The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-05-31
Am Interview With Jefferson Davis
Has sAppearance and Conversation
Tribute to the Hero OF the Lost


Cause. .
Correspondence Of the New York Tribunc.7
COLUMBIA, s. c., Mny 23.-Jefferson Davis
arrived here on Tuesday on business con-
nected with the life insurance company Of
which he is the President. was intro
duced to him yesterday in a lawyers office,
where he was holding an informal recep-
tion, and had half.hour's conversation
Mr.. Davis bears little resemblance to the
pictures with which everybody was familiar
during the war, and he might walk the
streets of any northern city without the
chance Of being known by people who have
seen only his photographs. Iu entering
the back room Of the lawyers office found
seated conspicuously In the midst Of about a
dozen persons quiet looking gentleman Of
medium height, with gray hair, thin gray
beard and mustache, light blue eyes,
slightly aquiline nose, rather sallow and
sunken cheeks, and high, wrinkled FORE
head, dressed with scrupulous neatness in
suit Of somewhat worn black clothes.-
This was the guiding spirit Of the great re-
bellion. Nothing in his appearance intli-
Gated remarkable ability or genius. When
I was presented by an cX-Con[ederate
General, he arose and greeted me with 4
pleasant, cordial manner, continuing at
first conversation already begun upon
cotton-planting. ..1. ..
Mr.. Davis carefully avoided politics DUR
ing the conversation, saying that he did not
desire that publicity should be given to his
opinions on political subjects. There was
some talk about the present condition. of
the negroes, and he expressed the opinion
(Which appears to be generally entertained
by thoughtful and observant Southern men)
diminishing in numbers, anfH1swill ultimately
disappear. He said that the negroes did
not give proper care to their young chill
dren and to their sick, and now that the
whites had no interest in caring for them,
they were dying rapidly. He thought that
ultimate extinction was the inevitable fate
of the race. T asked if he thought
there was any tendency among the negroes
Of the more northern Of the former
slave States to emigrate to the Gulf States.
he did not believe there was. A number
of negroes had been brought into Missis-
sippi from North Carolina aud other States
by the agents of large planters, but the
movement did not originate with the blacks.
Those who would be benefited by emigra-
ton were too ignorant and too poor to
move, and the more intelligent were doing
well where they were, and had no object to
leave their homes. MIR. Davis told of one
of his former slaves, a man "as black as the
ten Of spades," who had bought two plan
tations i'll Mississippi-one Of MIR. Davis,
and one of his brother-from which he had
sold 2, 100 bales Of cotton last year. He
wrote good hand, kept accounts we'll,
and had his agents in St. Louis, who did
not suspect they were dealing with black
man. Such instances OF business talent
among the negroes Mr.. Davis thought We're
very rare. AS rule they had shown no
ability to accumulate property.
Mr.. Davis spoke in deliberate way, and
in low and pleasing tone OF voice, instead
of that of o self.reliant man who has play
ed a prominent part in history. Instead of
looking into the faces of his listeners he
looked downward i'll the half-difiident way
Of one who has cultivated Il habit Of seek
ing to escape observation, and, as he spoke,
he frequently spread bis hands out and
tapped the ends of his fingers together.
The general impression he made was that
of q man who has experienced great trials
and mislortunes, and has lost all ambition
| for the future. The conversation was
nearly all upon commonplace subjects, and
was constantly interrupted by the ar
rival and introduction Of new comers
and the departure Of lnen who had
only remained 4 few minutes. The manner
| OF The people present toward him was one OF
great respect mingled with atlectionate re-
gard. One old gentleman addressed him as
I" MIR. President" and said "You are still
| nly President and always will be-" MIR.
Davis smiled in u half-melancholy way, but
| made no reply. Another, in taking leave,
said he had numerous family OF rebels
who would call and pay their respects in
| the evening, at which Mr.. Davis made some
humorous reference to the numerous fun
| lily of John Rogers. All the callers ap-
pearcd to carefully avoid any reference 10
| the war, perhaps on account of the pre-
sence of q nortlerner whom they preferred
not to have for a listener. In the evening
the "eX-PreSident," as he is usually desig-
mated, held reception at Gen. Preston7s
house, one Of the few mansions OF the old
| first families that the soldiers OF SHERMAN
spared in their march through the State.
A stream of people came and went
for an hour and half Much the
greater number were ladies, whose
warm greetings told how dear the fallen
chief of the lost cause still is to them. l
am told that with the men here he is not
so popular, the great family Of the Rhetts,
with numerous following, having created
coldness towards him by charging the
failure of the Contederacy to his stubborn
ness and incompetency. While MIR. Davis
received his guests with aiiability. bis face
was by no means insignificant. he had 4
high, broad forehead, aud the general eX-
preston OF his countenance was that of !.
man of study, culture, and experience
but his face was not that which Il physiog-
nomist would select as one belonging to a
leader in any great enter prise. At one time
during the reception q thr0ng of pretty
children, dressed in white, CAME up The
steps, and Mr.. Davis came out OF the gloomy
parlor upon the broad piazza and greeted
the little ones atlectionatey, giving kind
word to each, and taking the smallest in his
arms to kiss.
After the reception there was concert
in i little hall attached to one of the hotels.
Mr.. Davis attended the concert, coming in
after the audience were nearly all assem-
bled. When he entered the people all rose
to their feet, showing Us much respect as
subjects do to king, and they remained
standing until he was seated, when they
gave him a long round of applause, at which
he bowed and smiled. AT the close OF the
concert the pianist played "The Bonnie
Blue Flag" with an enthusiasm that lie had
not shown in any of his performances during
the evening, and again there was great
uproar of applause, mingled with cries of
"DaviS Davis !" The hero of the occasion
was not disposed to speak, and the group of
children who had taken part in the singing
set up 4 loud call for "Dixie," accompa-
MED by half-frantic clapping and stamping,
but the pianist did not respond. The au-
dience fingered until some one announced
that the concert was ended. L judged that
this revival Of the memories OF 4 struggle
that ended in defeat and disaster was not
pleasing to the men, from the expression
upon their faces, but the ladies were de-
lighted. All through the South the women
cherish love of the lost cause" with