The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-06-02
Mu.. JEFFERSON DAVIS AND
HIS LATE UNFORTUNATE
SPEECHES..

MIR. JEFFERSON DAVIS has recently
been seduced by few imprudent
and foolish friends into making some
very ill-timed and most unfortunate
speeches OH the political situation.
Ii is unfortunate for Mr.. DAVIS rep
utation that he should, from any mo-
tive or influence, have been induced
TO break the dignity of silence, and
place himself in in position where
his motives are to be impugned, his
craftsmanship questioned and the
enemies of our free institutions-the
implicable foes of Constitutional
liberty, armed by him with a weapon
most potent in waging their fiendish
warfare. lie ought to have exercised
somder judgment, more prudence
and better common-sense than to
have been betrayed into making such
speeches for he must have known,
as he stated i'm those speeches, that he
was liable TO be "misreprcsented,"
and FUSED against the Southern peo-
pie, and they be compelled to bear
the responsibility of his utteran-
"ces.'
When Mr.. DAVIS endured with pa
thence and fortitude and in silence,
the chains of military prison, in
flictcd upon him as the representa-
tive of proud but PROSTATE and
unfortunate people, he received the
sympathics of the Christian world
and the homage of the true hearts of
the South and when he came home
from foreign land, broken down in
health and wrecked in fortune, and
engaged in business for the support
of himself and family, his courage,
wisdom and action were extolled as
4 noble commentary upon the dignity
of labor. Had he continued to bear
with patience and silence, as did the
immortal LEE, the no less illustrious
JOHNSTON and other honored leaders
of the "Lost Cause after disaster
overwhelmed the arms of the South,
it certainly would have been infinite
ly better for his fame, and far more
in keeping with the dignity and char
actcr of the exalted position he had
50 recently occupied. Bus Mr.. DAVIS
saw proper to pursue a different
course, and the consequences. fatal
as they may be to his fame, and dam
a"ing to the success of the National
Democracy, must rest with him and
his ill-advisors. Mr.. DAVIS cruel
treatment by the Federal Govern
nlcnt during his confinement, priZon-
lied him into the affections of the
Southern people and caused them
TO make him martyr, and draw
the veil of most charitable forget
fulncss over many blunders and mis-
takes committed during his admins
tration which. but for this, could new
or have been satisfactorily explained
or defended with our Southern peo-
pie.
Ii is alleged that Mr.. DAVIS Sell
ma speech caused the defeat of the
General Amnesty Bill by Congress
and undoubtedly il lost the Democ-
racv the noble little State of Connec-
ticut and caused the defeat of the
gallant Governor ENGLISH. This,
whether true or false, should have
caused Mr.. DAVIS to refrain from
further efforts in that line. But in
stead of having that effect, we find
him making speeches at Augusta and
Atlanta of still more Incorporate
and ill-timed character, which the I'M
principlcd leaders of the Radical par
" will make, by peryerting and mis-
representing their true meaning, the
most widely circulated campaign doc
uments ofthat party; and by tortur-
inc his remarks into what they will
make appear reasonable utterances,
will send them broadcast over the
North, cmbittering that people against
It's. and making them willing to tole-
crate still further, Radical usurpation
and misrulC.
Did the sentiments uttered by Mr.
DAVIS reflect the opinion of the South,
crn people, We could never hope
again fer better times; for we would
I've compelled to submit, at the point
of the bayonet, 10 military despotisn
for all time 10 come. But fortunate
" for the South and for the future o.
our common country, Mr.. DAVIS
opinions arc shared Ivy but FEWER.
few. Led by the noble LEE and the
Glorious JOE JOHNSTON, they hdc'
"accepted'-and ''dccePted al gooc
fafM.-the situation" and are labor
inc and struggling, earnestly and
unitedly to bring the Federal Gov
crnmeat back to its ancient purity
rrl, nol;cy dictated BY Mr.. DAVIS. i