Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-02
JEFFERSON DAVIS
Declares the War would Have Gone on
without him as it Did with him
He Is Not Responsible for the
Struggle - The BOLTON
OF slavery a Great
Benefit.

The Boston Herald, of March 29th, con-
tanned an interview with Jefferson Davis.
After speaking of his experiences In Pierce's
cabinet and the Mexican war, Mr.. Davis was
led to express himself upon the late rebellion,
saying: 1T Is generally believed In the north
that am chiefly responsible for that great
calamity. | was but one OF the vast body of
the south, and no more responsible than
thousands of others. The war would have
taken place without me as inevitable as it did
with me. 1t was one of those things that
was sure to come in the progress of events
and in solving great problems of government
upon this continent" He conceded ex-
would prove an ultimate good to the
country; that it was a manifest advantage to
the white race, for it would lead to the de-
velopement of the south, and multiply her
manufacturing and mechanical industries.
From advantages of climate alone, the future
OF the south Is more promising than that of
any other section of the country, but the con-
dition of the present generation of the black
race is all the worse by reason Of the aboli-
ton of slavery.
THE NEGROES.
Mr. Davis doubts very much the wisdom of
an attempt to educate the negro, and utterly
disbelieves in giving him the ballot. 1t was
his opinion that wherever the negro race was
found it must be as an inferior and servile
race, and, in the long run, would give way to
the superior race under any and all circum-
stances. Mr.. Davis acknowledged, however,
that he had changed his mind entirely upon
question, namely, that the great staples of
the south-cotton and sugar-could be pro-
duced with greater economy and in greater
abundance by paid labor than by slave labor.
This has already been demonstrated, and
that fact alone goes far to prove the advan-
tage which the abolition of slavery has been
to the whites. Referring to the political
status of the negro, Mr.. Davis said the freed
men had naturally been mlsled by politicians,
thinking that northern men were their truest
friends, but of late years they seemed to have
reached the opposite conclusion, and in the
long run it would be found that the negro,
having but little real self-dependence, would
vote in accordance with the wishes and the
sentiments of those who employed him. For
this reason, the negro vote would be a less
important factor in the politics of the future
than northern men supposed. Referring to
the oft reiterated charges of coercion and
bulldozlng OF negro voters, he said that he
had no doubt there were individual instances
of cruelty and coercion on the part of lawless
men IN some sections, but he believed the
prevailing sentiment among southern men
was one of great kindness and good will to-
| ward their former slaves. Speaking of ma
tional affairs, he said he accepted the situa-
| lion as decided by arbltrament of the sword,
and that he was very hopeful of the future
| of the country. He did not believe there
was any existing cause for sectional estrange-
| ment or that there could be any hereafter.
One of the results of the war already ap-
parent was that the south was less
dependent u;on the north than here
| tofore; for while she could sup
| ply great staples as before. her people had
! begun to produce a greater variety of crops
| for their own use than ever before, and they
| would eventually compete with other sections
| in manufactures and mechanical arts. In
| this connection he remarked that while the
| south was destitute of money and the value
OF real estate was greatly depressed, in very
short time the price cf landed property would
| advance because of its intrinsic value in the
| production of staple articles of commerce He
remarked that the only disturbing elements
| TO be discerned now were the efforts of ex-
| tremists upon both sides to keep alive ami
moslties and hatreds of the past. If congress
would pursue moderate course and attend
| to its legitimate duties of general legislation
| for the good of the whole country, the great
| social and industrial questions which were
now a source of so much contention would
settle themselves, and the country would be
at peace" In conclusion he said: You may
assure your people that / have no unkindness
IN my heart TO them or any of the people OF
the north. / am not the devil they have
painted me. | have neither horns nor hoofs
and if they knew me they would find am
very much ike one of themselves. p"