The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-07-09

Igonstft tutor was d good one, but there
Ipraise OF tho Confederate Government, MS TO
It's works, must END. s. fz2
rHr RaoxAscr br ]. T,roi,onBs,s ESCAPE
Did you see much ef Ar. Davis during
IL Not much l.u a,teri left his Cabinet. Our
IreIationshfp TO that time had been pleasant
enough. The Confederate Government
went to pieces In the little town in which
! live. Mr.. Breeklnridg e, Dir. Began. ana
Others, came to my house. Mr. Davis
STAYED az neighbDr's house. From that
.Doirit enct, man went to save ihinselt n,
fsaddled my mare Hrsy Alice and put OFT
OF nv. ibacS gate, for the mo tfntaiHs. l
was disguised irIthe most efectusl man.
| ffier.. L had my whtskers PAINTED req,
tand' was dressed in iourney-up leans
Clothes. I was known as Ma1or MOT
fton. 4 bought a CLIPPER thai was is 70 -sal,
worked nv way down To The river. when
[the Yankees tcaptureu tiny Nttle ship, l
went back to the mountains. land next
struck out for Nohile.i w here L was tshei.
| tered byi Evans. the authoress OF
| I" Ben1ah, -" st. Elmo" etc. From MOBILE
II went to New Orleans, and. WIS taken OUT
by British ship I Went TO Havana. ana
Thence to France. After l returned 10
America I heard that Badeau wanted me,
and I went through to Canada and stayed
there awhile. Then Icame home.
| THE LAST OATH TooABs EVER TOOK.
Have you ever taken the oath OF allie
glance to the United States government! :
No, sir. The last oath TOOK was 10
the Confederate States, and snail never
take another. do not. like the oeherai
Government, and would MOI consent 10
serve It in any capacity. It is temporary
concern at best. The Constitution has no
poWer within itself to enforce ITSELF. 1t de-
bends solely OH the good faith OF The peo-
pie, aad that guarantee alone cannot con-
tipue to- bind together a great countrY
OF diverse interests. / have never really
believed since 1850 that this Union was a
pernetuity. The terrible experience OF the
| late: war will probably deter any 1act'on
from making row for the next few years.
Had il not been for this the West might
Iihaye precipItated a collision during tue
election mudde OF 1876. I have no faith
| in the Puritan New Eng land-the fellows
that Macaulcy said were opposed to bear
batting, not because it hurt the bear, but
because it pleased the people. As 10 the
| talk about the northern people iorsiyInS
me, l have nothing TO say. AS haven't
forgiven them, and don't expect TO. am
Indifferent as to The state OF their feelings.
THE GREATEST AMERICAN THAT EVER LIVED.
Who was the greatest man with whom
you were thrown in public life?
| All in all, Mr.. Webster was the greatest
man l ever knew. Not the most eloquent
but the greatest. As regulator OF men
Clay Wa. his superior, and on occasions Clay
was as eloquent as men could we'll be. CAL
houn was the greatest logician I ever knew.
1t may seem strange, out the two most elo-
uuent men l ever. beard were Yankees
Choate and Plentiss. They were incompara-
BILE. Prentiss was the most eloquent proba-
! bly,, but Choate was the best debater. saw
| Choate and Webster pittcd once, and TO
Webster's discontinue. In those days
our statesmen were much better scholars
than they are now. There was less gene
raj education, but higher special cduca-
ton. The greatest southerner l ever knew,
and probably the greatest man ever pro-
duced Ivy the South. was McDufiie, the most
eloquent southerncr, and W. G. Preston.
"Both Carolinans "No, sir; McDuffie
was Il Georgian, and Preston VirSinian.
Randolph was a remarkable man, but de-
pended more upon lis extreme unique man
ner than upon his real greatness. Tazewell
was one Of the most finished orators | ever
heard, and W. L. Yancey was emphatically
| q first-class talker."
What is your opinion OF the Presidents
with whom you were THROWN
I know every President personally, eX-
cept Washington. Jefferson, and the elder
Adams. I saw Jackson inaugurated, and
sat by Quincy Adams when he died. was
not intimate, perhaps, with Pierce, the best
gentleman Of them all. He did not have
any especial force, but was clever and cor
rect. Mr.. Fillmore was fine scholar, and
an honest man. He asked me to join his
! Cabinet, and offered me the Secretaryship OF
! the Treasury. l declined TO accept it, and
suggested Governor Jenkins, OF Georgia, us
q proper man. He then offered Jenkins
the navy, which was declined. Mr.. Tay-
lor had already offered me the Secretary
ship OF War. which I declined, suggest
ing George w. Crawford; who was APP
pointed. Taylor was the most ignorant
| President of them all. wasamazing how
j little he knew. He was a soldier. and no.
4 thing else. Van Buren, was probably the
most accomplished statesman, but ne was
not broad man. He was shreWd rather
than sagacious or,wise. Tyler was great
|4lt a iemale-seminary commencement or q
cow-show. He was a pretty speaker, you
/ know. When he was selected to 90 and de-
| liver the address Of welcome to Lafayette,
Webster said to me that lie never knew
man who could make pretty speech iliat
was fit for much else; and this truth,
think, goes without exception. Tyler was was
very eloquent and finished, However. olll
Buck was a good President, tine statesman
in small way, and unequalled leader Oh
small bodies Of men. 49,. -. st.t
MIR. Toombs says be never said that ne
would live to call the roll OF his slaves at
the foot OF Bunker-Hill monument, but
s.rs i" that was fancy lie, started by Jack
Hale, of New Hampshire" Once when
I Mr., Toombs. declined to take paceein the
Confederate States Senate, which was said
to be omen for him., a,friend said, " There
4 are fcW men who haFe the, chance to- get
such place" %; Yes" he replied, ""and a
lid Sight fewer who can, refuse Them"
I General Tooubs was a fine soldier and q
brilliant fighter. General Longstreet once
said 10 me: "HI have seen him in bat
tie: often, and I, never. saw a Drawer
man lead 4 brigade" He is quite
wealthy, his estate being valued at prob