The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-09-12
STiRT HIN OUT As A MISSIONARY.

All sensible men, North and South,
long ago made up their minds that JEFF.
Davis was stupen1ous fraud, but there
has ever been lingering hope that he
was not n simpleton. In view OF the ex-
Presidents speech Mt the White Sui
phur Springs it is e question If this
hope will not have to be abandoned. 1t
is rather mortifying 70 our pride to lind
that ths man against whom We noml-
nally fought for four years is such an
egregious ass; but ii is useless to attempt
to ignore palpable fact, and, so long
rs he stands ready and willing n any
moment to disprove our assertions,
where is the use of denying it?
Mr.. Davis has gone into the life IN
surance business-a much more honor
able calling than he had been pursuing
before-but he does not seem to retain
that modicum of modesty and regard
for truth for which his class is celebra-
ted. He says, in short, that if the
South had known how it was to be treat
ed by the North it would not have sur
rendered, and to-day would have been
independent 1t was frequently asserted
that Davis was utterly ignorant of the
condition of the South at the time OF
the surrender of its armies to Grant and
Sherman, and this remark we have
quoted from his speech shows 1t to be
very likely. He was an incompetent,
according to the verdict Of the historian
and his best gcnerals-a mere figure
head, very wooden and very obstinate,
but without other qualifications for his
position; and, though the rebellion
would certainly have failed III time
without him, it cannot be doubted that
it succumbed much sooner with HIM.
The assumption now, that, but Tor I'm
piled promises of generous treatment
on the part of the Federal Government,
he would have continued the war, Is
about the coolest piece of brsggadocio
and absur,lity We have lately seen.
Here is IL man that didn't know Il car
tridgebox from haversack who
didn't know that Lee would surrender,
or was hard pressed; who WIS caught
| like an old woman running away III pet
! ticoats, talking about the assurances
| that were given him if he would only
lay down his arms, and of how he would
have fought and won if he hat moi
| trusted III our promises.
| We think it an excellent thing that
Davis survived the war, and WAS turned
loose in the Southern country. Ii h'
had languished and died in prison, or j
he had been hung for his treason, thu
Southern people would have actually de
fed him, whereas he can now walk abou
at the expense of nobody but the Mem
phis Life Insurance Company. and show
the ex-Confederates just how big foo
| he is. There are said to be places Il
the South where there is no sentiment
except of dis!oyalty manifest. Let DaVi
be sent to these places-if necessary a
Government expense. He says he ind
reconstructed men, but no reconstructed
women. Let him travel thoroughly
and We have hope even for these. i
there is woman in the South who ca
stand his disgusting gabble for an
length of time without thanking heave
that sne was spared the odium of hay
ing him for her first President, We sha
have lost faith in the intelligence of tn
sex.
Davis, full Of selfishness and egotisu
is the type Of class in the South upo