The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-10-16
Jefferson Davis.

We have published the accounts OF many
interviews with e1-President Davis, but the
following, from George D. Prentice, editor
OF the Louisville Jo,1'nGl which he pub
fishes in his paper, of the 5th inst, will be
found highly interesting, just at this time:
In the course Of an interview that we
had with JEFF. Davis, ir January, 1865, the
subject of the terms Of peace was INTRO
duced. Mr.. Davis asked us what was the
chief objection of the North to the recog-
milton OF Southern independence. We an
swered that the North knew perfectly we'll
as unquestionablyh he did, that if she should
lay down her arms and consent to div-
sion of the Union into two confederacies,
she herself would very soon be dissolved;
that State after Statc-Statcs snglv and
States combinedly-would seccde, and the
whole North be split up into petty powers,
or no powers, all Of them contemplate in
the eyes OF mankind, and not one of them
willing or able to contribute to the pay
ment of the national debt. Mr.. Davis re-
piled, with his Characteristic calmness, that
this was certainly true, but that the same
thing would happen, and probably happen
oil the sooner. if the North should continue
to prosecute the war We thought, at the
time, that Mr.. Davis was greatly mistaken,
and told him SO. We still trust that we
we're correct in our estimate of the charac-
ter OF his opinion, but just now we can
indulge no over confidence that we were.
The North continued TO prosecute the war,
and the South, after the bravest and most
desperate resistance known in wars annals,
was conquered. But now comes the NOrth's
trials. Now we arc to see the test of her
internal strength If, out of the dreadful
war between the North and the South, a
Northern civil war arises; if Northern
armies march against each other, ven
geancc before them, and blood and death
a. of
will very soon weary and sicken of the hor =
rid work, and will probably adopt seces-
sion, as the suIest and quickest remedy,
fully relying upon the mighty troubles and
perls of the Federal Government as per-
feet security against coercion. Most likely
the Northwestern States will go off first,
repudlating, of course, their proportion Of
the public debt, and thus piling higher the
monstrous financial burden upon the
shoulders of the remaining States. Those
will have neither the will nor the ability to
bear up under the crushing weight, and 80
others will seccde, and then others, TIL tho
whole North shall be divided up into such
poor, little, -debt-paying, feeble mock
nationalities, q citizen of one of the
Mexican States, or of the South American
republics, or of one of the petty, misera-
bic German principalities, might look upon
with contempt and scorn. JEFF. Davis de-
claration to us as to the consequences of
the war to the North, if prosecuted, will
be amply vindicated, and whatever resent
ments, if any, he cherishcs against u
North, will be- ahundantly satisfied. We
tell the Northern fanatics-as lover of
our whole country, we solemnly tell them
that unless madness has seized upon their
hearts and brains, they will not insist on
pushing the dissensons between the Pre-
sident and Congress to the fighting point.
They may rest assured that if the fight
comes, it will be to them such an one as
they have no account of in either history
or tradition. They will find it an infinitely
different thing from the war of the rebel
lion, dreadful as that was throughout all
it's annals They will find themselves a
divided people, divided almost equally,
divided and mutually hostile, whilst the
whole population of the South will be a
unit, able to strike for their friends, or
stand afar from the flash, the crack and
the roar Of war, as may seem best to them.
The thick cloud now envcloping the South
may be partially lifted; but night and
etorm, surcharged with bloody rain, will
close over the North.