The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-09-06

Hoy. JEFFERSON DAVIS ExpIAIHs.--Thc
editor of the Memphis .lppe0l has had IN
interview with Hon. Jefferson Davis in rcla-
| ton to the speech of the latter before the
Southern Historical Society at Montgomery
(NirsiniaD Springs, which has created so much
| comment. In the course OF the interview
Mr.. Davis said:
1T seems strange indeed that q few re-
| marks addressed to few friends and asSo-
cia,es on Il subject upon which between
them and myself there could be no diversity
of opinion. with the propriety of IL hstori-
cal vindicution of the cause and conduct of
the southern people in the late war, should
he regarded as an address made to the public
with any expectation of affecting political
opinion. But waving all this. The EXPIRES
sion which is usually referred to is that the
southern people have been more 'chcated
than conquered Now, is this true or not !!
Did the Congress of the United States, by
solemn resolutions, not assure the people OF
the South that there was no purpose to in
tertcrc with the institutions Of the States !;
that the object was to preserve the Union
and the purposes for which it was ordained
and established? Did not the Executive
(NIr. Lincoln) by proclamation give like as
surance to the people Of the southern States!
Did not United States generals commanding
departments encourage the same belief amor 6
the people! And did not this lead to tie
impression on the part of very many that
the war was waged for an abstraction, or, ut
most, for the preservation OF property In
slaves? And was not the consequence fire.
qucnt deSertion in the winter OF 1S64-'Gj,
and were not people reluctant to furnish
commissary supplies for the support OF the
Confederate armies? And was not all this
the result OF the belief that their material
interests and domestic peace might exist rs
we'll under one government as the other, rs
the result justified that belief? Is there any
well-iniormed man who will not say that
had the armies known what Surrender
would bring that they would and could have
continued the struggle, and that the people
of the country, as long us they had any food,
would have contributed it freely to the sup
port of the armies, and the contest would
have continued until the invader, weary of
what might be regarded an endless struggle,
would have retired, and, in the language of
General Scott, allowed the erring sisters 10
go i'll peace"
In relation to the remark that the men of
this day may yield the principles for which
they contended, but the children who sue
ceed them will cherish and perpetuate them,"
Mr.. Davis said:
1.-The remark was connected with a COM
plimcnt to the women of the South, whose
patriotism and adherence to truth had been
proof against all the severe trials to which
the war had subjected them. And so hope
was founded on the suppostjon that, though
my own sex might give way to the nece>Sl-
ties of the hour, the mothers of the rising
generation would teach their children the
principles for which we had struggled, and
that thus they would be perpctuated, and in
some huppy hour, perhaps, be more sue
cessfully maintained than they had been by
ourselves. l have so often aud so publicly
said that no people ever SO well bore them
selves under all the tests of danger and pri-
walton as the men of the Confederate army,
and | so deeply honor and admire them for
their gallantry and conduct that l am more
than little surprised that any other senti-
ment should be attributed to me-"