Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-11-07

parts Of the country. Our ralroaas are
bringing full trains. Our business men
tramp around briskly in this cold, brac-
ing air, answering the wants Of their
many friends Cheerful news.
A Nertherner's Vindication Of JeHer-
son Davis.
To the Editors OF the Appeal:
As an old personal friend Of JEFF
ferson Davis claim the priyi-
lege OF answering through the
columns ~ the APPEAL certain
unjust char, Let have recently been
revived against that distinguished gen.
tieman by q portion OF the northern
press. IL is due 10 the truth Of history,
aud Is but simple act Of justice to MI.
Davis. that certain facts connected with
his public career, already too long sup
nressed. should now he mentioned, in
order TO disablse the minds Of the peo-
ME az that section Of the country Of
erroneous impressions which many OF
them have formed respecting him. l
Am enabled, from actual peTsOusl knoWl-
edge. 10 furnish these facts, and l con-
gratulate myself that / can do 80. The
first knowledge ] bad Of MIR. Davis as
public man was in 1912, or Whereabouts.
His political career began about this
time. What particularly attracted my
attention toward him was the manly
stand he took, in opposition 20 his par
ty, on the subject OF the Reputation OF
the Mississippi Planters bank bonds.
The Union bank bonds had just then
been repUdiatsd by the Legislature,
and the act signed by Governor
Alexander M'Nutt. The question soon
after arose as to the reputation OF the
Planters bank bonds-snother class and
entirely different from the Union bank
bonds. The, Democratic party Of the
State, to which Mr.. Davis was attached,
was committed in favor Of repudisting
these bonds. Mr.. Davis took issue with
his party, and in an able speech deliv-
cred at Warrington, Mississippi, advo-
Gated their payment by the State. dis
speech was heartily applauded by the
Wings, who, as a party, were opposed
to Reputation. Mr.. Davis was then the
Democratic candidate for congress, and
this speech gained him many Wing
votes. The State was not then divided
into congressional districts. 1t was en-
titled to but two members of congress.
Mr.. Davis was triumphantly elected,
running far ahead Of his Democratic
colleague, who was 10 favor Of repudi-
sting both classes of bonds. / mention
this incident in the life of Jefferson
Davis TO show what little truth there
was in the charge made during and
since the rebellion" by maligneTs,
that he was "the father OF Reputation"
| know whereof / speak, for az the time
to which / refer | was publishing and
editing a paper in YazoO county,
Mississippi, and published, as did other
Wing Journals, Mr.. Davis's speech, with
suitable commentator. It is as unjust
as it is untrue to charge Mr.. Davis with
being the father of reputation. In re-
gard to Mr. DAvis's relation to the rebel
lion, and his efforts TO arrest it, can
speak as advisedly as / have IN respect
to his action on reputation; not, how
ever, from his public uttersnces, as in
the first instance. but from personal
avowals made to myself Having served
,stfsivr him IN tha war zsith Mexico, GUr
relations were of the most friendly and
confiding nature, which continued until
the breaking out OF the "rebelliOn.n
When that unhappy event occurred,
owing to non-intercOurse between the
two sections, l had 10 further commu-
nication with him. At that time was
residing abroad in an official capacity.
But up to the time Of Mr.. Davis's leavs
ing the senate 1 had frequent CORE
spondence with him. In this CORE
spondence be did not hesitate to say
that he was opposed to separate State
action, such as South Carolina had just
inaugurated; that what he desired and
urged upon his southern brethren was
for the southern States to hold q con-
vention, and, after discussing the situ-
alton, calmly and dispassionstely TO
TO then present their ultimatum to the !
northern States. This course, he |
thought, would not only give time for !
consideration, but might result in |
peaceful adjustment Of the then existing |
differences between the two sections. |
But in this he was OveTruled. His own /
and other southern States followed the |
example of South Carolina before he left |
Washington. In proof Of the sincerity |
OF his efforts in behalf Of a peaceful so.
luton Of the questions at issue between |
the north and south, reference need only |
be made to the frequent interviews be- |
tween Mr.. Davis, Thomas Corwin and |
John J. Crittenden, who worked so zeal /
ously TO prevent a separation Of the |
Ststes-whO wished TO maintain the /
Stdtu quo ante beIlttHl. 1t may be asked, |
II Mr.. Davis was opposed to the south |
ern States Withdrawing from the Union |
at that time, why did he 60 with them |
when they secedeo2 That question 1 |
do not propose to consider. | merely, !
in this connection, wish to show that he |
was not the prime mover Of the "rebel- |
lioD," as has been charged and still adj |
heret to by so many in the north. 1t |
will thus appear that Mr.. Davis was |
not the instigstor Of the rebellion,
but that he exerted his Influence |
to avert il. The fact is, the people |
clsmored for separation and |
hOstilities. They were in |
advance Of their public men, aud con-
trolled them. No better proof of TIM |
fact need be Rdduced than the case of |
n. Stephens, OF Georgia, |
who, after the delivery OF his mastery |
speech against secession at the capital |
OF that State, was forced OF dragged into
the "rebsIllon" by the people. 1t may
be well to remark at this point, that Mr.. |
Davis and all the leading statesmen of |
The south, from Jefferson down, had al !
v avs believed in State sovereignty and |
tie right Of State TO peacefully Sc
cede: and that, therefore, when bis own |
State passed the ordinance OF secession, |
he could not have done otherwise than |
20 with his State, which had so long
honored him with its confidence. The |
most damaging charge brought against |
Mr.. Davis, and persisted in, is that he |
sanctioned the alleged brutal treatment |
Of our prisoners at AndeTsonvilie. |
There has never been sny proof sd-
ddced to establish this charge, Upon I
the contrary, IL is claimed by mis- friends |
that when his attention was officially \
called to the fact that our prisoners were /
maltreated at that place, he caused an 1
to be instituted, and II /
appearing that our prisoners hsd, st
least in measure, received the /
complained OF, he lost no 4
time in removing the officers in charge
Of that prison, and placed others there.
This am eredibly informed Is suscepd-
bic Of the clearest proof; that there Wss
found among the Confederate archives
after The fsi! nf Richmond, an official
document TO that effect, which was
to the war department at
Wash ugto1, and that IL was withheld
from the public by the then secretary Of
that department. ] am not personally
knowing 70 these facts, but my inform
ant Is a gentleman OF the highest re-
spectsbility residing in Washiug toD, and
who practices Jaw in that city before
the highest court. l cannot vouch for
The truIh of this statement, but from my
knowledge OF Mr.. Davis's chaTscteI,'I
sm quite sure he is incapable OF such IN
human treatment OF bis fellow men as
sha racterized those in charge OF the
prison st AndersOnville. j have thus
1riefly presented the facts connected
with the life OF Jefferson Davis, which
will show how unfOunded are the
,hsrges made against him 70 which
nave referred. MIR Davis's revllers would
10 well before INDUCING in wholesale
against him, to consult his re-
,ord before the civil strife. Nc
man contributed more to the
yIoTy and renown OF our common
2ountry than Mr.. Davis in our
var with Mexico. IL was through his
XIII and gsllantry that the advance of
he enemy st the battle OF BuenR Vista
Eas checked, and thus saving the for
nre of the day TO our arms. This was
4 a time when the enemy bad turned
General WoOI's left flank and was
= srchipg in strong force in rear Of our
ines toward the depots, where the MILF
sTv stores were deposited. With hlssin-
he regiment, already greatly reduced ID
NM hers Colonel Davis checked the
Svance of the enemy, and held them
! ahavance until Tein9orcemenls were