The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1872-05-01
REMINISCENCES
PUBLIC MEN.
TcoNTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
WARREN X. DAVIS,
by Ex GOVERNOR b. f. PERRY.


South Carolina, Of his day and
time, who has left behind him a
more pleasing remembrance of his
graceful manner, cordial feeling,
amiability of temper, wit, humor,
Joyous hilarity, and boon compan.
ionship, than the Honorable War;
ren Ransom Davis Chief Justice
O'Neall says in his "Bench and
Bar" that Mr.. Davis life was a
short and merry one" Indeed
it was lie died at the age of for
ty.one, in the city of Washington,
and was buried in the Congress
sional Cemetery. In the space of
his brief years OH earth, l will
venture to say, that Warren II.
Davis erjoycd a mnch 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, ad-
anired 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 charming, to all
who approached him, whether high
born or low, refined or rustic, Ia
dies or gentlemen. He was very
handsome man, and apolished gen
tlenan. Inever saw one who pos
sessed more of the s,taViter I'm mode
than Warren r. Davis. His tai.
ents by nature, were of high Or
der. 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.
lie was, nevertheless, a well educa.
ted, and we'll Informed gentleman,
good lawyer, a pleasant speaker,
good writer, and a beautiful
poet. His CO versational powers
we're remarkable, aud no one ever
became tired in his company. l
once collected, man, years ago. his
fugitive poetical effusions in man
uscript, and published a great
many of them in a paper, which l
was then editing. Some of them
would have done credit to any of
our most distinguished American
poets. His lines on "Jnhnston's s
wife, of Louisiana" were very
beautiful. She had some of the
Inca blood in her veins, which
was beautifully allnded to- Her
husband was Senator Johnston. Of
Louisiana, man of distinguished
talents and reputation. Many
years after | saw this poetical adj
dress to her, and after the death of
Davis, ! met her at President Van
Buren's. She was then tie wife
Of his Secretary of the Treasury. /
remember the feelings will, which
1 looked at her, and thought OF
poor Davis poetry. His address
to Miss Singleton as the g Belle of
the SOUTH" was also greatly ad
mired. / was present at a ball
given in Greenyille, when Davis
met and danced with Miss Gou:
dine. That night he wrote some
very exquisite stanzas on E" Miss
Anna Gonrdine," the cotillian and
himself, which he placed, the next
morning, in the hands of John
Crymes, who had been i'm the
habit Of writing doggrel poetry,
aDd requested him to copy-tbem,
and pass them off as his own
Cryples went abont showing them
asilis own productions, bnt Gener.
al Thompson Immediately detected
the imposition. They were shown
to, Miss Gourdine, who copied
them into her Album, and valued
them very highly. There was a
good deal Of Davis poetry, which
showed great genius, that would
not bear publications nn 4
Warren r. Davis was born in
1903, and died in 1884. He grad.
mated in the South Carolina Col.
lege, in the class Of 1910. He was
admitted to,I,e Bar in 1914, and
settled at old Pendleton, with Gov
etnor McDume, But McDuffie
soon left Pc dleton. and went to
Edgedeld, where ehe formed a part.
nership with Col. Simkins. Davis
remained at PsndletoD and was
elected Solicitor OF the Western Cir.
cult in 1873, In 1924, after two
unspccessfpl attempts he was cleo.
tod to Congress, and continued in
Congress for .k,p years. in 1883,
the delegates of the Union party,
from lsickens, Anderson and
GrceRvillo, nominated me oaudi.
date for Congress in opposition To
Davis. who was an nvowed d;o