New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-12

10, Tan bod written I'm an official report tna' ust
now remain the clear and everlasting condei"n"'o.o
the authorities 20 whom IL was addresSeuw WI
ntly and vigorously employed are d"P'' so,,ha-,
" 60, - ,h ,I,inos that conquered tho Southern
Cor,ederocv The theory that fell under ar accunu
q, the sunerior numbers OF the Morrill, souhus po"'
10 the vanity Of the South, ana impies'eS 'Do -
IMAGINATION which Is apr. In mere s'a'Is''' Or,
In coarse estimates OF numbers, to seek 'hc " ~
most intricate problems -, 49,, teal, orort,o,lv
49,, ,,oased dsaser OF those who would suppress H.
~ ,or what may be the Ostenaton aud SELF praise OF
rr tmcs the oompacent phrases OF gallant SrugReS'
Sc II is certain that in future history IL VIII DC lhgior
~ tr the spuh that it failed in cause where II had
so many advantages, and where the Judgment oi inc
world hal reasoned priori that 1t would succeed AGAIN
and again has tins writer nteposed his pen to avert TINS
condemnation of history the South and to point out
the true cause OF its failure the aud paltr
ness OF the government Of Jefferson Davis msempoylhH
the resources Of the South demorazng ut last Jus peo
pie and finally giving it, desparng aud br0ken-near'eu
prey enemy To be sure lie has bad small thahhs
for doing this But lie in no mpatence or hurry nc
can await the Judgment Of poserity and he hau iar
rather be- known y 1t as the Apoogist OF inc oOu ina"
as the Panegyrist OF Jefferson Davis.
The emergency amounts to thls-that there is no pos
sbe hypothesis the people OF the South IRON e
shame that in the reflections Of time' will assnrey IAN
ON their surrender except that their efforts were ehec
bled and diverted from their proper Efforts Oy oau
government Jefferson Davis the prime source OF
their yeakness-the eausGns Of the failure ms
theory vindcates the people of the SOUTH renSa'eS
them IN the esteem Of the world and Of future history
IL is the only possible mode OF extrcang the south
from the dishOnOr Of great and unookedior iaure
and il is The truth Yet it Is somewhat bitter reflection
that the Southern writers who have pointed out us
TRUTH who have afforded an explanation to Vndleate
their countrymen who have used their pens bravery
aIx I'm
shallow newspapers as yillifying the South. and gog
back upon their people, simply because OF their
deseron OF Mr.. Davis This injustice has never ais
turbed the present writer from doing his duty-sayng
the historical reputation of the people OF the sOuth'
by the only mode OF saving it, that is, by point
ing ont the cause Of their failure In the and short
comiugs Of the government which they imposed upon
themselves The folly OF Jefferson Davis Ia the key to
the mystery Of the failure Of the Southern Cfederaey
the vndcaton Of the people OF the South III no sense
can it ever DO the shame dshonor OF these "ateNer
may be the Interpretation OF silly sentnentasts; Tor
It is the misfortune Of the best cause ana OF the
braves people that they have been sometimes served by
nnUorty leaders, nor have they for this unhappy acct
dent suffered in estimation OF the world, but rather
obtained therefor its generous allowance ana sympathy
Gen. Grant. however we may esteem him. as com
mander superior to Mcclellan, has but small hohors rs
con1uerOr Let IL be said In justice 70 him that In the
openng OF the year lao fought against advantages at
which Mcclellan would have been appalled,; that the
Confederacy at least in Vimina, far stronger then
TO expe him than it to drive Mcclellan from Manas-
sas or from Yorktown that he fought Lees army win
decision with spirit and with something OF success 80
far the comparison between himself ana McOiehah
| may be held; and here il ends While Grant
was ponnding away" Insdious causes INTERVIEWED at
last % anticipate him; and while the Northern Geheia
WAS doing his best IN the field there was black mana
laid uwardy on the vals OF the Confederacy, slowly
COMPRISING the life OF It, and leaving him only
stranged victim TO be carried in his train OF triumph
The Southern Confedoracy never conquered by the
force of arms No desperate and multtudinous battle
decided its fate. There no dramatic close: II was
the collapse suddenly and completely PROSTATE OF
Thoroughly rotten thing jefferson Davis was not where
in his speech at Rockets Ia 1861 he promised he wOuId
be"ghere the last line OF bayOnes was leye!ed that
clown OF the wal. BOmbastes FurOso Wise, ala hot 40
as he once declared he would do IN his coey style VI
oratory (havng habit Of delivery as If his eOquence
cut him across his bOwelsdie in the arms OF glory or
the battlenc . the last ditch" proved bOodless,
slough from which have been bred creatures with ditch
wafer IN their veins, the toad eaters and drteateIs OF
our day The former ruler OF eight millions OF people
survives to fecitate himself over bargain by when
he has sold his historical notorley to trading con-
&C.. ..v,Yy, yoa tue clown or the war; having
laid aside his feathers and ntOck pistols supcrntends
a gift enterprise Of real diamonds and plated ware,
advertised by the certificates OF negro BARRIERS who
have drawn prizes in bis lottery; the man OF
Atlanta. he "of the lions heart and wooden head"
sells and potatoes NOrtrOp. the great has crept
some where into a small hole, and drawn II IN after him
Mrmmtnger, the eOrrOWful knight OF the tall black
beaver hat enlghtens the world with schemes
Of raising national reve ied from tGo ends Of long
reaching ROLES the guubOats that were TO have been
built from broken pots and OLD hoIseshoss ana the
national Treasures that were to be amassed Of gifts OF
fuRerring-, have passed away or are
remembered rather crazy fnrCes than as classical
roinances Into such mean and grOtesquc show have
dwlnded and sunk all the theatrical glories OF the great
Southern Confederacy. From descent 20 base and
ludcrous remains for the historian Of the South. at
faithful and arctiOnate To rescue the fame OF his
country to show that great cause was lost, not,
indeed through the weakness ar demert5 OF the people
OF the South but that 1t ruined by the ucOmpctency
of leaders who In proper order should have been at
the rear OF ts followers and bureSqued by the fOes OF
champions who thought Of now only a. comedians
aud cIHrlatHDs. EDWARD A. POLLARD.
LyichbiT0. Va, March t. 1870.