The Osceola times., 1881-02-26
DAVIS HISTORY OF THE WAR
A Work Likely 10 Create a Profound Sem
sHtion Nearly Ready.

ttiNif' TOT lne luTlo1c pl getting NildA-
ever was new concerningthe forthcoming
history of the late war by Mr.. jefferson
Davis, now in the presses Of that house.
lie found at a desk in the front of the
building Mr.. j. c. Derby, who has more
direct charge Of this book than any one
connected with the firm. In response to
an inquiry as TO when the book would be
out he replied:
well, the Appletons do not like to
make promises, but / feel justified in
saying that it will be ready inside of
ninety days. ! have now the proof
sheets of half the first volume in
my desk here. have Just received a
letter from Judge Tenney, who was sent
down by the house 10 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 manuscript
for the second volume, which is now
ready, and is withheld simply that Mr..
Davis may make a slight correction in
one OF the chapters. He adds that the
printers may be put to work on il at
once as the last half of the second vol
ume is about ready and will be here be-
fore the printers will need it. lie 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 closcd?"
about five years ago. Mr.. Davis has
proceeded in the preparation of this his
tory with the utmost deliberation. He
has taken nothing for granted, but has
examined into the smallest. details nd
siited the records. He was ambitious,
too, to give the work such scope as TO
make it comprehensive as well as thor
ough. His labor has, therefore, been
immense. Still 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 was sent out to him near
ly a year age the work has gone right
ahead
Has the name of the book been agreed
on YETI"
"Yes. |. will be called The Rise and
Fall of the Confederate Government
The name first determined on was The
History Of the Confederate War for In
dependence: its Causes and Results.
You will see that title runs on the proof
sheets here"
"And by the way" he said as he leaned
forward to get the bundle of sheets from
his drawer, you are the first journalist
that has ever had a glimpse ofthese proofs.
And II is coincidence that this history
aud Bancroit's history OF the Times of
Washington are being published stimuli
taneously, and" holding up Il batch of
the Bancroft proofs that the title of
the first chapter of Bancroft's is headed
The Coniederacy,' meaning of course the
first confederation of the colonies. "Ah,
here are the Davis proofs"
With this he held mp bundle ofsheets
handsomely printed on heavy paper, in
heavier than, "Sherman's Memoirs" The
introduction" TO the book was short
covering nearly the first page and halt
the next, and it could be seen in
the glance that the reporter got
that the dedication was contained in the
introduction. The title ofthe book-which
ofcourse viii be changed on the present
prOOisheets- runs across the top OF
every page.
'In what shape and at what price will
the book be published?"
in will be issued in two volumes,
about the size of 'Appletons' Encyclope-
dia,' and will be sold for s. Il volume. 1t
will be sold entirely by subscription.
There is already a large demand, one
man in Missouri having already ordered
5000 copies. While of course the heaviest
demand is from the South, we find very
large demand throughout the North, and
shall be disappointed if the sales do not
reach 100000 copies. The sales of
Stewards Journey Around the World
went up to that point, and the demand
for this is as promising as that was. No
expense has been spared to make this
book worthy of the reputation it must
have"
"The terms upon which Mr.. Davis
wrote the book are liberal ?"
at is sufficient to say he will receive
enough from the early sales to make him
independent and easy for the rest of his
life. But the chief reward that he will
have will be the consciousness of having
performed duty that has weighed upon
him ever since the failure of the cause
that he represented. He determined
shortly after the collapse of his govern
ment, TO devote the remainder of his life
to the preparation of q full and compre-
hensive history of the struggle of the
Southern people and the causes that led
to it,"
"Have you seen him since the compile
ton of the work."
Yes, Ispent several days with him at
Beauvoir last January, when his labor
was mainly over. | never saw man
that so sincerely rejoiced in his work. He
said that he had made an history that
would stand all the tests of time and
criticism, because it was true and that
he had put in permanent record de-
fence Of his people that would command
the verdict Of posterity. lie seemed to
feel as a man who has had a sacred duty
weighing upon him as q burden and who
had at last honorably lifted it, from his
shoulders. He gave five years of almost
unceasing labor to the work, Night and
day during the most of that time he has
been in the secluslon of Beauvoir, in his
little study, careless of the hustle and
worry Of the outside world, at his self
appointed task"
The first volume of the work is almost
entirely taken. up with n constitutional
discussion of the causes that led to the
war Both volumes will be illustrated
with portraits of the prominent men
who figured on the confederate side.
The work is dedicated to the widows and
orphans Of the men who died for the
cause The introduction aflirms briefly
the confcderated character of Union and
the necessity of separate soyereignties
under general direction.
GrnMti, of III. Enrii. ia Ten Irnde.