New Orleans Republican., 1873-08-14
Remiufscences of the Past by Ex-senator
EoOte. of Mississippi.


placed everything i'll Mr.. Davis incompe.
tent hands. l certainly intended
to give faithful and true support to the
Confederate cause after had become en-
listed in it, as indisputably did; but l did
not intend to let Mr.. Davis become an EN-
peror if could prevent it, nor allow his
seryitOrs in Congress 70 organize Military
despotisln in Richmond upon the false pre-
text that they were extreme devotees 70
State rights and to Southern independence.
Not day passed while l occupied seat IN
the Confederate Congress that was not
more or less signalized by my vehement OPP
position to Mr.. DavI. and TO most OF the
members of his infamous Cabinet, whom
well knew TO De absolute slaves to h.s Will
-mercenary TO unscyupulOusness, corrupt
and cOntemptible.
A great experiment of States right Sc
cessiOn has been made, and 1t Is important
that the world should know precisely what
baneful consequences resulted from TINS eX-
pertinent, n order that no such insane and
deplorable attempt shall again be essayed
in any part of this broad Union, and i'll order
that a.. may be solennly warned not to
take even the first step toward that evil
state of things which was soon TO be real
lied iu Richmond. ] do not believe that
a more heartless and grinding despotism
has been anywhere known since the days
set on foot. Upon the pretext OF military
necessity ali power was concentrated in
the hands of Mr.. Davis and his myrmi-
dons. and NOT particle OF this power
was intrusted to them which they did not
crminally and corruptly transcend and
abuse. By shameful act of seIvi,ity Mr..
Davis was given authority ito suspend the
great charter Of liberty whenever and
wherever he pleased: ana this was done on
T.. ;.,e ~ hill
passed called the ..Forcible Impressment
Law" which placed all the means of sub
sistencs tor men and domestic ,animals
completely under the control Of Mr.. Davis
and his official servitors. large proper
ton of whom were dishonest and oppres-
sive beyond anything which can be con-
ceived of, save by those who came in con-
tact with that terrible system Of fraud and
violence which they introduced A con-
under Mr.. Davis command every able
bodied man in the South between the
ages OF sixteen and forty-fve; and
all who refused to serve in the
Confederate army against the pa
ternal government Of their fathers were
subject To be shot as for desertiOn. When
the bill for this purpose was upon its pas
sage I offered thirteen different amend-
ments TO it intended to correct unconstltu-
down. and then, with only a small number Of
others, Ivoted against the measure. This law
of cOnscriptlon was most vigorously and
cruelty enforced, and was the cause. not
only Of very general popular disgust, but
the fatal enfe eblement of the Confederate
army, by actual desertion. A sweeping
cOnfiscation act was passed designed to take
away all the property ofthose who anywhere
within the limits OF the Confederate States
on1
70 the cause of th. rebellion. This law
was afterward SO amplifed and extended
by amendment at the Instance of Mr. Per-
kins, Of Louisiana-a special devOtee and
contidantot Mr.. Davis-as to embrace the
property Of men. women and children,
wheresOever located, who might chance to
be then absent. who, holding property in
the South, Gid not Immediately return
within tine confines of the Confederate
States and take an active part IN the war.
When this most nefariOus amendment was
under consideration. earnestly protested
against it.
And 80 this law passed. and had the Con-
federate cause triumphed. and Mr.. Davis
been continued in power, verify it would
have been enforced to the letter.
At last a member from Mississippi came
one morning into the House OF Representa-
tives and offered a bill! for adoption which
pTOpOstN Cuc lLuLuCuiAtC dAA
establishment Of martial law, and for an
indefinite period Of time, and this move
men. was notoriously inspired by Mr. Davis
himself. I got up Immediately and de-
n0unced it as cold -blOOded and unprinc-
pied attempt to establish an armed despOt-
ism. At which the prOpOser grew atfrighted.
He came into the House next morning and
asked to be allowed to withdraw it, but as
! made stern objection to this it was not
withdrawn, and now remains permanent
monument OF infamy and ieproach. A
slavish Congress even went so far ip its
devotion to Mr.. Davis as to adopt pass
port law, making it criminal even for q
member Of Congress to leave Richmond
except under the sign. manual OF Judah p.
BENJAMIN. Mr.. Davis Secretary Of State,
and the known writer OF his executive IN es-
sages.
4 few months before this evil apparition
OF government. built upon the basis of
extreme States rights and secession, broke
up. a bill or resolution was introduced and
pas sed unanimously in the Confederate
Senate. providing for the payment of $1,000
in gold TO Mr.. Jefferson Davis as part Of
hi. presidential salary Of $4,000. BY exist.
ins law his salary was payable alone in
Confederate paper, and such was the dis
tine. understanding when his second elec-
zion occurred. His remarkable physiog.
nomy stood visibly impressed upon every
Confederate note. so that the payment Of
his salary in anything but Confederate
paper was fatally TO discredit the only cur
reLcv We had.
The members Of Congress were content
10 receive, as the recOmpense of their leg
islative labOrs Confederate money, though
il was now worth only ten cents on the dol.
lar. The Confederate soldiers would have
been glad to get their own wretched pay in
the paper currency. but could not even get
that. The poor fellows were, most of them,
in rags and barefoot. When this legislative
n,onsvum ho1rend,m reached the House, l
rose in my place, and said that would
move a test vote: l wished 20 know how
many men there were slavish and corrupt
enough to vote for SO infamous measure.
and l moved to put it on the table. calling
for the yeas and nays. Te the honor of the
body, be it spoken, only seven personsead
the unblushiug audacity to vote yea.
Some OF these, l learn, are now complain
ing most vehemently that the Congress of
the United States recently increased the
Presidents salary from S25. 900 to $4,000,
though every man of sense knows that 500.
600 will hardly 60 as far as $4,000 would
have done. in the purchase of the necessa-
ries of life. in the days of our earlier pIes;.
dents.
have not stated a hundredth par, OF the
enormities the enactment of which l was
daily compelled to witness in Richmond. l
hope never to be compelled TO detail all I
witnessed there. l shall spend no time upon
Mr. Davis cruel persecution of such merito-
rious officers as Joe Johnston. Beauregard.
Gustayus Smith, Stonewau Jackson and
others; nor shall l explain here how the
last-mentioned parsonage was prevented
from retiring abruptly from the Confederate
service. as a consequence of the continued