Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-08-29
Ex-Prasident Davis.

The North British Nail, one of the
leading organs of Scottish public
opinion, and one Of the principal
newspapers of the great city of Glas-
gov, in an article upon Ex-President
Davis, who arrived in that city on the
9Th inst. and has since been travelling
in Scotland, sums up the character Of
| the great Mississippian in this way:
"The astonishing vigOr of the Con-
federate organization, the brilliancy
of their campaigns, and the herOism
and talent of their military leaders,
are household words even among the
| b~itterest enemies of the cause which
they upheld. Amidst the exploits of
Lee and "Stonewall" Jackson and
other famous leaders, who for so long
kept the Union from touching COnfed-
crate soil, and whose camp fires at
one time blazed almost in sight of the
| Capitol, the guiding spirit of the
whole, whose military genius was on
a par with his administrative talents,
whose tact enabled him to choose the
right men, and support effectively
from the Cabinet the stubborn resist
anee of his generals in the front, was
almost lost sight of in Europe. But
| though he breathed a spirit Of defiance
to the last, and upheld the flag of no
| surrender, he had the sagacity TO fore
| see that President Lincoln's emanci-
| patton proclamation, being in har-
mOny with the general opinion of
mankind, had given q death blow to
1 the COnfederacy from which its recQY-
erv was doubtful. When Sherman
had cut the South in two and Grant
was closing on Richmond, the COnfed=
crate President set up the headquar-
tiers of the South at DanYille, and
after the final collapse and surrender
of Lee, led a fugitive life accompanied
by a few friends. The assassination
of President Lincoln precipitated his
capture, for in their fury the North
Charged the Presidentand other mem
bers of the Confederate Government
with being accomplices in the crime,
and offered large rewards for their ar
Fest. Davis final seizure was owing
to his deyatiQn TO his wife and chill
dren: for, learning that she was in
danger from military marauders, he
fastened at all hazards to her rescue
Though aware that her encampment
was watched by Northern spies) and
| was captured the next morning In her
font nv a party of Federal cavalry;
and closely imprisoned in Fort Mon
roe, His confinement was long and
rigorous, and for same time none OF
his family or friends were permitted
tU have access 10 him, The law Off
GERS of the Union were inees-
sanity reported to be framing
indictments and preparing his
trta;. but when the ~falseness of
the testimony implicating him in Lin
coins murder was Giea-ly established,
il was a delicate to prosecute tHe eX-
President for secession with any hope
of q c~onvictiQn. At last, to make
some temporary Bqiitie4l capital out
Of the incidents, some time HFfe after
he had been released on bail, his lm-
parchment was initiated pro JOF1Ia,
but the prisoner was at once released
on his 64Mer bail, and after repeated
postp0n6megbs 81 hi4 tFigl a aOHeprOS-
egui on both the indictments against
him were entered in the Supreme
Court of Washington by the United
States law officers. H~encefOrth he IS
free, and, so far as the tribunals Ofthe
tyaicp are concerned, he will besutfer-
ed to i've G4t the remainder of his
days in peace. We tfLstthat his pres
ent European excursions mag restore
his enfeebled health, and perhaps, liz
cur iS3d Of real liberty, teach him a
few whoiesoaaa Political truths which
hitherto were QnqreaIHt # IN his phi
toSaghy. The angry feelings e4ee.S-
deFgd by The war are fast disappear
iug. old friendships are being cement
ed anew, and though theEe 9Fe still
thousands of hearts which Ghate q the
iron heel of the North, and still beat
high fOrtheir extinct and buried hopes
offndependenee, the majority, like
fi,e4. zsllant leader, Gen, Lee, have
returned 70 ts.Cir Federal allegiance
and are striving to heal sver the scars
which such an unnatural sssGggle
could not fail to leave behind it. Sla-
vfry is gene forever, so that bone OF
contention Sall n more disturb the
phaae Of the Union; Wpile f@2n Ar,
Davis would probably admir- tH4i
there was no reslstifs the tQgicQt facts,
And though, ifjudged by tbs eTiteFl9n
of success or failure, the eX-Presldet1t
81 SEe Coqfederacy no longer stands
eenspi6.tqes 4bgy2 his fellow-men as
a hero, diVesiipg GQrset%2S Of any po-
litical feeling about the M4tteti &c
NAV still look with interest GH y inaH
Of no common genius, who has set
his mark Though it proved a fatal
one) on the history Of the great Amer
lean Republic.