The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1876-12-07
VIEWS OF soUTuErs POLITICIANS
Decline of the Conseieraay-gea Davis
in New York.
BY "LAERTEs. "

Dcciiifc Oh TIC 6OnseueriSy-SeH DasAS
in New York.
By "LAERTEs."
Las. Saturday evening about five o'clock
which is dark at this season-I entered
the restaurant of the PennsylEania kail-
road at Jersey City and asked for bottle
OF ale. The pretty, bare-arnled, neat-fsur-
ed waitress who dispeDses there was rela-
lively indifferent. The cashier seemed in
attentive even 10 money. The bar-counter
iourneyman was an absolute nincompoop
in his slowness. j ordered a box OF oysters,
and nobody would get it. "Zounds" i
thought-for nobody says POUNDS except in
print in these unrezoundiag days-1 slip in
that pun TO give respectability to your pun
chinelIo-"this depot is full OF idiots.
Presently they will sell out their whole
working force as mere appurtenance to
the late exhibition"
"Sir Laertes," said the cashier, "they say
that is Jefferson Davis think 1t IL
fraud"
He was looking toward the worst-appear-
ing old hummer j have seen this many
day-a queer old thin chap, weak-faced,
nearly snivelling, as If imbecility had
struck him emidships in the very heft OF
life. lie was straight, but not erect, like
figure ] with 10 mob or nose to the top OF
it-straight, like a stalk oil mullen, not
like horse He wore an old bell-crowned
hat, not current here; long, reddish
brown ulster, which looked like a horse
4. Il. i l. l. 4
round him with a strap OF the same, like
an unbultoned naval, very untidy; pair
of store breeches bought, | suppose, al
Samuelss, on Fleet street, where everything
will fit that Will slip over the nose of the
proprietors. Under all was pair of shoes,
round-tosd, common, worse than cockney.
THAT chap" said j. ale JEFF Davis?
Be Just TO an enemy. It's not the chief"
raid. ] says, Hes a fraud He says he is
JEFF. Thort I'd call your attention to
him."
looked again. The feeble, faced face
began TO come back TO a remembered type.
The voice was all gone that used to COM
mand. II was an old, senile, piping voice
OF granddaddy in the chimney corLer. j
heard it speak, but not what it articulated.
Then i heard a conductor say, leaning back
on blue stiff cap, in a nonchalant, fare
collecting voice
'They said you was Davis; but thought
they was sellin' me-"
Then / heard Massaniello reply:
"Ies, sir; am Mr.. Davis / have Just
come back from Liverpool. i came right
through, stopping over a part of the day in
New York. You are correct, sir"
Merciful-or rather jgst-God / thought.
1t Is that chief magistrate Of slavery. Who
can see him without pity? Who can see
Belisarlus poor and not feel it?
PAST AND PRESENT.
/ went up the James River with JEFF Da-
Wis IN 1867, when he was released from
Fortress Monroe. saw him put on bail
in court, and Horace Greeley, signing the
bond, receiving old Jeff's hand, and not
very cordially. Then | saw Davis in the
Spotswood Hotel, kissed and encouraged by
girls and women. The features came back;
the corpse took little meagre life and ex-
preston. Lazarus came forth.
"Yes. sir" l said. THAT is Jefferson
Davis"
oil be dashed if l don't speak him"
81 guess he won't object if l do"
"WouId you speak p
'Come on, Jake. We don't care 4
hang.'
Trey spoke TO the poor old rat from every
side. He spoke to me as one who might /
like to shake hands. / took his hand and |
thought TO myself, perhaps / will some |
day have to tell this scene over to my
l felt that | should
never see JEFF. again. As Hamlet said OF
PoloniUs: "a certain conyocation OF poll
lie worms are cen at him. Your worm is
your only emperor Tor diet"
Alter these glowing courtesies from no.
Ioriety hunters, poor JEFF. sat down to his
neal in the public restaurant, and the
pretty girl aforesaid, with bare arms, waited
IN him.
JEFF. DEsICCATED.
Davis was conspicuous instance of a
oolish people picking out an intrepid fool
o lead them. They gushed like frogs ard
ne presided like stork. He had a mar
ial race TO select from, and he chose no.
,ody whom he had little cheap prejudice
against. He could not quarrel with Lee
.obody could-for Lee was an unselfish
.aptain-a weak miracle Of a clean mill
ary and personal nature. He had very
,ieat army-men too good to fight again
or nothing-and he had not one particle
# prejudice against any Of them. The
gild Jackson, the vain Lonsstreet, the
rash Hood, the clown Stuart, were all :
'aluable TO him for what they were worth.
But Davis was essentially a politician, on ,
he order of Ben Wade, Thurlow Weed,
g., &c. He would believe nothing ne did
Tot see. Certain TO be whipped any WY,
&c never provided with dignity against de-
eat: he never placated opposition nor !
uchred victory. He is one of those men
ike Charles the Bold, Richard Ill, and G
ames IL, who make us doubt the utility
# mere boldneas and honesty. The modern I
world is not created by the Bazaines, MAJ G
mis-, Don Carloses, and Prince Miians; If '
: made by men like William the Silent, !
Ia Won Moilke, Sir Robert Peel and Mr..
jObdea, Cavoar and Abraham Lincoln.
The superficial greatness of sincere HOSTILE !.
y is not worth a rulers time We have
D lessen our terms every day in business, :
n the family, with our neighbors, our cred
tors, our debtors, and our children, and
ven then, when We come TO die, We regret T
hat We had not forgiven and condoned a
lOre. But Mr.. Davis disliked strong men v
nd skilful ones. He opposed Joe john =
on as much as he did Grant. Joe was
Military Jesuit He could fight, but he
onl9 rather cheat. He fought for time, |
nd that was the only capital the Southern =
ever had. Years after the war :,
o. Johnston published a temperate book L
Davis by implication as no states
ian. In short, Davis's life has been per- Il
etual quarrel he did not speak for long e
me to General Taylor, his first wife's 81
Itker. The Federal Government did him =
re very greatest favor by particularizins
i'm after the war and recreating his popu-
Irity as q martyr in the South.