The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-01-18

AAe Late neHfF WINTER Davis.
By the nntiraeiy death Of Henry
Winter Davis the nation hes lost one
Its most promising citizens, 3 man IN
whom the whole country had come 10
recognise many Of the highest qualities
d a leader OF men aud movements.
and from whose eloouence, versatile
genius, steadfast love Of constitutional
liberty and noble courage and sin
Il had reason to expect faithful
nd valuable service for many years to
romeEyears IN which his Judgment
would have been informed by expe-
Renee, and his zeal tempered by + e
sponsibility.
Born and educated in q slave state.
Mt. Davis was yet S firm and constant
defender OF popular liberty Of q coed
family, and possessed Of wealth. he was
yet q democrat in the true sense of the
uord-s believer in the rights of the
people. Finding his associations ma
turally amongst the Healthiest and
most exclusive class of his State, he was
yet BY choice, the advocate Of the cause
Of the many. Ambitious by tempera-
ment. and aspiring to lead men, as one
who felt himself capable of doing il,
his nature was not yet so true, his in
stincts 60 correct, his patriotism 30 pure,
that be never fell into the restless ana
reckless love Of notoriety which led
others ln the southern States 10 lift
their hands against their country. In
the spring of 1861, when the Union
seemed already destroyed, and rebel
1frn t~~frvo-Lnvf vwftb--t H. ~
Davis, living in the midst Of secession
excitement, did not hesitate TO de-
neunee Isl and when the traitors had
prepared to carry Maryland cut of the
Union, he published this notice, IS 3
defiance to the enemies and q rEllying
cry for the friends Of the Union:
"To TIE Yoiers Of the Fourth Congressional de.
uict OF Mnryiand
Z" hereby announce myself as q cam
didate for the House Of Representatives
Of the Thirtyseventh Congress Of tSe
United States Of America, upon the ba-
sis of the unconditional maintenance of
the Unien.
"Should my feiloWcitizens of like
views nantes. their preference for q
different candidate on that basis, It Is
not my purpose to embarrsss them
II. WINTER DAVIS,
"April l5, 1851"
"And then, single-handed aud alone"
writes his friend, Judge Bond, without
the aid of solitary journal, surrounded
by but few friends, amid the denuncia-
tions OF conservative Union men and
the maledictions of rebels, he carried
on the most spirited contest with Mr..
Henry May, then of the conservative
Union party, / hAve eTer known. At
every market place, in storm and rain,
st the corners of populous streets, the
eloquent voice Of this man was heard
proclaiming that there wRs to be no
compromise, and that the only road 10
safety was across the battlefield. He
was defeated. He gathered but six
thousand votes out of fourteen thousand
in his district, but well remember his
satisfaction st the result Said he
With six thousand ofthe Workingmen
of Baltimore on my side, won in such 8
contest, l defy them to take the State
out of the Union.
A man SO situated and so acting had,
Of course, an original mind He wal
not moved by the waves of opinion
which impelled his surroundings. He
had the habit of Judging and deciding
for himself, he had the courage to acI
upon his own judgments, and these wer'
quickly made, because his temper wal
impetEous, and his scOrn of all that i
mean and wrong was deep and hot
He had the enthusiasm of q BOY, but
boy who would grow 20 be the mobiles
of men; he had also the capacity o
growth, and needed only years and re
sponsible position to ripen him into
statesman ~ sagacious as he would al
WAYS have been fearless, sincere anC
upright. His course during the wa
was at times thought erratic, and n
doubt he committed errors OF judgment
but they were always errors on tn
? right side, chErgeable 20 his impatiencI
, of wrong, his generous love for the op
pressed, and his hearty hatred Of trea
, son. Those who came near enough 4
1 him to Judge him, though they wen
sometimes obliged to differ from him
and TO disapprove his course, felt M
: less respect Tor his character, and neve
4 doubted either his honesty or MS pc
D triotism-
Small, and lightly but very com
. pactly built, with an almost period
: head admirably poised, and en- cree
, and sturdy form, his mere presence wa
inspiring. His name of speech wa
E direct pointed, often fun of sarcasm
! always heated with the eloquencs Of
sincere purpose. A skilful lawyer, h
saw quickly the weak points in his Of
q ponent's arguments-and he Away
7 attacked. In Congress he was listene'
TO with pleasure, even by those who di'
. not agree with him and the crowd {
idlers who strayed about the Cspito
4 when they tired Of the debate hastape
: eagerly back TO the galleries whe
r word was brought winter DAVIS
: up
Z By party politicians Mr. Davis va
not mach liked. He was to them VIII
a balkly horse is TO = driver, or an q
a fsmf terrible in the boueehOld-a ma
upon whom they could not depen'
: The bonds of party sat very Light
upon him; he was not fitted by tempe
or Judgment to climb slowly in %
regular succession, TO fellow u
lead Of Others, in the expectation thu
II some day 10 lead himself he hs
r. small respect for precedent and re
= tame: was prompt 10 utter has oppoe
ton and impulsiye and daring ss !
was. he had too much ~self-respsct
,e take a part Cor which he was NOS mad
f. lie would have aimed rather, had I
a. lived, 10 shape a policy, and 70 gath'
Re about Il and himself . party. Inn
e reflection snd experiences would hay
I. made him q most effective party leade
and his upright character, feneros
r. spirit and faithful, uncompromisiE
Ia love of liberty, would have been I
sc doubt reflected in his policy, and II
Se posed upon his associates.
n. II Is sad to think Of a msu Of sue
he great paris cut or almost in the eegii
is, ming OF his career. With his ahilitil
. and fair opportunity, any position
" the Union Was possible 20 him, snd
could without impertinenoe aspire
~ the highest Not that he was a plao
n. hunter he valued office and pow
Ell only IS s means OF carrying out h
" ideas he loved fame, no doubt, but
would have gained il only BY seekir
. 20 make his country more prosperou
more powerful, more respected abroa
and happier 81 home To him we ms
apply what Milton wrote Of his frieEI
aFsme = no spar thst the clesr srrii aoih nj
n Thai issl AFFINITY of notie uinda
sr 10 ssom delgsis sndhye iahonous asys
,I And, slasl we must continue:
ist ..Rrt m. s.r gnerlos When We hcps 70 ana.
- Ana think q BUST ont iuto srddsn halA
i'll Casns~ TIE tl,nd Fufs eth the abhofred shear,
,ir And sits the lbia-~pla uief