The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-05-06
Secret History Of the COnfad-
erHcy.

Following is brief extract from life
of Jefferson Davis, by Edward A. Pollard,
just published, and for the sale thereof
agents -r-ntod ip every couu.y-
When Mr. Lincol0 deliveTru ms maui 4
ural speech from The pOrtlco OF The " ash
ington Capitol. nc stood no longer IN front
only of hostile aud dsorderly popu ar
sentiment in the South, bu. iG trout Of u
government organized there, an actual
structure of state discharging ali political
functions, furnished for war, and inspired
for desperate encounter. 1t was sing
ular and imposing spectacie-a govern
ment Of Insurgents quietly a sumlng power
and organization without q struggle, and
continuing for the space Of months un-
challenged and uninterrupted in It's oper-
ations. Ithad come quietly into existence
in the month of February. The secret
revolutionary junta had proposed a con
vention of the seeding States on the l5!h
of this mouth. 1t assembled some days
earlier. Mississippi-the State Of Jetter-
son Davis-was the first to propose dis
tiuctly the idea of Southern Confedera-
cy, while in the other States the call tor a
convention w3a variously interpreted and
communicated from the ambush of the
accomplished orator or the ingenious poll
ticain must also be the wise statesman
ana which constantly INDUCES the vague
notion that the man who excels 10 one
career must be capable of equal things in
other calling. This Indeed is true OF Se-
MUS exceptionally true but there is Eo
error more dangerous in the practical con-
duct of affairs as that which estimates men
as alike able and excellent ia whatever
cause they may choose for themselves or
circumstances determine for them. In
some respects, Jeffeson Davis was an ad-
mirable man in other respects, we shall
be prepared TO denounee him as failure,
reproach and an abomination.
pad sss hsss ili;ist f~ s Il s1t, m
distinction between Mr.. Davis and the
Soutk-between the delinquencies of the
leader and the merits OF his cause. We
do it here, because this distinction runs
through the whole of our narrative; because
it is the very spirit of our work, aud
because, with this idea adjusted to some
extent in advance we shall not be lnder
the necessity of repeatedly asserting and
proclaiming it on particular questions.
The author in other works has incurred
the popular misrepresentation In insisting
ON the virtues of the South in the pasi w.r,
and yet persistently holding the opinion
that Jefferson Davis was not great man
that he lacked the essential requisites OF
such character; that he was merely mar
row Drained person possessed of much
address and some very agreeable literary
accom- pIishments which dazzled vulgar
criticism and betrayed the admiration Of
, the populace. This notion, to be sure
has been greatly resented by certain
declamatpry eulogists of Mr.. Davis
men who have violently associated the
virtues of his person with the merit.
. of the Confederate cause. But saoh
: an association, we insist, is not proper O
. logical. Mr.. Davis was to great degree
: an accident of the war, thrust into impor
. tance by fictitious influences; he addet
nothiog to its inspiration, and be nike,
g with grea: cause game of selfishnes
o and an experiment of vanity.
Tho most striking quality, the mos