The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-14
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Comments in the South Oh His
Atlanta Speech.
The Sentiments Expressed by JEFF Repudiated>
His Popularity on The Wans-His Speech
thu Best Radical Card-Jeffs
Inordinate Vanity.

WILMINGTON, N. c.. June 8, 1871
Great as was the sensation created at the North
by the speech OF Mr.. Jefferson Davis. full report Of
which appeared In the HERALD the day following its
delivery at Atlanta. 1t was no less great In the
South To say tnat the people here were surprised
or astonished would give only FAINT idea or how
this extraordinary speech was received when the
time and the very peculiar circumstances OF the
Southern people are taken into consideration. They
were shocked at the utterances OF tie man Sao u
all others should have held his tongue and acted
with the discretion OF man possessing or
binary common sense. However much the
people OF the South sympathized with
Mr.. Davis, and however much they may
have approved Of his sentiments a. expressed
Of Atlanta, 1t IS certain beyond doubt thar
they never wished the opportunity ana never de-
sired that he should be so foolish as to utter them.
THIS Atlanta speech is the topic OF conversation
everywhere go through the South, and the express
sions Of mingled establishment and
INDIGNATION
that generally greet It's mention Is proof that Mr..
Davis is not o representative Southern man OF the
present day. and that the "sttuation" has been ac-
cepted by nine-tenths Of the people, ay by nine
teen.twentieths OF them. Some people say Jef
Is In his dotage; others angrily remark
that he Is ''crazy as bedbug," ana
others. still more incensed, say that ne
has mania FOR working mischief to the South, and
that his madness has method whenever on the eve
OF decisive elections. These and like expressions
are to be heard In every direction since the publica.
ton OF Jes Atlanta speech, and in the discussions
that take place it is easy to see that he Is not
the popular fayorte at the South SO generally be.
lteved at the North Jes greatness began after the
war; through the blindness OF Mir. Stanton i'll making
him prisoner. Had he been allowed to go scot
free his course during the war as President Of the
confederacy, which was disastrous TO the 'lost
cause" would have been severely criticised, and In
all probability he would have been
EXECRATED
where he was ldolized. This vas the eject OF the
imprisonment and severity pracised toward JET
Davis by the federal government at the close OF the
late war. This caused HIM to be looked upon as o
martyr by the people OF the South, and he
SO regarded until the present. when, under the In
spiratlon of the Atlanta speech, he comes TO be
viewed in an entirely new light But with all his
faults, bad Judgment and lndiscretlOl Je1 Davis IS
Still looked upon in the South as It's Chief and leader
second only to General Iceland is consequently en-
as far as they are able bestOw 1t. This too, the
more because OF his recent persecution on
account OF the prominent and active part he TOOK In
met to-day former admIrer OF Mr.. Davis, and
ventured to ask his opinion OF him since he spoke ut
Atlanta. This gentleman conversed very freely.
"What do you think Or MIR. Davis speech at At
la0taYf asked.
"Well, really don't Enow what to think about II.
1t unfortunate that he should made tnat
speech just at tins time. 1t Is the
for the radicals In the Presidential campaign that
could have been gotten up"
"What could have been the object OF Mr.. Davis In
making such speechrN
~ lam confident he mad no opecr. But he Is man
possessed of an extraordinary mind and splendid
now of oratory, aud ne cannot Withstand popular
applause. With the first burst OF enthusiasm he Is
before uD-tlIrncd Multitude faces. only
eager to applaud any thing that comes FROM his ps."
"You do not think, then. he made that speech 90
lberatey, with the intention OF producing certain
eject which Is Just as certain to follow itrn
NO do not: on a. the contrars. ! am OF the
the moment and In all probability he has since re-
GREETED that he ever made IT,"
"Wll he continue To make stump speeches OF this
sort IN the SOuthYn
.sNo; am certain that when he sees the manner
In which 1t has been received by the Southern press
and the universal condemnation that mas been
passed upon 1t he will never repeat the same seuti-
LAST PUBLIC SPEECH"
"You win admit that he wa: quite severe on the
class OF people that accept the situation, one OF
whom, believe, you are yourselff"
"ies; but think that the best feature OF his
pie learn that he has denounced them as towards
for endeavoring by the only means left them to re-
viii become aroused and ncensed, and this viii
bring forth an expression OF popular will IN the
next Presidential election that otherwise might not
have come out"
'Tne people, then. do accept the sltuation-that
IL. the thirteenth, fourteenth aud fifteenth amend
ments to the constitution ?"
"Undoubtedly they DO. and what Is more, they are
determined to abide by them, no matter what Mr.
Davis or any other
SOUTHERN soREuEAD
may say to the contrary. 1t Is their salvation. II
was accepting the situation that carried Virginia
when " alker was elected. Tennessee wien senter
was elected, Missouri when Gratz Brown was
elected, and this Stale when the radicals were over
thrown last August"
'Wnl the remainder Of the Southern States adopt
the same platformN'
IL am confident they Will. They have all virtually
dora SO already. IL Is not from
CHOICE THEY DO IT,
put because 1t - the only resource left them, and
having accepted the situatlon as II Is called, they
VIII abide by it.v
'But Mir. Davis was enthusiastically applauded at
Atlanta How do yCu account for thatYp
"Well, you know how these things are. The un.
thinking mass were carried awat by the orator In
The person or Their former President, who had en-
cured the fortunes or bastle on their account Just
as the orator was carried away by the mass. When
Doth had time for calm, sober reflection am almost
certain that regrets were mutual"
'Nhat Is Your opinion OF The new departure or the
democracy marked out by Mr. Vallandl CHAM, OF
ObioW
1T will be the salvation Of the democratic party
IN the EeXt Presidential campaign, ana VIII be most
III the Northern democracy VIII only nominate "a
popular candidate whether soldier or a civilian.
on such platform the entire southern vote VIII be
cast orhlm IN the electoral college,
suppose Mr.. Davis makes n lew more speeches
ike that mt Atlanta, what then ~
III he should ne will be POLITICALLY damned for
ever. AZ 1t stands now
he Is REpUpIATED,
aliu am certain, as | said before, ne VIII make no
more sorehead speeches.
The conversation ended here, and can safely say
tins IL the outspOken sentiment OF every enfran-
chised citizen OF the late coniederacy, with q rare
exception, and OF many OF the disabled class, though
they have reason TO be bitter st,ll General amnesty
would make Davis aud all like him rs harmless as
7 ~