Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-08-31
MIR, JEFF. DAVIS.
interviewed by an Editor of the
Appeal = He Explains His
Late Speech at White
Sulphur Springs.
What lie Meant by ihe Words
"Cheatsd Rather than Con-
quered "-The Plain
Truth.


Present Position = "The
Cause is not Lost; Prin-
eipIes are Eternal
THE recent speech of Mr.. Jefferson
Davis, made at the White Sulphur
Springs, Virginia, before the southern
historical society, having been made
the subject of much comment, some OF
it very severe and but little of it fiatter-
ing to that gentleman, and thinking
that perhaps he might have been, even
unintentionally rnisrepresented, we yes
terday detailed one of our editorial
corps "a interview him in order
that the public might have COM
plete, reliable and satisfactory informa-
tion in the premises. MIR. Davis, we
hsTe always felt and eontended, needed
no defense or defender. His life as
statesman has been too consistent for
that. From first to last identified with
the Stats's-rights school Of public men,
ne has steadily persisted in standing to
the eolors he unfurled in early life. And
for this. like all men whoserve the public,
he has been the subject, too often, of
maIevolent and purposed misrepresent-
alton. Our readers need hardly De IN
formed that this is one of the penaInes'
and the greatest curse OF American
politics. Our contests, even that Whleh
closed in bloody defeat for the soEth,
hsvs been SO dwarfed that principle has
been lost sight OF in the mass
of side issues and personalities
that have enshrouded them, even
out Of sight of their best defend
ers. Neither in or out Of congress have
we vet reached that dignified mode OF
treatment Of public subjects, which, in
Europe secures those engaged in their
Eyitation from the slum and filth OF the
MOI jtieaI backbites, and as aconsequenee
we are apt to forget in the presence OF
the mistakes real or assumed OF our
hest pu bic servants the honorable re-
cord of consistent, steady labor In the
n,blic service and visit them with q
measure of rel probation and censure out
of all proportion, and that could only be
deserved by one the whole term OF whose
life was "evil, and that continually" !"
We have not yet learned to offset the
bad with the good in our public servants,
and until they are dead and beyond the
power of competition, and even, when
like Mr.. Davis, they are far removed
from active life, We vex ourselves
with their every utterance, and VIII IN
sist on forcing them to the point whence
they have retired forever. In this spirit
and way Mr.. Davis has been pursued,
and with the intention Of keeping alive
the sectional animosities that all good
znen would have sllayed bis late speech,
as all his speeches have been comment
ed upon and magnifed beyond any pos
sible consequence or importance intend
ed by the speaker. Journalists and pub
lie men viii insist upon putting
9 7ch construction upon his words as best
SIN. g either their frame Of mind or their
nurn, Nses, ard then holding the whole
south T. r.sspoasible for them, just as if the
soutb ha 4 moi already, in the reconstruc-
t;on Of all 1he States and the peace and
prosperity that prevail therein, given
ample proof of their intention in all
time TO come to abide by the issues
which the war determined, and among
these surely we must not number
the underlying principle OF our form OF
Government. AS the APPEAL has al
ready said, too much stress has been laid
upon the speeches Of Mr.. Davis and
significance given out of all proportion
10 them, and far beyond anything he in
tended. While he must ever hold q
high place in the affection and conf
sSence of ali people who love constitu-
uiOnal principles, especially those of the
south, whom he served so well, this does
not give licence to his opponents nor
ours % affiict him with their spleen or
hold US responsible for his utterances, as
II we mt b-tIn forward on every chance
occasion as ol,E spokesman. To do this
is TO do him and us an injustice. Mr..
Davis desires to eieioy the quiet Of pri-
Tate life as a private citizen, and while
Ia NAV. when his friends desire, express
,iuSelf in set words a. he believes and
as he chooses, and as he has a perfect
-Ipbt % do, it is not fair to chsnge
hose Svorlis to a purpose foreign
IN his infenti, n, OF torture them into an
.rnrassion .ofa hidden or latent desire on
.he part ofth,s pc Ople Of the south to keep
alive the issues o. the war in the hope
n soonsr or late z eis eountering the north
in the field again. As we have said, we
have and do dali V give too many evil
dences Of a contrary spirit for any jour
naIist. not intent on ,pur misrepresenta- |
ton, 80 10 repre- Nent US. Let
il, therefore, be unders TODD, once Tor
all, that what Mr.. Davis says, Mr.
Davis is alone responsible for, and
that what the southern people do ia
their workshops, on their farms, IN their
rooms and at the ballot-oox'
j. the only criterion by which they can
no ,'~irly judged. No one man or set o.
- - authorised or can speak ior
ibeu The, '-publie Journals only must be
80 % tbo,r ,~loutnpieces and organs
Of their will. With this pre-
face we introduce our subject
promising that Mr.. Davis was .hiOusH
out the interview dignified Auo c0urvs
Gus; and promptly and unres 'seeiy
responded TO all our questions des- s'ne
nothing so much as that he should - |
fully understood by the public, and we
think after a careful reading Of the fol-
lowing, our readers viii say that moth
ing remains to be said by him to that
end.
EDIroR-I come, MIR. Davis, in the
interest of the public, who feel, and
must always feel, an interest in any,
Thing YOU say, or that concerns you, to
ask some questions relative to your re-
cent speech before the Southern His
VoricaI society, at White Sulphur
springs, Virginia. do this because
vhat speech has been variOusly com
uented upon by the northern and /
so;Jthern press, and severely denounced /
hv laany who have heretofore been |
Numbered among your friends and ad- |
T,oiners. asfdated 70 this, as they be-
Usve. by the present condition Of public
saaling This speech was not prepared
nov fhouaht of. bat wRs GsssS1ro1sptU, ss