The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-06-05
MisreMany.
Jefferson Davis.

TWe have been asked by an old citi>
zen to publish the following sketch of
Jefferson Davis from Forney's Progress,
Here stands Jefferson Davis, almost
the only .disfranchised Confederate.
while vice. President Stephens, and
such extreme and remorseless rebels as
Chambers. of Mississippi, Isham G.
Harris, of Tennessee, NJ. G. Butler
and Wade Hampton, of South Carolina,
Robert E. Withers, of Virginia, Rob
ert M. McLane, of Maryland, j.
Randolph Tucker, of Virginia, hold
seats in the Forty Sixth Congress! 1t
is hardly necessary to say that Davis is
at least rs moderate aud rs unobJec>
tionable as any of these men.
He is now an old man seventy-one
years old next June. have known
the ex President, of the dead Confed-
eracy, for many years, not AS intimate
ly as I knew J. c. Breckinrdge, J. A,
Quitmau, Sam Houston, Thomas H.
Benton, W. Aiken, Geo. S. Houston,
Andrew Johnson, Reverdy johnson
and other Southern leaders; but suffi-
GENTLY to understand his character.
My first distinct recollection Of Jeffer>
son Davis was in 1845, when he came
into Congress. After having served
seven years IN the regular army he re-
signed his commission 1885, was for
eight years a cotton planter, and in 1915
was one of the most interesting men on
the floor of the House. He was 81, in
the prime of his life; and his hand
some face, and graceful manners, and
fine education, a broad white collar
folded over his neck, his step erect, and
his flashing eye, made him quite pics
ture He was the son-in-law of Zach
ary Taylor, and brother>in law OF the
dilettaute Dick Taylor, who died few
weeks ago III New York, also brave
Confederate soldier, who has lived most
of the time in Europe since the end of
the rebellion, boon companion of
princes and potentates. Like the latter,
Davis had been thoroughly educated
A graduate of West Point, he became
distinguished at that great school for
his love of science and his varied ac-
quirements. He was still in the House
when the wal with Mexico broke out.
He at once resigned his seat. received a
colonelcy at the hands of President
Polk, and fought with distinction, de-
Gliding the great battle of Buena Vista
by the marvellous evolutions and ro-
mantle daring of his command. Re
tiring from the service at the close OF
the war, he entered the Senate of the
United States, from which he resigned
in 1851. In 1858 he became Secretary
of war under President Pierce; after
j that was re elected to the Senate, from
which he withdrew in 1861, with his
/ State, to aid the rebellion against his
Government.
Jefferson Davis was one of the few
Southern Statesmen that had scientific
tastes. Mr.. Calhoun was philosopher
anda meta physician. Matthew Fon-
taine Maury was an unrivalled astrono-
ner and geographer Of the sea, But
there were few like them in the South,
and it Is not less true that with rare ex.
certiens there was almost equal search
ty Of great artists andlpoets. Plenty d
great soldiers and sailors, long array
of orators and many excellent lawyers
and preachers; the names OF DAVIS,
Calhoun and Maury stand almost alone
among men of science and metaphysics.
I once heard Robert j. Walker say,
while he was Senator IN Congress
from Mississippi, that a Southern
Senator demanded to know the reason
why the most of the scientific men in
the Government were from the North
and that he answered, 81 naturally
looked for them in the South, but re-
gret to say, they are very hard to find.
) 1t is also to the credit of Jefferson
) Davis that he was rigidly honest il
Office, whether in Congress or in an ex
ecutive department. No Job ever re-
ceived his sanction, and he always
dealt fairly by his adversary. His
= fault was predisposition to be dom
iueering and supercilious. I remem
ber his difficulty with the gallant, Col
onel William H. Bissell, of Illinois
who also fought with remembered gal
lantry at Buena Vista, and who also sal
in Congress. Davis attempted little
of the plantation style on the Western
soldier, and was met so boldly and de
family, that moral meeting, was only
avoided with much difficulty. Davis
was useful member of the cabinet OF
President Pierce from 1853 to 1851, and
gave much attention to the extension
: of the magnificent capitol building ano
: and all the progressive measures OF the
period, and it is simple truth. to say
that to him is due the first extended
survey of a transatlantic railroad be-
tween the two oceans. The ofhcel
chosen to conduct this survey was the
present Governor of New Jersey, Gen
eraI Geo. B. McClelland, and the pres
ent Texas andPacific Railroad is largely
projected on the lines laid down BY
that accomplished civil engineer.
I witnessed memorable intellectual
,, duel during the administration OF Pres
i.lent Pierce when he and most OF the
members of his cabinet accepted an IN
vitatio, to be present at the opening
of the Crystal Palace in 1854. we
stopped at Newark, N. j., on our way
in response to the invitation OF the
peopIe. The rivals in the duel were
Caleb Gushing and Jefferson Davis
and they spoke on the Crimeau war
Davis for the Allies and Cushing fol
| only