The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-25

cred rs unpardonably offending against ile
new Radical dispensation we should say that
Mr., HuGuEs and his colleagues, in lowering
the white man and exaIting the negro, are
afflicted with the fatal disease of "scaratbum
furiatis "-i. e., rush Of blood to the boots.
MIR. Davis-The, Historical Society.
II is but lust to ourselves as well as TO a
true friend that we should copy the follow
ing article from the Journal Of Commerce.
That paper has been ever fair to the South,
and It's language now comes from heart
that is not only fair and just TO us but whose
sympathies are cordially extended to us.
The Journal says: 49,. mi. .+...-
MSouTHERS HISTORY Mr.. DAvIs's
Spsrcu.-The Southern Historical Society
proposes to do useful and important work,
one in which every part of the country must
take an interest. The mission OF this Society
is to collect the materials for that hypothetl-
cal Ipelsonage. so often referred to, the iu'
tur. historian The time Is not yet come
it il far otf,-when the story OF our civil war
can be fairly and truthfully written. Too
much sectional passion survives the terrible
conflict; aud, besides, the data tor the con-
struction of an impartial history have still
10 be gathered and classified. 1t may take
years for the Southern Historical Society to
collect and assert the documentary evidence
now floating about in private hands at the
South. For Il considerable time after the
downfall of the Coniederacy the Southerners
did not have the, heart to engage in thls line
ofiresearch. They cared but little what was
said of them or what became OF them. They
wanted only food and shelter, and liberty to
earn q living unnlolested; and as Tor Their
military successes or reverses, they seemed
to desire nothing more than that the cue
q,Iered events Of five years should be buried
iu the oblivion they sought for themselves.
And so it happened that until within year
or two there has been no effort worthy OF
the name to bring together the southern mate
rails for history Of the southern armies. by
far the largest known collection Of this ma
tllre is IN the possession Of the United States
Government, the fruits of its captures at
the South and of purchases made from Con-
fcderate agents since the close OF Inc
war. But the facts there amassed are made
quate to full understanding of the southern
military movements. OF theSethc complete
and trustworthy narratives can only be ilad
through the eXertions of the southernerS
themselves. Unless the Southern Historical
Society, or some such body, supplies the
hiatus the future historian will be, IN one
respect, no better qualified to do justice to
his great subject than Is the historian OF our
day. The muse of history is passlonleSs,
calm. seeking only after the truth; ana the
proceedings of historical societies appear at
the best when they are free from all PERSONA
or political feelings. We regret that the APP
proprate tranquility OF the southern HIS"
torical Convention should have been broken
in upon by the rash and imprudent utterances
Of MIR. Jefferson Davis. They jar most dis
arreeablv llpon DIR sense of what was lifting
TO the time and place. Mr.. Davis knows. or
should know, much about the war, in which
he was leading spirit. He could give the
Southern Historical Society facts and figures
that would he worth having. He could cor
rect some miSapprehensionS that exist
in northern and southern minds with re-
gard to important occurrences Of the war.
And there could be no better place to do
this than at the Southern Historical meeting,
where he was an invited guest-inrited.
doubtless. for the express purpose OF Offer
ing facts or suggestions that would be OF
use in carrying on the great work OF the
society. But when Mr.. Davis gets up be
launches ut once into u speech glorlfying
secession, declaring that 1--WE had been
cheated rather than conquered" and that
g the men of this day may yield the prln-
ciplcs for which they commended, but the
children who succeed will cherish and
perpetuate them" TO the women of the
South he addressed himself with much tact,
paving beautiful compliments to their g de-
yotion and self.sacritice," saying that he
g had never seen n southern woman who had
been reconstructed" and committing to the
faithful and devoted sex his "greatest hope
for the future of our country" All that he
SAYS Of the fortitude, the patience, the self
sacrifce, and the answering fidelity of the
southern women is perfectly true-as 1t Is
true of women in the wars of all lands and
aces. The tribute was deserved. But TAX
inv it i'm connection with oil else that Mr..
Davis said in his eXaltation Of the past or Ill
his hone, for the future, we see that the aim
of his speech was to make bis hearers as dis
contented and bitter as he is himself. We
acaut him of any absurd notion OF trying
TO fument another civil war, though
some northern Radical journals will
probably put that foolish construction
on his words, but, nevertheless, his speech,
in its effect. was out of place and mischiev-
Gus. IL might have answered well enough
for political barbecue. or an after:dinner
occasion. Much could be pardoned TO the
of partisan excitement or the in
huence of an undue quantity of wine. But
we can see no excuse for the intrusion OF
these gloomy regrets and these threatening
prophecies upon a convention of gentlemen
assemb led to study how they could best save
the scattered records of an old war-not
hatch plans for new one. 1t has often
been asserted that Mr.. Davis has no
measurable influence at the South. At all
events, we do not believe that he represents
the feelings of those southerners upon whom
the fortunes of their country actually de-
pend; the men who can forget as well as for
give who do not childishly mourn over the
past, but work in tue present for the future
with courage that will not let them de-
SPAR. These are the men who, while MIR.
Davis and Il few others are useIes>ly lament
ing over the lost cause, are trying hard 10
save the South from carpet-baggers and de-
cay. With their cO-worktrs-the Conserva.
tive men of all parties at the North-they
will yet disappolnt the lugubrious expecta-
tions of Dir. Jefferson Davis, and show him
Il union rcgencrated and disenthralled. 1t is |
essential reason to despair of the republic !"
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COUNT De CHAMBoRD.-We expressed the |
opinion the other day that the Count DE