The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-05-17

slavery will necessitate the breaking VI
of these vast plantations, for now the
large planters cannot cultivate tithe O.
their lands, and will be compelled to sci
to secure capital to begin the world again
A more careful system of cultivation will
take the place of the slovenly system
which slave labor necessitated. For al
these reasons [ think the South in the
end will have nothing to regret that
slavery is at an end" So much for onr
business friends opinion.
A SOUTHERN OPINION OF JEFF. DAVIS.
At the Spotswood I fell in with an ex-
official Of the late Confedcracy. He was
we'll informed of the state of affairs both
North and South during the war, and
was, by virtue of his position, in daily
intercourse with the Chief Of. the Rebel
lion, Jeff. Davis. His opinion OF Davis
may be summed up as follows:
Davis" he thought, "was great man,
but not the man the South should have
chosen to succeed in a struggle like that
which has closed. Davis was a politi-
CHINA political leader-and he had, be-
fore the war, both his friends and enemies
in the South. He forgot neither class.
He rewarded the one at the expense OF
the cause in which he was the leader, and
if he did not punish the other: he ignored
them when their services were needed.
Joe Johnston was never tavorite with
him. and hence he took the first opportu-
nity that presented itself of removing
him and placing Hood, an untried man,
in his stead, against the general desire OF
the people, who looked upon Johnston,
from first to last, as hardly second in
ability to Lee. In q hundred less impor-
tant cases Davis pursued the same course
The ex-official thought it would be at
once unjust and cruel to hang Davis.
ssHe was about as guilty as the vast
majority of us" he said, "no better and
no worse. He served in the position to
which the South called him, and a million
of men did the same thing. If it We're
not for his own folly he might have es-
capped trouble himself and possibly have
relieved the Government from solving
what is at best pcrplexing question"
In explanation of his last assertion, the
ex-Confederate Office holder gave the fol-
lowing
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES OF DAVIS
FLIGHT FROM RICHMOND.
"On Sunday, dispatches were received
from Lee, by Davis, while he was at
Church, advising the instant departure of
the Rebel Government, and the evacua-
tion of Richmond The Confederate Gov
crnmcnt documents were hastily packed,
and with them the personnel of the civil
government hastily fled to Gordonsville.
Breckenridge remained behind, to super
intend the military evacuation. AT Cor
donsville, the party were preparing a late
supper when Breckenridge arrived. Up
to this time, Davis was not informed OF
Lees surrender, and his purpose was to
settle on some other point than Richmond
for the temporary capitol OF the Cover n
ment
When the news that Lee had giyenup
all hope was impaired to Davis he did
not even then despair. His associates,
however, felt that all hope was gone, and
said so. An angry row between the par
ty, ensued, in which neither Breckenridge
nor Davis, however, took part. The Off
cials who had left their families in Rich
mond desired 10 return and take their
chances of the clelnency of tho victors.
"Mr. President" said one Of them, "you
are on your way toward your home in
Mississippi; my home is in Richmond,
and / mean to return to it" The party
separated. Breckenridge found no diff
Guilty in effecting his escape. Davis sur
rounded himself with his family and a
large party. They Travelled by slow
stages, and were captured, as Davis ought
to have known he would be- Had he
followed the example of Breckinridge
and the others he would have escaped to.
some other country, "and think, added
the speaker, sit would have beena rellef
to all concerned if he had"
1t is perhaps worth restating here that
President Lincoln was pretty much OF the
same opinion. When asked for informa-
tion on the subject for the guidance OF
our officers, he told one of his happiest
anecdotes as illustrative of his wishes:
..iaThere lived" said the President, Sin
Illinois, "a very Jealous temperance lectu--
rer.. One hot and dusty day he was tray
cling along road, and seeing tavern,
he stopped to get some light refreshment,
He called for a glass Of soda water The
landlord, after remarsing that the day
was exceedingly sultry, asked the lecturer
if he would have stick in his soda wa
ter. WELL, he said, 'if you do put q
,sstick' in it unbeknownst to me, l think
it will do me no HARM "Gentlemen,"
added the President, eff Jeff. Davis should
carry himself out of here unbeknownst
to me, am not sure that any one of us
would have cause to regret it,"
Our officers would probably have been
instructed to have acted upon the hint, if
the tragic occurrence by which the Pres
ident lost his life had not interviewed