The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-18


trial, he had been permitted to escape
from our shores, In like manner as Mr..
Breckinridge-who is the peer OF Mr..
Davis-and Mr.. Benjamin who IL
also his equal in statesmanship-he
would now be living in obscurity, even
as those gentlemen are, in England or
Frances-with none SO poor as to do him
reverence. The United States Govern
ment has done him a great favor, for
which he and his real friends should be
thankful. 1t has kept his name still
before the world, and enhanced his i'm
portance in the eyes of all mankind. As
a fugitive and exile his people would
scarcely remember, except to denounce
him as the author Of their misfortunes;
but as prisoner, the floodgates Of their
sympathy have been opened-and they
bless, where they were prepared
to curse. Much, therefore, is he be-
holden unto these same detested Yam
KEGS who have thus forced greatness
upon him. And should they be foolish
enough to still further add to his re-
nown, by making him martyr land
handing down his name to the venera-
ton of posterity, even as that Of Robert
Emmett, Ia martyr in just cause was
transmitted by the British for the
worship of the Irish people--we con-
ceive that the chapter Of their blunders
would be complete. But they will not
no nraventad doino this nv tina threats
Of the Examiner and will only laugh
at such silly gasconade and nonsense as
that "all the nations of the earth will
blush at the blacklist deed of human
history The nations Of the earth
have pretty generally gotten over their
blushing days. As for any fear Of the
closing menace contained in the En-
aminer's article,-we have no dread of
such calamity. People have very short
memories in these progressive and prac-
teal days, and the clannish feuds Of the
times are no longer transmitted from
father to son; and, therefore, the coming
generation will put its strength to better
! use than wasting it by renewal of the
feuds and quarrels of their fathers. =
Where have the present editors Of the
Examiner been during the last four
years? Do they not know that that
sheet, under the Immortal Daniel' did
all it could to bring Mr.. Davis into con-
tempt? Do they not know that through
the influence of that paper, the personal
safety of the "late President" was en-.
dangered? Such was the feeling against
3 him, that he left Richmond in Ioore
fear of the people who agreed with the
Examiner, than Of the approaching
I army of Weitzel. Talk of the kind.
ness of Jefferson Davis. He was al
ways a petulent, bad tempered man
Recall his boyish insult to Gen. Scott
I and his refusal to deliver to that Officer
0 the sword which Congress had voted al
9 q reward for unquestioned val0r. Re-
: call his bad temper in the Senate. Re
i call his course as head of the South
i ern Confederacy--hi treatment of Jo'
0 Johnson, after Lee, the ablest man in thu
: Confederate army. Recall his Missis
sippi speeches, and his offers of none!
u for tl.s heads of unoonquerable UniOI
h soldiers. Recall the frequent, unmercifu
l. and cruel shooting of North Carolin
l. conscripts. Recall his incarceration {
10 MFR. Bolts, and hundreds of other Vii
ID ginians, who filled the Internal prison
l. of Richmond. Recall all this, and te
y US what you find in 1t of that magma
II ninity and courage and bravery whic
y distinguish greatness, and which mar
o. the difference between II pigmy and
at large soul. We know Mr.. Jefferso
m Davis WELL We have known hiI
~ in the Cabinet, in the Senate, and
70 the field; and while we give him cred
II for much stubbornness and bull.do
l. will, we are forced to own that he WI
u. unequal to the great opportunities whic
10 fortune presented to him, and which /
It, lacked the foresight to improve-oppol
III tunities which, if placed within tt
&c reach of meaner clay, would have r
DIS suited in more profit to those that follow
ne ed him. Mr.. Davis's bad temper La
We too much TO do in bringing on the r
1g bellion--his hotspur disposition oreso
- to the sword because reason failed hir
s, and his bad management and tyranr
towards those who risked all, cause
K the loss of all. History will, witho
e. doubt, give the Christian soldier, Ston
it wall jackson, place; history will a
lis nit that Lees bearing was that OF
Nv warrior and a gentleman; history wi
o. do Justice to the unselfish valor Of j.
d. Johnson, Albert Sidney Johnson, P
Cleyborne, Longstreet and A. P. Hi
ar but when the calm man who writes
as reaches Mr.. Davis, there will be nothil
at for him to say, more than that he
I'd tempted to destroy the Governme
n which George Washington founde
n Should President Johnson llberate N
W. Davis to-day--and we sincerely wish
n would--and should he die three yes
ny hence-all that would mark the way
h. went, would be cold mention Of t
fact, and the statement that he Great
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