven years
old. He ceased TO be "white trash and
his family, despite their poverty, had a
chance to become whatever their talents
and character entitled them to. The
father of Davis, planter, of considerable
substance, the owner of slaves, removed
while his son was still an infant, deeper
into the South settling ia the fertile vir-
gin lands of Mississippi, where be pros
pered, and was enabled to afford his
children whatever advantages of educa-
ton money can purchase.
From an academy near his home, he
went at the age of fourteen, to Transyl>
vania College in Kentucky, aud in 1924,
when be was sixteen, he was admitted to
the military academy at West Point,
where he remained during the usual
course of four years, and was then ap-
pointed second lieutenant in an infantry
regiment. The rebel General Robert
Lee was at West Point with him. Lee
however, graduated second in his class,
while Davis was rot distinguished.
He served seven years in the army,
during which he was chiefly employed
in suppressing Indian outrages in the
northwest. He performed his duties to
the satisfaction of his superiors, and was
promoted from being second lieutenant
Of infantry TO first lieutenant Of Dragons.
In those peaceful days to be advanced
one grade in seven years was considered
fair progress for an army or naval officer.
That was the time when we could see
on board naval ships midshipmen with
gray hairs, and at army posts, captains
infrm from old age. During the late
war there were several instances of a
lieutenant being advanced to a major
generalship in two years.
After seven years Of service, Lieuten-
ant Davis, being then twenty-seven years
/ of age, resigned his commission, went
home to Mississippi, and became cot
ton planter, like his father before him.
Thirteen years were passed by him in
this peaceful pursuit, during which be
took no active part in public affairs nor
showed any unusual interest in politics.
His plantation brought him in sufficient
Income, and he lived in the usual style Of
southern planters.
II was in 1885 that he entered upon
this mode Of life--an important year in
the history of the Southern States. The
Modification troubles had been peacefully
settled Calhoun quieted them just in
lime to save bis neck, and for the pur.
pose Of saving his neck for be had re-
ceived private information Of General
Jackson's fixed resolve to arrest and trv
him for treason The moment news arrived
of the commission Of one act in South
Carolina hostile to the United States
General jackson was sometimes mistak-
en-, but he understood the uulliffers and
their object. In May, 1888, be penned
those words in a private letter which
subsequent events haYe rendered SO fa-
nous
"The tariffwas only hepretext and disunion
and Southern confederacy the real object
The next pretext will be the negro or the slave
ry question"
If any reader win take the trouble to
read over the speeches of John C. CAL
houn, he will find abundant evidence of
the truth Of this remark. Calhoun was
man consumed by ambition. His first
desire was to be President of the United
States; bis second, to be the chief of a
Southern confederacy but to attain
either of those positions it was necessary
for him to unite the South as one man in
bis favor. Any one who ea d s his