The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-05-09
Ez-G Gov. Perrys "reminiscences of Public @ea'." !"
eio+5 Warren e. Davis.

manner, cordial feeling, amiability of temper,
wit, humor, Joyous hilarity and boon compan-
,;onship, than the Honorable Warren Ransom
Davis. Chief Justice O'Neall says il his
,Bench and Bar that MIR. Davis life was
stshort and merry one." Indeed, it was. lie
died at the age of forty-one, in the city OF
Washington, and was buried in the Congress,
sonal Cemetery. In the space OF his 6rief
wears on EARTH 1 will venture to say, that War
Sen R. Davis enjoyed as much of the pleasures
of life as many others who died at three score
and ten, the allotted age of man. He was a
most charming companion, admired in every
circle in which he entered, from the highest to
The most humble. He had the rare faculty OF
making himself not only agreeable, but charm
ing, to all who approached, whether high born
or low, refined or rustic, ladies or gentlemen;
He was very handsome man, and polished
gentleman / never saw one who possessed
more of the snavites in modo than Warren Il.
Davis. His talents by nature were OF high
order. He did not cultivate them as he should
have done, or his fame would have been much
higher. and far different from what it is. he
was. nevertheless, a we'll educated and well in
formed gentleman, q good lawyer, pleasant
speaker. good writer, and beautiful poet.
His conversational powers were remarkable,
and no one ever became tired in his company.
i enee collected, many years ago, his fugitive
poescal efnsions in manuscript, and published
a great many of them in paper which was
then editing. Some of them would have done
credit to any of our most distinguished Amer
lean poets His lines on "Johnston's Wife, OF
Louisiana" were very beautiful. She had
some of the Indian blood in her veins, which
was beautifully alluded to. Her husband was
Senator Johnston, of Louisiana, man of dis
tinguished talents and reputation. Many
wears after saw this poetical address to her,
and after the death of Davis, / met her at
President Van Buren's. She was then the
wife of his Secretary of the Treasury. re-
member the feelings with which 1 looked at
her, and thought Of poor Davis poetry. His
address to Miss Singleton as the belle OF the
South" was also greatly admired. l was pres
ent at ball given in Greenville, when Davis
met and danced with Miss Gourdine. That
night he wrote some very exquisite stanzas on
self, which he placed, the next morning, In the
hands of John Crymes, who had been in the
habit of writing doggerel poetry, and requested
him to copy them and pass them OF as ms
own. Crymes went about showing them as mis-
own productions, but General Thompson i'm
mediately detected the imposition. They were
shown to Miss Gourdine, who copied them into
her Album, and valued them very highly.
There was good deal of Davis poetry which
showed great genius that would not bear pub
lication.
Warren R. Davis was born in 1893, and died
in 1884 He graduated in the South Carolina
College in the class of 1870 He was admitted
to the Bar in 1914, and settled at Old Pendle-
ton. with Governor McDutfie. But McDufhe
soon left Pendleton, and went to Edgetield,
where be formed partnership with Colonel
Simkins. Davis remained at Pendleton, and
was elected Solicitor of the Western Circuit in
1878. In 1924, after two unsuccessful attempts,
he was elected to Congress, and continued in
Congress for ten years. In 1888, the delegates
of the Union party from Pickens, Anderson
and Greenville nominated me candidate Tor
Congress in opposition to Davis, who was an
ayowed disunionist and Nullifer. The elec-
ton passed off very quietly, and Davis was
elected by majority of sixty votes, in tlve or
sil thousand which were polled. was, at that
time, very young man, and had not long been
admitted to the Bar. This opposition never
produced the slightest GOODNESS between u.s. or
interfered with our social relations.
As Solicitor, Mr.. Davis was remarkably mild
and lenient. He seemed to make no exertions
to convict. All that he did, was to present the
case fairly to the jury, and explain the law ap-
plicable to the testimony.
As member of Congress he become Chair
man of the Judiciary Committee, and made
several speeches which were very creditable to
him. But his position as social gentleman
were all fond of him, and loved him as boon
companion. His wit and humor and talent for
telling anecdotes made him acceptable in eve
ry society. Just before going to Congress the
first time, he was called upon by MIR. Carson, a
member of Congress from Buncombe, North
Carolina, to be his second in duel with
DR.. Vance. lrhom ne had just turned out OF
Congress. It was on that occasion that Mr.
Davis became acquainted with David Crockett,
then elected to Congress. Crockett TOOK
great fancy to Davis, and begged that they
might sit together and room together. The
first was assented to, but the latter rejected by
MI. Davis. Many are the anecdotes have
heard Davis tell of Crockett He said the first
time Col. Crockett spoke in the House, he was
evidently very much scared. When he took
his seat, he said to Davis, sit is very strange
that I should be afraid to speak here, when L
know I can whip any man in the House" In
writing home, Crockett showed one of his let
tiers to Davis, and asked him how he liked it.
Davis replied the matter was very good, but
his spelling was very bad. How can do any
better? said Crockett. Davis told him to get
dictionary and look up the words. Crockett
did so, and was delighted. In returning thanks
to Davis for his suggestion, he said he thought,
with that little book, he could beat any man
spelling in Congress Crockett and Davis
went to the Circus one day in Washington, and
the Colonel was very much struck with the ap-
pearance of large baboon, dressed in uniform,
riding little pony in the ring. Alter Looking
at him for some time, he said to Davis ne was
damned good likeness of a member OF Con
gress, calling his name. This member OF Gon-
eress happened to be standing behind Crockett,
and heard what he said. Davis whispered TO
Crockett that he ought to apologize for ms
comparison. With the utmost sang troid,
Crockett enquired to whom he should apolSo,,,
eize. "the monkey or the member of Congress- p
There was an old maid in society at Wash
ington, who took great delight in cutting her
wit at Davis, and thought herself very success
eul In, To himSef DAVIS