The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-30
JEFFERSON DAVIS.

|
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Menin commanding positions, and min
Cling much with the world, readily acquire
ease and repose Of manner, and control
more or less perfect, over their emotions
and especially over all manifestations Of
surprise; and we not unfrequently hear
| them say that they are surprised at no.
thing"
This important defensive armor is ha.
bitually worn by Mr.. Davis. Where and
when he acquired it, whether among his
Indian friends of the frontier, or among
Christian hypocrites, we know not, but he
rarely goes without it. As chief of the
Confederate States he could listen to the
announcement of defeat while expecting
victory, or to q foreign dispatch destruc.
two to hopes long cherished, or to whispers
that old friends were becoming cold or
hostile, without exhibiting the slightest
evidence Of feeling beyond change OF
color, tell-tale which he could never en-
tirely command; and yet his sensibilities
are extremely acute.
Under such circumstances, his language
| temperate and bland, his voice calm and
gentle, and his whole person at rest, he
presented rather the appearance Of a man
Wearled and worn by care and labor, lis
tening to something he knew all about
than of one receiving ruinous disclosures.
lie fully understood and appreciated the
evils resulting from hasty conclusions {;
and guided by stern conscientiousness
and schooled by long mental discipline,
his irascible and excitable nature rarely
led him into inconsiderate action. Like
an elegant, polished, highly-fnished, we'll
poised, and wcll-charged duelling pistol
whose hair-trigger responds to the slightest
touch, he could be very readily fired, but
he never went off halEcocked. A look, a
word-nay, his own rcacctions-may cause
his form to straighten up rigidly but his
lips remain compressed until Judgment
opens them.
He is usually regarded as ready man,
prompt in reaching conclusions, and no
less prompt in acting upon them an esti-
mate of his character which is probably
derived from his administration of the
War Department under President Pierce,
and disseminated by army people; and
yet, by all who have ever been associated
with him in public affairs, he is probably
known to be singularly cautious, If not
procrastinating, in these respects.
AS President Of the Southern Confedera-
cy, his zeal, industry, and patience in
| but he neither labored with celebrity him
self, nor aided others to do so for him.
Whatever engaged his attention, however
unimportant, was thoroughly and critical
ly examined and while, from this we'll
understood habit, his opinions upon mat
tiers which he had investigated commanded
great respect among his friends, they daily
saw that affairs of moment were delayed
not only because he habitually undertook
more labor than he could accomplish, but
that much Of his time was given to details
Military life, in all its phases, had fol
him peculiar charm and military affairs
however minute, rarely failed to command
his patient industry, whatever might be the
claims of other matters upon it. NO la
bors of the War Office were too small fol
his attention, and appointments and pro-
motions of officers, questions of rank
military law and usage, routine, &C., very
often eugrossed it, notwithstanding his en-.
tire confidence in the experience anc
Judgment of Adjutant- General Coopel
upon all such subjects. 49,,
The amount of attention which he some
times bestowed upon details that art
usually devolved upon subordlnates sur
nrised eli who were familiar with his habits
| and his exalted sense of justice, and hi
. desire not only to be right but to so act a
to render it impossible to be wrong, were
as visible in these as in matters OF the mrs
Importance.
Letters from afflicted mothers, relieving
their hearts by telling him Of the virtues
of sons lust fallen in battle complaints o
friendless soldiers, demanding at his hand
Justice for wrongs inflicted by those in au
fthority applications for paroan or com
mutation of sentence petitions tsom Wlve
for the release Of conscripted husbands
or from farmers for the restoration OF lm
nressed stock, were in numerous instance!
read. their merits carefully considered
and responded to by him; and when tn
applicant for justice was evloentiy iiieno u
less, he rarely lost sight OF the case' 0
deyolved its adjustment upon DINERS.
A vast amount of such business, ~hlc
might we'll have been referred for maj ac
ton to bureau officer, and promptly ols
Matched. encountered his table ana occu
pied his attention. It seemed impossiol
!. for him to resist appeals upon MS tlll
from friendless women or the Wronge
soldier; and whether they found MN >,
his Office, or in the midst OF his family
thew were heard patiently and answere re
kindly. With such habits, combined an
| methodical, labor with him was lmpractics
| BILE. though he worked increasingly.
His Cabinet officers were in the haoi
individually, of comforting with him almos !
dailv and he usually assembled them twlc
or three times week for consultatiol
These meetings occupied from two to nv u,
hours longer than was required for u u
thorough examination and solution OF th
PRINCIPLES and chief features OF currel
public measures snd business; but fro'
his tendency to DEPRESSION, to side ava
from the chief points to episodical que
: tiops: the amount Of business accon
plished bore but little relation to the ! TIN
!: consumed and not unfrequently GAP