The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-05-29

as the agent of Joseph E. Davis Will
the application was being prepared, DR.
Bowman said to Joseph E. Davis: .sHo'
about 'Brierfeld?' Bowman thus de
tails what followed "He simply an
swered The title is in me had told
him that it would be necessary to SHOW
title. He said that the title was in him
that he had never conveyed it.
said nothing more about it. | sup
posed that all that he wanted was to ge
possession of the land
There was reason to conceal from the
Federals any right that Jefferson Davis
had to the land. Mr.. Davis was il
prison, and it was generally believed tina
his property would be confscated, i
nothing worse happened. x
Ny impression was that he, (Joseph E.
Davis, wanted to protect his brother
from loss" Being asked if he meant los;
by confscation, the witness answered
Yes" We think that Dr.. Bowman
theory was the true one, and that Joseph
f. Davis simply took advantage of the
outstanding record title in himself to re
cover the land for his brother.
1t is insisted, with an earnestness that
excites surprise, that such a suggestion
Is dis honorable to the parties concerned,
and Is inconsistent with the lofty Integ
rity which the record establishes for o.
seph + Davis, and which history attests
for Jefferson We have no right to as
sumo that Dr. Bowmar's sense of honor
was less acute than that of his friend and
testator. He was the active agent in car
rying out the scheme, and he tells us
quite distinctly what he supposed its
object was The truth doubtless Is, that
in the eyes Of Joseph E. Davis and DR..
Bowman, as in those of millions of their
c0untrymen, Jefferson Davis person and
property were alike held in custody for
the commission of deeds which lacked
nothing save success, to crown his name
with Immortality; and if so, they proba-
bly, thought it no more dishonOrable to
save his property, than it would have
been to rescue his person. Fictitious
claims and convevances of property,
among the adherents of unsuccessful re-
bellions, in order to save it from confs-
cation, have marked the history of all
ages and countries. We are not aware
that the sternest historians, or the most
austere moralists, have ever regarded
them as indicative Of personal dishonor.
Joseph Z. Davis obtained possession
of Hurricane" and "Brierfeld," in
January 1867; but in June preceding,
he had consulted Mrs. Jefferson Davis
about selling "Brierfeld" to Montgom
cry and sons, giving as reason, that her
husband would never be released from
prison, and that she could not occupy it
in the changed relation of things, with
out him. She opposed the sale, but said
that the Federal authorities had prom
ised to allow her to visit her husband in
a short time, and that she would consult
him on the subject 1t appears by sub
sequent developments that she did con
suit him, and received his assent to the
sale. In November, following, the sale
of the two places jointly, was made. The
bond and notes in controversy were ia
ken payable to Joseph E. Davis, who
executed a deed in his own name to
both places, and received mortgage
back to protect the payments. Either
at the time of the sale, or some time af
forwards, Montgomery makes two state
ments as to the time), Joseph K. Davis
with the vendees, that if JET
ferson should ever be released and
should desire to reOccupy "Briertield,
the sale, as to it, should be rescinded.
Mrs. Mary Stamps, who had married a
nephew of the two brothers obtained per
mission few weeks after the sale to Wis
il her imprisoned uncle. Joseph +. Da
Wis met her in the city of jackson. He
charged her, in her own language, "to
tell Jefferson, that as the duration of his
then imprisonment was uncertain, he
had acted for him in the sale of 'Brier
field for what he considered his best
interest; that the sale was made subject
to his (Jefferson's) approval, and he ex-
D essed an earnest desire that his broth
er should communicate with him on the
subject" Mrs. Stamps delivered the
message to Jefferson Davis, and brought
put and handed to Joseph Z. an I'M
signed written memorandum from JEFF
ferson. In this, after abiding to the
fact that all correspondence was prohib
ted, he states that he had already sent
word by his wife, ''that any arrangement
which YOU (he) made with Ben Mont
somery,) would be agreeable to me"
'him.l He alludes to the malignity of
ais enemies, and suggests that the sale
she closed soon and tightly" He ex-
presses the opinion that Montgomery
will never be able to pay, and that the
and will revert. Then" says he, sit
nav be that better state of affairs will
lender the property valuable to your
leirs." 1t is insisted that the words,
valuable to your heirs" show a dis
.laimer of any interest in himself The
under which they were
written seem to suggest a sufficient re-
by.
Extracts from two letters written by |
Jefferson after his release are contained |
u the record in both of which he reiter- |
ties the belief that Montgomery will |
lever complete his payments. In one of
hem he suggests that in this event |
some man of capital could be found to |
axe the lands and secu re to you (Joseph) |
revenue free from vexatious attention
n your (his) part" This sentence is
preceded by one which |
avs II have thought of it (the high |
rice of cotton) as bearing on your pros
ects at the Hurricane. No special ref
renee is made to Brierfeld. The other
etter, written in 1868, seems to have been
a response to one communicating the fact
hat Montgomery desired to abandon his
ntire contract; proposition which
efferson styles "preposterous after hav-
ng enjoyed so long all of its advan-
ages without having met its obliga-
ions" 10 this letter occurs this expires
ion: at is also within his (Montgome-
VS., ability to see that he had better
etire with the means he had acquired by
ossession of your property and engage
j u IL 1