The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-05-10

Jefferson Davis Temperance %
An Author-Interview With Col.
Thomas Spead, of Missouri.

Johnny Bouquet IN New YORK tribune
A well-kuown man in New York i
Col. Suead, q native OF Richmond.
Va, but long a citizen Of Missouri,
who was q member Of the confederate
congress, and at the same time q
colonel in the field, commanding q
regiment or on staff duty. found
him at the Gilsey house Oh Good
Friday eve. 1t Mas just sixteen years
since Lincoln was last alive. My
mind required to the president of the
insurgent government, which President
Lincoln opposed-Jeferson Davis
and said:
"Mr. Snead, have you seen Mr..
Davis new book ?"
IL have not" was the reply. ''Mr.
Davis wrote to me for information on
point which ! presume he will treat
of in the book. 1t WAS the disobedi'
ence of Sterling Price, which led to
the attack on Corinth, when Price
and Van Dorm we're so terribly
beaten. Gen. Bragg had ordered Prizes
not to engage the enemy, but to avoid
him and Slip past and j'in Rfsgg AZ
Nashville. l knew CT those orders.
and when Price resolved, undsr the
persuasions of Van Dorm, ,o risk a
battle, / left Gen. Price, telling him
explicitly that he was di-obe,ing hi>
orders, and would not serve with him,
As Mr.. Davis was great deal GOA
sured on Gen. Bragg account, |
suppose he desires to show that
Bragg's gsnerslship WIS s"d. but
that his orders we're Eo: obevsd. y
Said /: "Mr. Sneal, Was Davis he
best man who could have snrs,:ntrnd-
ed the confederate government =
mo, sir. He was wholly cut OF
place there, in my judgement. Mr.:
Davis was chiefly rhetorician. 1
will apply term to him that l ha.e
never used before, but which ! have
often thought Of. He WAS the Edward
Everett of the south. His influence
over the south, which led to most of
his promotions and to the presidency
of the confederate government, was in
his rhetoric. He could say things
with such EXPERIENCES, and with strong
and animating fancy, that he passed
for more than his worth as the execu-
tive genius of people in their
necessity. | have seen some notices.
continued Mr.. Snead, "caliing Davis
book dry. This surprises me. lie
ought to he able. with his style, TO
make one of the most interesting
books to read that has come out of
the war.
"Give me some idea of his character
and mind"
"He is man of narrow and intense
mind, as you generally find men to he
who are narrow between the temples.
and such is the construction of his
head. Most of the men he preferred.
such as Lowell and Kirby Smith, were
men of the same narrow type. He
was deficient in executive capacity.
His brother. Joe Davis. had always
his affairs, and rendered
him independent in fortune, and
since the war Mr.. Davis has only
been successful in breasting necessity
by the strength of his name. with a
few persons who took him on tradi-
ton. He was not a wise man. His
judgement was not clear. and could
passion to come into consultation with
the public necessity. He seldom for
gave his opponents, was jealous in
cases, and was frequent
ly not on speaking terms with the
most important men IN his govern
ment. He did not speak to Vice
President Stephens for 4 rery long
time, if he has relations with him
now. He was jealous of Gen. Lee.
rs | can give you an instance d.
rectly. And vet Davis by no means
belongs to q mediocre type of men.
He is we'll read. His selfesteem is
high; be has pride of learning; he
vas opposed to secession and in the
campaign Of 1900 made stump
'peeches in New England in behalf ot
he union. You may think his judg.
nent good there, but after he went
nto secession he would listen to no
notions of accommodation, even. when |
t became manifest that they were !,
whipped"
"Who should have been president
f the confederacy,"
Howell Cob, of Georgia. Cobb
Fas the ablest man for general al
We had in the confederacy.
lie was a good lawyer, well-informed.
ad disciplined mind and was ac-
TAINTED with finance that question
{ questions so useful to a young.
truggling nation, DESTROYS to plsnt
self in the interests of mankind,
nd on q solid bottom. Davis beat
Obj by one vote.
81 witnessed a remarkable scene in
ne of the secret sessions of the con-
'derate congress-" said Mr.. Snead.
Perhaps this has never been printed ,
efore. We frequently had secret !
ssions, and they were among the !
ost important We held. In our
'ngrees the president and vice-pre.i- :
mt, and the members of cabinet, !.
ere entitled to sit and speak. Davis =,
ever did so, but the cabinet frequent !:
came in, and on one occasion that !.
ratio but brilliant man, Louis I
'igtall, made a speech arraigning [,
fl. Davis. Wigfall was colonel !.
ID came into congress with his :
'iform on. His speech was a bold ;,
nsecutive indictment of Mr.. Davis
l think it was about :
'62, when Mcclellan was before :
He said in concluding 5
entlemen, there sits among us q man :
10 will be regarded with more bitter =