Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-12-03
Jefferson Davis,


ate Chiet-Hosv he Locked and What he
saId--TIis Alleged Completely in the AS.
sassinatIom Plct-Efs Travels and Pro-
babIe FEATURE
FROM the Cincinnati Commercial.
ride from New Orleans up the Missis-
sippi in that royal craft, the Great Repub-
lie, gave me an opportunity OF becoming
acquainted with Mr.. Jefferson Davis. He
came aboard at Vicksburg, and proceeded
as far as Memphis, and in consequence of
the leakage of one of the boilers and de-
lay at the mouth of White river, the jour
ney was prolonged for four days.
At Greenville, Mississippi, where the
boat arrived on Sunday last, the news
spread that IS President Davis " was on
board, and a crowd of nearly one hundred
persons eagerly rushed to the cabin to have
look, or, more fortunately, to get shake
of the hand from their former chieftain.-
The same thing was repeated when the
boat stopped at Helena, Arkansas. 1t was
noticeable that many colOred persons dis
played as much interest and enthusiasm as
the white people, and seemed equally graf
flied to get a few kindly words from the
man about whom such extraordinary asso-
Citations clustered.
LII. DAvIs's PERSONNEL.
I had not before seen Mr. Davis I had
pictured him as tall, bony and cidayerous
All the engravings aud photographs given
to the public make these characteristics
more prominent than his rea! appearance
justifes. His height is little, if any,
above the average. His face is well shaped,
with regular features, his nose being Meth
er SO prominent nor SO emphasized Ro.
man as is usually conveyed by his photo
graphs. The lower part OF his face is
small, not indicating the pushing, aggres-
slVe, or bUll-lil1e qualities often noticeable
III the contestants Of the political arena,
butt on the contrary, indicating 81 delicate
organization, an amiable disposition and
general culture I is not O. face expires
slve OF genius or greatness. His eyes are
blue, and, Notwithstanding that tho left
eye is defective end almost Visionle53. add
to the mildness Of his face. His hair is
quite gray, az are his thin whiSkers auG
beard, and his mOustache, which is ex-
ceedlngly ehort, is almost white. The
tones of his voice are pleasant, and his
speech is deliberate and measured-a quail
l5y seldom possessed by one who is not a
natural or trained orator. In some impor-
tant respects, especially in the tones Of his
voice and his manner Of speech. he is al
most @ counterpart Of Judge Leavitt. of
this city, save that he is fully ten years
younger than the judge.
Mr. DaVis's manner is exceedingly quiet
and un0btrusive. He does not appear to
seek notOriety, bat rather to avoid it. and
the attentions paid him were received in as
nndcmonstrative way IS they might be
were he q Well-bred country gentleman, ill.,
stead Of having been the political head
and front Of the most memorable civil con-
Hulsion the world has yet witnessed. He
IS man whom accident has forced into
position OF Fictitious prominence. The
quality that makes and marks O leader,
among men, sometimes called 'personalis
~, individuality" "eharacter that
splnething which irnpresses the mind into
tbs mood Of his mind and carries you
along with him-this EIr. Davis does not
possess. Mr.. DaVis's health has greatly
improved since his release from confpe-
Iaent. His friends who saw him during
the troubled and anxious times of 1869,
1868 and 1864 expressed their surprise and
qualification at the marked Improvement
IN his appearance and general health.
MIR. DAVIS AND THE ASSASSINATION PLOT.
The four days travel on board the Great
Republic gave me the opportunity Of in
curing OF MIR. Davis about certain matters
connected with the rebellion OF which the
J
least among them, his alleged compIicitv
in the plot to assasainato President Lin
coin. Mr.. Davis said that, owing to the
closeness Of his confinement at Fortress
and his subsequent travels, he
had not even read what had been alleged
against him. The testimony sworn to at
the trial OF the cOnspirators before the
military commission at Washington, and
which is still credited by tens OF thousands
OF persons at the North, is, in brief, us
follows
Testimony OF Lewis t. Bates, @ witness
for the prosecution. May 80, 1865, as pub |
'lshed in the official report: s'I reside in |
Charlotte, North Carolina, where 7 have |
resided little over four years. 7 am su-
Of the Southern Express |
Company for the State Of North Carolina. |
| am o native Of Massachusetts. On the |
18th of April Jefferson Davis stopped at
my house in Charlotte, where he made an
address to the people from the steps of nv
house. While speaking telegram from
John 9. Breckenridge was handed 20 him.
The following telegram was handed to the
GREENsBORoUGH, April 10, 1865
His Eccelency, President Daois:
President Lincoln was assassinated in |
the theatre OF Washington On the night of
the 14th instant. Stewards house was
entered on the same night, and he was re-
peatedly stabbed, and is probably MORALLY
wounded. JOHN G. BRECKINLIDGE.
In concluding his speech Jefferson Davis
read that dispatch aloud and made this
remark: eff it were to be done, it were
better that it were well done" I am quite
sure these are the words he used. A dav
or two afterward Jefferson Davis and John
=: breckenridge were present at my house,
when the assassination of the President
was the subject OF conversation. In speak
ing Of it, John G. Breckenridge remarked
to Mr. Davis that he regretted it very
much that it was unfortunate for the
people OF the South at that time. Davis
replied ''Well, General, don't know if
it were to be done at all, it were better
that it were we'll dore, and if the same had
been done to Andy johnson, the beast,
and to Secretary Stanton, the Job would
then be complete
No other witnesses testified to these as
5ertions, though five witnesses were called |
in support Of the personal character and |
of this witness. I repeated the |
main points Of this testimony to Mr.. Davis |
and, in his quiet and habituaIlv unde-