The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-08-28
SECRET HISTORY OF THE CON-
FEDERACY. .
The SANITY JEFF. Davis as Seen by
One Behind the Scenes.


One Behind the Scenes. 70
Ex-Governor FooTE, Of Mississippi, in
one of bis "Reminiscences" published
since Mr.. DAVIS speech at White Sui
phur Springs, says: -
Only a day or two before LEFT Rich.
mOnd, in the autumn OF 1864, Dir. FOwle,
II considerable merchant there, Visited
me for the purpose Of calling my attention
to matter which he conceived to be OF
tue greatest importance. He assured me
that for some months past 1t had been the
practice Of the Naval Department to send
out Of the ports OF the Confederate States
large orders to commercial cities abroad
for the best wines, brandies, silks and
other things neediul for the supply OF
persous Of luxurious taste; that these com.
inodlties were purchased with the money
Of the public treasury, along with supplies
for the Confederate soldiery, and that
whenever fresh supply OF the articles
came In there was formal asSemblHge
In the Naval Department OF the female
heads of certain official families, including
that OF Mr.. Davis himself among whom
and their special friends and fNvOrites oil
these nice things were apportioned, md
at the very low prices which had been
paid for them abroad.
Mr., Fowle assured me that this evil
practice was greatly injuring the mer.
chants OF Richmond, and besought me 10
bring it at once to the notice oil the Con-
Tolerate Congress. A day or two su6se-
Vuent, COlOner Orr, Congressional Rep
resentative from Mississippi. IA brother oil
the late worthy Minister TO Russia, and a
gentleman OF as much honor and Intelli-
gence as was then In RiChmOnd,) came 10
INV seat in the House OF Representatives
and besOught me 10 introduce resolution
0GinUury on this subject. He assured me
that he had himself looked carefully into
the matter, and had found the facts above
stated 10 be trne 10 the letter. lconsent.
ed to introduce q resolution Of inquiry In
regard to this affair, provided Colonel Orr
would put his statement In writing, which
he did.
CHANGED not TO remain long enough
thereafter in Richmond 10 prosecute the
investigation oEthis matter to close, but
have never doubted that the information
given me by Mr. FOwle and Colonel Orr
was in all respects correct. II 80, what
are men 10 think Of Mr.. Davis boosted
dIsinterestednesS and integrity, and Of
those Of his Cabinet counselOrs?
About twelve months before the fall Of
Richmond Congress passed q bill raising
each OF the adjutants in attendance upon
major generals in service to the dignity Of
major. The subject had been much con-
sidered and most deliberately acted upon
SO soon as Congress adjourned Mr.. Davis
initiating the Well-knOwn example OF
James II Of England, suspended the OPP
Grafton OF the law, thus committing pre-
CISely such an act Of tyrannic usurpation
as cost the King Of England referred to
the loss Of his throne. There has never
been time when such proceeding as
this would not have caused the immedl.
ate Impeachment Of q President OF the
United States. What made the conduct
OF Mr., Davis in regard 10 this matter still
more disgusting was the fact that, Sun
day after Sunday, son OF our august
Confederate Imperator, not above fourteen
years Of age, appeared In hr. Davis pew
at church, by the pRternal side, dressed
up in Confederate majors uniform, with
out his ever having seen slngle day OIL
hour Of military service In his lie:
There has been much rather silly talk
at one time in this country on tho subjec
Of aepOtiSm. assert that the grossesI
and most shameless acts ofnepotism tha
the world has ever seen were constantly
occurring during tho short and stormy
reign Of Jefferson the first In Richmond
lido not think that there was single
male relative, either Of Mr.. Davis or hi!
wife, to be found in any part Of the Con
tolerate States, that was not given Off
cial advancement of some kind or other
and lin some instances under circumstance
Of the grOssest indGliCacy and injustice
But this theme is really too nauscating Il
be dwelt upon.
1t was formally proposed during tn
llrst year OF the war that the cotton OF th
Confederate States in private ownership
should be bought by the government
Every bale Of II was then purchased q
ten or twelve cents per pound, payable II
Confederate paper. This proposition wa
scoillngly rejected by Mr.. Davis and tina
profound fiscal economist, MemmingGI
his Secretary Of the Treasury, on the rid
culous and unlCnaOle ground that TIL
sort Of traffic would transform the awlC
government at Richmond into wretChe
brokers' office, At the end Of about tw
years these gentlemen came to their sense
on this allimportant subject, and com
menced buying cotton all over the lane
Tor which they had TO pay, at least, dol
lar pound. Thereby hangs a tale
enormous illicit profits, which the publ
i'not likely to hear told very shortly.