The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-11-24
OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.
erarr7a RIGHTS AND sECEssEGN-THEE n
COURSE or INSTRUCTION AT
WEST WGHNT IN 1924
Ex~FreslheHt Esavis' Pnlltacaa VheWs-H1s
Career az a soldier ana as
Legislator.
BY A NORTHERN GENERAL.
IA tbn Tditor of tha Inter OCEAN

contained an editorial criticism on the speech
Of the Hon. jefferson Davis on the tenth
which he made to the Southern organization
Of the Army OF the Tennessee, an army which
fought us so often and so bravely; which
nained such brilliant laurels by their escape
from the Grand Army camped round Corinth
under The command Of Gen. Haleck-carry-
iny off entire and complete bag and baggage
horse and foot. infantry and light artillery,
when Gnu. Iialeck thought he had captured
all The paper did not give the speech itself,
nnIv paesages, and not correctly quoted
From this criticism the following passage is
given us characteristic Of the whole:
sMr jefferson Davis is still engaged in q
war against the peace, union and constitution
Of the United States Though he at present
commands no armies Or nayies, and claims
the ALLEGIANCE Of no followers, his purpose and
his venom are now as when he played the part
0f eonrander-in-cllef and executive behind
the entertainments Of Richmond Some Of
his nersonaI admirers have been presenting
him with military cmblcms recently, and In
his speech on the occasion he betrayed his
political and personal vindctiveness toward
the poople Of the North and toward the Union,
ana
ers q hope for the restoration Of the human
slavery which the war abolished
The latter clause has attracted my greatest
surprise though there are expletives such as
wretch "traltor,, and the like, which !
In accord with the forgivng spirit of the
times. and which could never be found in the
columns Of that staunch old journal Of Gales
Il Seatou the inteiiigencer respected through
out the land for it's high-toned courtesy to-
ward opponents.
MIR. DAVIS POSITION
forblds him seeking in our papers, personal
explanations. however much abused, and the
Northern press is not opened to him, II dis
posed to defend himself. His absence and
these facts should induce forbearance In at
tack or, at least. severe truth in criticisms |
ask the courtesy of the l1,ter Ocean to use it's
columns for the purpose of a reply.
[ have hitherto lefrained, as | probably
should not. from taking any notice in regard
disguise for escape, his words and his acts
pictured as SO unbecomng in man of his po-
sitiou If there was any evidence, the truth
of which any intelligent man who desired to
Judge accurately would for a moment consid~
or, taking the statements as they have been
presented [ do not find The same. On account
Of the criticisms on the speech, and imputed
PURPOSES and vcws which / deemed inaccu-
rate and unjust, I considered it, as do now,
iustt reply in defense. but primarily to OBJ
tain from MI DhFlS HIS OWN SLhbenleHb hllu
his views, knowing, as | do, that he would
not write me q word not accurate as to them.
[ have the replies. AS an old journalist, |
know the difficulty OF changing the preludged
minds, of editors especially, but must try
Mr.. Davis and | have been friends from
boyhood TO old age, and constant CORE
spondenta since the war. He was my room
mate at West Point, my confidential friend:
Nothing in all the years since has shattered
the friendly links which bound us together,
+ hn II
TO be silent under misstatements, though
in politics, as in war, we were opposed.
Tho war being ended, believe the true in-
tercsts Of the country and its future peace
demand that individual hostiities of the past
should be forgotten, and that the policy Of
Mr. HAYES IS the true one: that we should
devote ourselves, as Mr., Lincoln expressed it,
to the binding up of the nations wounds, bear
malice to none, but with charity to all: to
conceive if we could, as Mr., Lincoln ex-
pressed the idea. that those who had been at
war had got out somehow. and somehow had
got back into the Union, and SO all was right
again. God alone could have prevented the
war but did not.
Mr. Davis has sought retirement. and has
had grievous trouble. lie has been reviled
here III the North misunderstood without
a hearing / did not and do not, when see
gross llnfarness and injustice, think it just
TO be silent. I do not fear any misconcoptiOn
Of my Union and patriotic feelings. Mr..
Davis and started out in life in 1898, with op
posite political views, he concurring, with
Een. Jackson and his friends, and | with Mr.,
Adams and his. Thus we have continued on
opposing lines all the time. Mr.. Davis came
to his political views very naturally. The
father of Mr. Davis was q revolutionary War-
rior and the fast friend OF En-. jefferson. which
feeling was rocproCated; hence the father
gave his son the name Of Jefferson Davis. and
baptized him in % political course he has ad-
hnrnd to all these years.
There were brave and gallant deeds in
arm4-great military achievements. of which
any people may be proud deeds and achieve
mrnts which each ConscientiOusly believed to
be il q true cause. which, they us much as we.
cherse and celebrate. The army Of Tennes-
see South celebrate and take as much pride
in their membership as we in the North, un-
der our organizations of the same name, pre-
sided over by our great commander sherman.
Their embems with their feelings are as dear
to them as ours are, and derisive language
toward each other is not now proper. When
Mr.. Davis has been absent from the United
States. rs we'll when he has bcrn ut home.
but with no probability of his secng the
papers, he has been attacked
THE GENERAL pOhlrlCAh VIEWS OF MR.
DAVIS
in the main. differ immatnraIly from those
he and the other cadets from the South had
ut West Point in 1924, when cadets oil 16. They
were the views of oil great men OF every occu--
patton and denomination in the South: OF
every nlill Ill hilS h'iJ''liHtif5 'ptt'c IA tit'
North. These views were taught IN the
schools, inculcated in text books preached
from the pulpit, onunclated by the Judge,
Children under such circumstances cannot be
justly blamed for believing i'll and adheringt to
tho faith Of their parents, thus impressed
having them strengthened with growth. As
these were matters Of opinion, it cannot be
assorted that the patriotism and lntelllgenGe,
to say no less. was not equal though the
yiows 50 different. They believed their statGs @
,nI
United States. Il il far from just, think.to
assert tho victory OF the North settled mon
tal convictions or porpetuated a course OF
action for all future time to the captured.
1t certainly did not. 1t certainly never
does The course OF action may be changed,
Oh "ex-ncccssitAte." But the mcntal convictions
remain as they wore, Convictions such as the
South had-fOr which they offered their lives,
and to sustain which they rlsked tho rights Of
family, wives, children and property-co
not be altered by the nero fact that they had
not the power to carry them out, Our consti-
tuition and adjudication itselE arc changeablo:
but the changes made, most often: are cGn- con
f1nvn,, rnnPur For instance, that great meas