Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-02-07


kindly. With such habits, combined
and mcthodical labor with him was
impractiblc, though no worked un.
ccasingly-
His Cabinet officers w.oro in the
habit individually, of eonterrlnS win
him almost daily, and he usually as-
sombied them two or tbrce times
week for consultation. These meet
ings occupied from two to five hours.
longer than was required by the thor
ourh examination and solution OF tho
prin ciples and CHIEF features of cur
rent public measures and business ;
but from his tendency to d'gress on
TO side away from the chief points
TO cpisodicaI questions, he amount ct
business accomplished bore but little
to the time consumed; ; and not unfre-
! qnently Cabinet meeting whu'd ex-
haust four OF fivo hours without &C.
compl,shiag anything, Will the table
of every chief Of u Department was
covered wallpapers demanding his
attention.
If to Mr.. Daviss un iclding will
and energy, his truth and justice, his
knowledge of men and OF public at
fairs his patience and Industry, bis
analytical mind and comprehensive
Judgment, were united the business
ho bits of an active merchant or com.
lnercial law advocate, his ability and
usefulness as Tho chief of great en-
,crpriss CT tho head Of people would
lind few parallels i'll history.
Whether with his peculiar mental
aud moral combination, his absobinG
desire TO attain AN exact fiLness, con-
sistcncy end correspondence in all
that he attempts, his disposition to
analyrc aud exhaust, not only the
probable, but tho possible arguments
upon subjects under consideration, any
other training than that which he re-
ccircd, could havo taught him the just
value end economy of time, US an Gle
ment in the affAirs of this age, We are
not prepared to say; but, certain il is,
that the discipline Of West Point, his
transfer thoncc to tue In liam frontier,
nls plantation, political and congress.
sionai life, were not the best training 6
tor the purpose. So we'll was his
habit with regard I'd time understood
;, in Richmond that punctuai:ty in ncet'
ing it wes rarely expected from bis
r engagements.
s Though apparently cold and e:sclu
: s,ve, Nj. Davis is naturally genial and
j sy mpathe,ic; and lew mon prove
4 more attractive in suc:ety. M mai
. delighted more To relieve his burtben-
= I'd hear: a:;d uni::d bv pleasant con
!. versatile" upon general subjects,
c :as.. which the -eciu,ion of q CaEinc
meeting and the presence of trsste'
}; lends prompts him frequently t
= CRAFTY and upon such occasions
(, aided by the inspiration of goo'
: segar. rambling over other fields tha
f, those Of piblic affairs, his convcrss
\ ton aud manner were extremely CT
" gaginy. Lis extensive reading IN
" rrtenllTe memory, his accurate ohsc'
= va,ion aud ucGnait.tauce with distir
j. guissyd or noted men, his lsuowledg
ID If iira, from the ckwoodnen's b,
is /, tho balls OF Senutes and Cablne
o. yero never at fault for striking illus
81, re lions Of, every sutjcct prehen'c
.. !ixper;cnccs 10 tho army, on tho gre;
u, .iains, and in Mexico; life. civ:liZ,
Is. s.ud savage, from tho Indians lodge
ad h,. salons of fashion sympathy wi
Ia 80 rich and great, had stored !
il, mini With a vast fund Of rset
is xnnwltdge. sprightly information o.
OF amusing anecdote, which u gen
., nature, ready perception of hume
his rare powers of imitation, and vol
o. full of pleasant inflsxions, 30 prese1
nix Cd that few could be in his society
&C., such. times without deriuing pIeasu
nd. aud Information
pc. He is a good judge Of mon; a
ant from indications which often escs
OTIS. the observation,of others, he freque
he ly de- ermines tho general designs
ails those with whom hc is brought i
ub- contact before they have time to
ia j., come reserved: His knowledge
;alt: the habits of men, in dlfferont wi
not Of life. their modes of thought: ::
8 to- expression. aud popularity of
we're guage, is remarkable; and ena
Tho sim-to br,pg himself at once to
!: lorei ofgthose with shom he con,
ro- ses,:to nse their ossn familiar phr
70 Of aud figures, and TO be thoroul
bat, with theda--s.. species Of fat
liers, which egratifss, md is apt TO = n
, for men eommpnioatiye. Iai aonve'
,ri,s; With an Intelligent English gentle
,nta-- apon tile hisforyS laws, ,litera
yives .coastila,ion OF public %pen off 9 q
artds Brstion, tie purity, and slogpeh
on Of his language, no less tban the ACC
srous cy and ,extent. of hts infyrma
.'fa-T-J . /.