The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-09-08

gade Yankee, that Mr. Davis when he
received Breckinbridge's dispatch an.
nouncing the assassination of Mr.. Lin.
coin said: "Weil, General, I do not
know, if it were to be done at n :,
were better that it were well dot ID
if the same had been done to jy
johnson, the Beast and Secretal ~.
ton, the job would have bee, -
plete."
A more shameless lie was never ut
tered by renegade Yankee, and if
this man has any conscience left, It must
sting him with remorse, until he is driv.
EN- like the other witnesses, to repent,
and take back this damning sin. God
forgive him, for we never can.
The writer Of this was standing with.
in ten feet of Mr.. Davis when he re-
ceived this dispatch, and never will he
forget the awful solemnity of the occa.
sion, and the noble grandeur and dignity
of Mr. Davis appearance. It was IN
the town of Charlotte, North Carolina;
General Lees army had surrendered.
Johtteon's army was entirely .disotganl.
zed, all was confusion, dread, uncertain
ty and gloom. Mr.. Davis loomed up
more proudly than he had ever before
appeared to me ; for he alone, Of all
that vast crowd, seemed to retain the
majesty and self.possession Of his char.
| acter, and to rise with the emergencies
OF thatsdreadful hour Riding into town
at the head ola small cavalry escort, he
dismounted opposite to the house of this
Lewis r. Bates, who had sent Mr.. Da.
Wis a special invitation to be his guest
prompted, no doubt by the desire to
collect testimony IN private conversa-
ton, that he might use hereafter to ad.
vantage s. instead Of soliciting it as an
honor, thatho might transmit to his
posterity.
Dismounting from his horse, he pro.
ceeded to enter the house of Mr.. Bates,
and was met at the steps by Colonel
William johnson, a prominent citizen
of Charlotte, and President of'the Char
lotte and Columbia Rail Road, who
said: "Mr. President, in behalf of the
citizens of Charlotte, l give you cor.
dial welcome to the hostilities of our
town" Mr.. Davis, who was dressed in
a plain suit Of gray, and wore low
crowned white felt hat, nearly covered
with Grape, bowed low and gracefully,
saying as he did go, II thank you sir. u
The large crowd, consisting almost en-.
tirely of soldiers, with fearful eyes and
overhowing hearts, said, with deep earn.
estness, "speak to us" ''let us hear from
you He turned with his kind, being.
nant, digniied look, to the crowdsend
said: |
"My friends, I thank you for this evi
dence Of your affection. IF / had come
as the bearer ofglad tidings, ifI had
come to announce success at the head
of triumphan, army. this is nothing
more than l would have expected; but
coming as do, to tell you of vely great
disaster coming as / do, to tell youthat
our national affairs have reached a very
low point Of depression; coming, L may
say, refugee from the capital Of the
country, this demonstration of your love
fills me with feelings too deep for utter
aHCe. lCh, tny 0ou' t0 leiI u diE
"This has been war Of she people for
the people, and 1 have been simply
their executive; anu if they desire to
continue the struggle, I am still ready
and willing to devote myself to their
cause. True, General Lees army has
surrendered, but the men,are still alive,
| the cause is not yet dead: and. only
show by your determination and forti.
t,ide that you are willing to suffer yet
longer, and we may still hope for sue.
cess. In reviewing my administration
of the past four years, I am conscious Of
having committed errors, and very
grave ones; but in all that I have done,
in all that I have tried 70 do, / can lay
my hand upon my heart and appeal to
God that I have had but one purpose to
serve, but one mission to fulfll, tha pre-.
aervation Of the true principles Of consti
tutional freedom, which are as dear TO
me to day, as they were four years ago.