The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-01-28
JEFFERSON DAVIS HISTORY OF THE
WAR.
a Work Likely to Create a Profound
Sensation Nearly Ready.
New York Herald, 1tt:,.]

| New York Herald, 1ttn.1
A Herald representative visited the
publishing house of the Appletons on
yesterday for the purpose of getting
whatever was new concerning the forth
coming history of the late war by Mr..
Jefferson Davis, now in the presses of
that house. He found at desk in the
front of the building Mr.. j. @. Derby,
who has more direct charge of this
book, possibly, than any one connected
with the firm. In response to an in
quiry as to when the book would be
out, he replied:
"Well, the Appletons do not like to
make promises, but I feel justified in
saying that it will be ready inside of
ninety days. 1 have now the proof
sheets of half the first volume in my
desk here. / have just received a letter
from Judge Tenny, who was sent down
by the house to assist Mr.. Davis with
the writing, in which he says that he
will forward inside of ten days from
the date of writing half the manu-
script for the second volume which is
now ready and is withheld simply
that Mr.. Davis NAV make a slight cor
rection in one of the chapters. He
adds that the printers may be put to
work on it at once, as the last half of
the second volume is about ready, and
will be here before the printers will
need il. He writes that everything is
now ready for the pushing forward of
the work, and that the manuscript,
virtually prepared to the last chapter,
will come forward at once"
"When was the contract with Mr..
Davis for this work closed?"
eAbout five years ago. M. Davis
has proceeded in the preparation of
this history with the utmost delibera-
ton. He has taken nothing for gran
ted, but has examined into the small
est details and sifted the records. He
was ambitious, too, to give the work
such scope rs to make it comprehen-
sive as well as thorough. His labor
has, therefore, been immense. Sill he
would have been ready long ago if he
had been provided with prompt and
skillful writers who could have kept
up with his dictation. He dictates
slowly, deliberately, and will have no
shorthand writer. Since Judge Tenney
Yves sent out to him nearly year ago
the work has gone right ahead"
ssHGs the name Of the book been
agreed on let ?''
eyes. 1t will be called sThe Esisei
and Fall of ihe Confederate Govern
ment.' The name first determined on
was sThe History of the Confl lerate
War for Independence: It's Causes and
Results You will see that title runs
on the proof sheets here"
ssAnd by the way" he said, as he
leaned forward to get the bundle of
sheets from his drawer, 'syou are the
first journalist that hes ever had
glimpse of these proofs. And it is a
coincidence that this history and Ban
croft's History of the stTimeg OF Wash-
ington' arc being published simuIta-
neously, and,; holding up batch. Of
the first chapter of the Bancroft proofs,
"that the title of the first chapter of
Bancroft's is headed s:the eConfcderacy,"
meaning of course the first confcdera-
tion of the Colonies. Ah ! here are The
Davis proofs"
With this he held up bundle of
sheets, handsomely printed on heavy
paper, in much the same style as, but
clearer and heavier, than "Sherman's
Memoirs" The 'sintroduction" 10 the
book was short, covering nearly the
first page and half the next, and it
could be seen in the glance that the
reporter forgot that the dedication was
contained in the introduction. The
title of the book-which of course will
be changed on the present proof shoes
runs acrCss the top of every page.
"In what shape and at what price
will the book be pubIishCd?'
cit will be issued in two volume,
about The size of sAppletons' Encvclo-
roclia,' and will be sold for $5 vol
ume. 1t will be sold entirely by SUBJ
scription. There is already large de-
mand, one man in Mississippi having
already ordered 5000 copies. While,
of couIoe, the heaviest demand is from
the South, we find very large de-
mand throughout the North, and shall
be disappointed if the SAILS do not
reach 100000 copies. The sales of 'Se-
wards Journey Around the World,"
went up to that point, and the demand
for this is as promising IS that was.
No expense has bcen spared 10 make
this book worthy of The reputation it
must have"
"The terms upon which Mr.. Davis
wrote the book are liberal ?''