East Saginaw courier., 1865-08-30


Regan, one Of its representatives,, had
left his seat, he took pains to inform
me, that he thought the South would
be out only for season, and when
the excitement subsidized, and especial
ly If any guarantees were given Of
the protec ion Of their rights, they
would return. In this, how signally
experience and ability failed to discern
the future! Mankind generally reck-
on the greatness of men by success.
If this be the touchstone, the vaunted
craftsmanship of the ~outh vanishes.
But what a company of conspicuous
names answered to the roll-call on the
9th of December, 1860.
At the hoad stands John Q. Breck-
inridge, offering his name, so proudly
connected with the history of Ken
lucky, to the task Of dismenibering
the Democratic party, which had once
80 honored him. He was among the
last TO leave his home to take the
sword Tor the South. Now lie is
fugitive upon English soil, pleading
with his stricken ,onfederates to do
the best by submission to Federal rule.
Foremost in influence, if not in rank,
is Jefferson Davis; how then unlike
that Davis who, in Maine, but few
years ago, had spoken nobly for the
Union; and how unlike that Davis,
the captive Of the Michigan cavalry,
and prisoner at Fortress Monroe J.
His State was not among the foremost
to secede. She waited until the 9Th
of January, 1861, before passing her
ordinance, and her Senators fingered
until the 2Ist before they withdrew.
1t is generally credited among those
who were familiar with Mr.. Davis
inclinations, that even after the ordi-
nance passed, he was anxious to re-
main. There is indubitab!e evidence
that while in the Committee of Thir-
teen, he was willing to accept the
compromise of Mr.. Crittenden, and
secede from secession. That compro-
mise failed because, as Senator Hale
said on the 18th Of December, 1920,
the day it was introduced, it was de-
termined the controversy should not be
settled in Congress. When it failed,
the hero of Buena Vista became tho
Confederate leader. Much as he is
underrated now by Southern men, who
opposed HIM during the war, he was
fitted TO be the leader of Just such a
revolt. Every revolution has fabu-
lous or actual hero, conformable TO the
local situation, manners and character
of the people who rise. 10 n rustic
people like the Swiss, William Tell
with his cross bow and apple; to an
aspiring race, like the Americans,
Washington, with his sword and the
law, are, rs Lanartine once said, the
symbols standing erect ut the cradles
Of these two distinct Liberties JEFF
ferson Davis, naughty, self willed, and
persistent, full of martial ardor and
defiant eloqueLce, is the symbol, both
IN h,s character and in his present sit
uation, OF the proud and impulsive,
but suppressed ardors an hopes of
the Southern mind. His colleague in
the Senate, Gov. Brown, was, accord
ing to my recollection, still more re-
luctant to sever the connection. He
was, even before tho Charleston Con.
vention, If not openly, covertly a CO.
worker with Douglas and others in
striving to preserve the unity Of the
democratic party and the country -
Gov. Brown has been member of
the Confederate Congress, and has
been outspoken in his criticism on the
conduct Of the Confederate authori-
ties.
doubt If he had much heart or
, faith in the secession movement. He
was overshadowed as a Senator by
Mr.. Davis; but was far moro ap-
proachable, and perhaps moro kind,
in his relations toward other members.
The most truculent Senator from the
South was Wigfall, of Texas, man
of Scared face and fierce aspect, but
with rare gifts Of oratory bitter at
times, if not classical, in his denunci-
ations. But much of his strong talk
and eccentric conduct was owing to
that indulgence which the Hole in
the Wall" furnished for Congressional
wrangle. Col. Wigfall was master
drinker. Had he lived among the an.
cient Persians he would have been
in high esteem. Darius Hystaspes,
among his other virtues, had it re-
corded on his tombstone, as Wigfall
might truthfully on his "Here lies a
man, than whom no one could hold a
greater quantity Of liquorv"
Next to him in truculency, though
not in sociality, was Senator Iverson,
of Georgia. lie was outspoken aud
bold for the sudden disruption of the
Union. The colleague of the latter,
Mr. Toombs was far more amenable
to reason than his rough manner and
boisterous logic indicated. Ho was a
man of commanding person, remind
ing one at times OF Mirabeau. Bat
ing his broad Africanese dialect, he
was often intensely eloquent in the
epigramatic force of his expression.
The Virginia Senators rank among
the foremost in this movement. Much
was expected from the moderation OF
MIR. Hunter, but he did little to stay
the Revolution. Little was expected
OF Mr.. Mason, and he did less. The
former was a CALI, phlegmatic rea-
soner; The latter had defiant, super
, cilllious, and autocratic demeanor,
that conclliated no one. Both were
imbued with the heresies of ultra CAL
houn School. Louisiana was repre-
sentcd by the malicious and unscrupu-
lous Slidell, who combined the fox
with the tiger. His savage and sneer-
ing threat to destroy the commerce oi
the North by privateers, l heard. As
, he delivered il, his manner reminded
! mo of Mephistopheles in ono Of his
IL.