The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-11-20
A Manly Defense of lion. Jefferson Davis
BY A NORTHERN GENERAL.

| To tire Editor # TIE Intar-Oeean:
On the II Of Iaiy- 1873 81 Cuicsgo paper
contained az editorial criticism on tue
speech OF the Hon. jefferson Davis on the
/ 10Th, which he made 20 the Southern organ
/ iZsrion of the Army OF the Tennessee. an
a-mV which fought u - often and - brave
| W. which gained such brilliant laurels nv
their escape fronI he Grand Army cam ped
round CoIiuth under tee command Of GEN
ersl EAlitck carrying off entire and COM
peic bag and baSgage-horse and foot. in =
| fantry and light artillery, when General
H-ileck thought he had captured all. The
| paper did not give The speech itself, only
| passages. and not correctly quoted From
this criticism the following passage is given
rs characteristic of the whole.
"Nr. Jefferson Davis is still engaged in n
war against the peace, union. agd cou>tjtu-
! ton of the United States Though he at
present commands no armies or navieS,
| audclaims the allegiance of no fol-
| lowers, bis purpose and his venom
are now as when he played the part
II commander-in-chief and executive be
hind the entertainments OF Richmond.
Some of his personal admirers have been
presenting him with military enl biems re-
Gently, and = his speech on the occasion he
BETRAYED his political and personal vndic-
tivenpSs toward the people of the North and
toward the Union, and sought TO arouse in
the minds of his hearers a hope for the
restoration of the human slavery which the
war abolished"
The latter clause has attracted my great
est surprise-though there are explosives
such "a wretch TRAITOR" and the like,
which | think not suited II the day or the
hour: not in accord with the forgiving
Spirit of the times and which could never
he found in the columns OF that staunch Old
Journal Of Gales and Seaton, the Intelligen-
Ger, respected throughout the land for its
heightened courtesy toward opponents.
Mr.. DAVIS POSITION
forbids him seeking. in our papers, personal
expIa latiions. however much abused, and
TIE Northern press 10 not opened to him, II
disposed to defend himself. His absence
and these facts should induce forbearance
in attack, or, at least, severe truth in criti-
cisma | ask the courtesy Of the Inter
Ocean to use its columns for the purpose Of a
reD}y.
have hitherto RETAINED, as 1 probably
saould not, from taking any notice in re-
gard to the facts As to my friends (Mr.
Davis) disguisa for escape. his words and
acts. pictured as so unbevoming in : man OF
his po.itiou. II there was any evidence, the
fruth OF which any intelligent man who
desi red to Judge accurately would for a mo-
ment consider, taking The statements AS they
| have been presented do not find the same
| On account of the criticisms IN the speech
| and i'm puted purposes and views which
deemed inaccurate and uujusr, | consider
! ed it, As ! DO now. lst 70 reply in defense
| but primarily to obtain from Mr.. Dayis hi'
| own statement and his views, ksOwing. as
| do. that he would not write me word not
| accurate "a to them. | have have the re-
| plies AS an old journalist, l know the
difficulty OF changing the prejudged minds
| OF editors especially, but [ must try.
| Mr. Davis and [ have been friends from
| boyhoOd, TO old age. and constant cores
| pnndantz since the war. He was nv room
mate AZ West Point, my confidential friend
| Nothing in all the years since has shattered
| the friendly links which bouud us together
| and | would be wanting III courage AMI hon
or to be silent under TnlAstaSem euts, though
| in politics, in war. We were opposed
The war being ended, believe the true in
| forests of the country snd its future peac
demand that Individual hostilitiss of tin
past should be Forgotten, and that the policy
OF Mr.. Hayes is the true one; that W
should devote Ourselves, IA Mr.. Lincoln cx
pressed it, to the binding up of the nation
wounds, bear malice To none, but will
charity to all; TO conceive, if we could. a
Mr. Lincoln expressed the idea, that thOs
who had been at war, had got out somehow
and somehow had got back into the L MOI
sod 80 all was right again. God alone cOul
have prevented the war. but did not.
SIR. Davis has sought retiremen and la
had grievous trouble. He has been revle
here in the Observation-Disclosures withOu
a l. ring. did not ard do not, when | Sc
gross e., f:irnesE and Injustice, think it jas
{ to be silent. | do not fear any misconceL
ton OF my Union aud patriotic feelings
Mr. Davis and [ started out in life in lS2>
, with opposite political views; he concur
ring with General Jackson and his friend:
t ard | with Mr.. Adams and his. Thus W
have continued on opposing lines all tn
time Mr.. Davis came to his political view
very naturally. The father OF Mr.. Dav
vas a revolutionary warrior and the ia:
friend OF Mr. Jefferson, which feeling ws
reciprocated; hence the father gave his sn
the name of Jefferson Davis, and brptiZe
him in political course he has adhered
all these yes
a There we're brave and gallant deeds |
, | arms--great military achievements,
which any people may be proud-deeds an
! achievements which each conscien tiousl
! believed to be in n true cause, which, the
| a. much as we, cherish and celebrate. III
army OF Tennessee South celebrate aud tai
| as much pride in their membership as we
E the North, under our organizations OF Il
same name. presided over by our gre
. commander Sherman. Their EN- blcms wit
. their feelings are az dear TO them AS GU
= are and deristve language toward eaC
; other is not now proper. When Mr.. Dav
; has been absent from the United States,
| well as when he has been al home, but " Il
no probability Of his seeing the papers,
has been attacked.
= THE GENERAL POLITICAL VIEWS OF NJ
DAVIS.
T in the main, differ immaterially from tho
he and the other cadets from the South hi
{ At West Point in 1921, when cadets OF
/ They were the views of all great men
4 every occupation ana denomination in Il
i South: Of every man in the adioinil
u States in the North. These views we
taught 10 the schools, inculcated in te
: books preached from the pull pit, enunci
l. ted by the judge. Children under SUI
circumstances cannot be justly blamed
81 ST. IL,
heir parents thus impressed having the
: | strengthened with growth. As these We
f matters of opinion, IL cannot be as sert
that the patriotism aud intelligence, TO s
no less, was not equal, though the views
q different. They believed their States h
o the first claim, we our country, the Unit
: States. Il is far from jast, l think, to q
= -ert the victory of the North settled me-
tai convictions or perpetuated course
action for all future time to the capture
:. 1t certainly did not. Il certainly new
> does. The course of action may be change
sex necessitatc." But the mental conv
=" tiOns remain as they We're. ConvictiO
L such as the South hsd-for which tn
< offered their lives. and to sustain whi
n they risked the rights of family, wiv'
children, property-couid not be altered
- the mere fact that they had not the pow
Is to carry them out. Our constitution a
adjudication itself are chanReabie; but :
70 changes m ade, most often. are contrary
i the OpliiOU vi HcATiH = tuaJpIiIy WHo hCN
u concur. For instance, thar great measu
d of Mr.. Clay's. the Missouri compromi
er met with as violent opposition after as
, fore it became a law. The decision OF {
e United States courts, declaring the col
Vi promise of no effect and Illegal, did not
lie ter the convictions of our people, nor OF c
TO great men. The same may be said Of I
fugitive slave law of Mr.. Fillmore. I
opponents adhered to their opinions, re-
~ serting their views, gEudging obedience
s, the result of the decision, and never resti
81 until the reversal was secured. Equivsl'
;, instances can he found in every decade
=, our history. The history of New Engla
III in opposition TO the governmental law y
at not the first; nor did ;he putting OF it do
I'd alter the opinions of men. There Is, the
. ! fore no inst reason To expect. in regard