Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-04-15
MRS. JEFFERSON DAVIS
InduIses in some "Reminiscences Of
her Life. and Ventilates her So
cfaI and Political Opinions
of Carrent Events.

Boston Herald: Your correspondent closed
his account of an interview with Mr.. Jeffer-
son Davis, published in the Herald last Sun
day, with the statement that Mr.. DAVIS, with
a cordial grasp of the hand, babe him good
night, and returned to the ladies' saloon,
where his wife awaited his coming. In few
minutes Mr.. Davis returned and SAID: "Mr.
g., have been speaking with Mrs. Davis OF
our late interview, and as you know many OLD
friends of hers, she desires an introduction.
Accordingly | walked with him to the ladies
cabin, and was there introduced to the Wlfe
of the Ex- President of the Confederate States.
I should Judge that Mrs. Davis is some years
the Junior of her husband, and that INTELLECT
ually she is a very superior woman. she
was dressed in plain black, without any dis
play of jewelry, and had most prepossess-
ing, matronly appearance. After being in
troduced to her, Mr.. Davis re-
tired and your correspondent was ia
vored with an interview of an hour and a
half duration, much of which was occupied
in conversation about her old friends and &C
quaintances in the north, who were well
known to me. Mrs. Davis appears to be
woman of refinement, having many accom-
plishments and a correct literary taste, which
enables her to discuss with ease and fusncy
all the scientific and bellies lettres topics of
the day. She seemed to have a thorough
knowledge of the French language, and to
thors, from Nine. De Stael to the last volume
of Victor Hugo. After indulging in some
"reminiscences Of her life in Washington
prior to the rebellion, and rsviving pleasant
memories of her old friends in the southern
States, who were friends OF mine, Mrs. Davis
discussed with me the political and social
topics of the time. Upon the negro question
she had very decided opinions, and spoke far
more hopefully of the present situation than
did her husband She cordially believes in
tho edzoetso.a Of the black raoe, aud thought
she saw increased signs OF Intelligence and
self-rehance among them as the result of
what little schooling they had obtained. She
thought education was absolutely indispens
able to them in order to protect them
selves from the imposition of the
whites, who were now no longer,
as in times past, their natural pro-
tectors, but were so placed as to be constant
ly tempted to take advantage of their igno-
rance and credulity. She related, in illustra-
ton of her views, several anecdotes to show
what apt scholars they had become, even |
with the small advantages they possessed,
and among others the following: Prefacing |
the story with statement that she herself |
was destitute of the mathematical faculty, |
and never could learn the multiplication |
table or do sum In simple fractions, she |
said it happened not long since, lnrthe alb |
sence of her hush. nd, that she had occasion |
to settle with negro for some wood which |
Mr.. Davis had purchased. The wood was |
measured on the presumption that there were |
eight cords, but it fell short of that amount |
and she in vain attempted to find the value, |
with pen and paper of the fractional part of |
a cord. She covered nearly sheet with |
figures, but was not satisfied with the result. |
At last the negro teamster, with great hu- |
mility, remarked: "Missus, your figures are |
not correct. Let me do dat sum for you"
But do you know how to cipher, Jimmy?"
i 1
gave him the pen and paper, and Jimmy |
figured it out in an instant, and at |
once received his money. "But where |
did you learn to cipher?" said Mrs. |
my, Use a graduate of the high school,"
Mrs. Davis entertains the opinion of her hus-
band in regard to free labor being more ad-
she would not like, for any consideration, to
return to the old system. Under that sys
tenn the house-seTVants we're burden upon
the housekeeper, and the cost of their main
tenance far exceeded III amount the wages
paid at present, for larger number were re-
Guired, and the work was not done so well as
now. In her religious views and opinions
your correspondent believes that the wife of
the Ex-President of the Confederacy is the
most orthodox woman he has ever conversed
with. She believes that the bible is the work
of God, and that there is not line in the
I
that Is not literally true. She has been a
reader of Darwin, Tindall, Huxley and other
scientists and scholars, but she said
nothing could shake her faith in every fact
and circumstance recorded In the bible. She
never entertained a doubt that the world
was made IN six days, that the whale swal-
lowed Jonah, and that the sun stood still for
the accommodation of Joshua. In discussing
this last miracle Mrs. Davis said, in reply to
some suggestion of your correspondent: 81
can see no difficulty about it at all.
If miracle was to be performed
what mattered it if it did affect the
whole solar system as well as this planet
which we call earth 2" In discussing social
topics, Mrs. Davis seemed to be impressed
with the most intense ideas of caste. When
by me that one of her old friends,
The widow of an ex-senator who was for
merry on the most intimate terms with her
husband. was leading the life of quiet self
left by her husband to lift the fall
IN and encourage the lowly among the young
females of this city, Mrs. Davis said it must
be a thankless task. She believed that it was
Of no advantage to try to help such people;
that provldentlally one class of people were
placed above another, that one is the COM
plement of the other, and that blood only
would tell Notwithstanding these aristo-
cratic notions, the whole tenor of our con-
7ersation left with me the impression that
Mrs. Jefferson Davis is u charming, sensible
christian woman; that she understands the
Iocial and political questions of the time far
better than the average of the male sex, and
hat, like her husband, she has no hopes or
SEPARATIONS in connection with " the Lost
Cause"