The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-21

plain wooden mauJct " Wtks sisss 0"ei"''
| Ing, the only decoration In the room.
HOW NIX woRxs.
| In the centre Of the room stands large
table. on which Mr.. Davis writes or dictstes'
uc writes great deal himself, but occasion.
ally dictates always To = long. handed VIII
ter. Major w. r. Walthsll began WITH MIN
a. secretary. but Judge Tenney. editor OF
+" Appleton's EucyciopgdIa," and 'deaera'
Joe Davis, his nephew, have been wltn nun
| Tor the past year. The room adjoining ,ne
library IA simpIy.furnisbed room. IN wn.cn
| there Ia lounge, on which Mr.. Davis taxes
an occasions, nap. He Is very regular
and systematic, giving about SIX nouis
n day 10 actual work. he Is careiui
| 10 the extreme about all tnat ne
writes, but never changes the proofs woeh
they are sent back TO him, writing In tnc
| first place with decision and accuracy. ne
dresses plainly, his usual costume Deing
dark trousers and long modestcoloreu
dressing.gown. He takes great oeai OF
exercise, the climate being so mild that he
can walk on the beach under the orange.
trees. or anywhere about the place. in his
dress,pg.gowu almost any month In the
year--cxcept for the last few months OF eX'
cessively cold weather. The gilt OF Beau
yoir has made him easy Us TO worldly affairs,
and he has had for years nothing TO take
| bis attention from bis work. There pave
been few visitors at Beauyoirsince Mrs. Dor
sey died. and not many during her lifetime.
Occasionally CORES pOndent OF some news
paper drops In once in awhile an eXcuF-
| sion train dumps out load OF people, VINO
scurry out TO catch sight OF their eX-Ire'
sident, and frequently some old general or
prominent Confederate comes out Tor tax
| on some point. to the discussion OF whlch
he has been invited by MIR. DAVIS, or mas
been attracted Of himself General Marcus
| Wright, who has charge OF the Confederate
archives at Washington, has been In almost
| constant correspondence with MIR. Davis,
| has had thousands OF original documents
copied from the archives, and has spent
! some weeks at Beauyolr.
An EAGERLY.ExPECTED BOOK.
1t is impossible TO overestimate the eager
ness with which the Forthcoming Do0k Is
looked for throughout the South. They
recognize it as the first formal and compre-
hensive defence Of their cause.-the first
general history that has been written Of
their struggle. All other southern histories
have been special and narrow. Mr.. Ste
phens's books are the work OF d0ctrinalie
pleading sbrewdly but not broadly. Gene
raj Johnston's is the story Of campaign or
so, told somewhat pee,ishly-an6 so on
through the list
WILL 1T BE BROAD OR Personal:
find a very general fear throughout the
South that Mr.. Davis will let his lnlOlerant
spirit get the better of hun, and that what
should be an impartial history will become
vehicle OF personal opinions aud presu.
dces. Your correspondent talked with
MIR. Davis upon this point when the work
was about half completed. In reply TO the
question as TO whether or not the book
would be personal and aggressive. Mr..
Davis laughed and said
"They say when people get old they be-
come spitefui; but l think / understand |
and appreciate thoroughly the character OF
my undertaking." The aDtagOnisms bred |
in the Confederate administration were so
bitter, acd where Mr.. Davis was concerned |
were so personal and relentless, that the |
book will necessarily provoke many con.
troversy throughout southern political and |
military circles. Mr.. Davis enjoys the rare |
advantage of having before him as he |
writes the special pleas OF most OF his an
tag0nlsts.
THE CHIEF POINTS OF THE WORK.
The two most important points OF the |
work-for, after all. the constitutional ar
gument, which will doubtless be fine, be-
came res adjudicatd after certain fine
morning at AppomattOx-wll be the dis
cussion OF the peace movements and the
defence of the policy Of the Davis admins
tration as opposed to the Stephens. Brown.
and Toombs policy. The first is vastly the
most important point. History is grad
ualy settling upon The head OF Mr.. Davis
the burden Of war protracted long
after he was assured that success was
impossible. Ii is said that General Lee as.
sured Mr. Davis long before The conclusion
of the war that inevitable failure awaited
the Confederate arms. 1t Is even said that
PRIOR to the first visit OF Mr.. Blair TO Mr..
Davis that General Lee had demonstrated
to hin the improbaDilily OF success, and
that the interview between Mr. Davis and
Mr.. Blair will show this. Mr.. Davis sent
out his commissioners, however, instructed
TO listen to nothing but The full recognition
of the independence OF the Confederate
The country, North and
South, will look with interest TO see
how Mr.. Davis can clear himself OF
the suspicion that he prolonged for
months a struggle that was known TO
be hopeless, and that involved the useless
sacrifice of hundred thousand lives, when
honorable terms OF peace and RI Union. as
will be shown, were awaiting his accept.
ance. The discussion Of the special policy
Of Mr.. Davis, and the determined oppOsi.
lion OF over half the statesmen who were
eagued with him, the incompetent financial S
system Of the COnfederacy, the alleged lack
Of intelligence in the Cabinet and Congress,
which no yalor in The field could cOmpen-
,atc, all these will demand some very peril
nent writing on Mr.. Davis's part, and will
,tir many an ugly feud.
AN AGGRESSIVE BOOK.
The book is aggressive in its general
enor and maintains with mistaken fiim-
ness all the points that were put to the ar
,iranent OF the sword. Mr.. Davis writes s
,oncisely, however, and manages TO con-
ume less than half OF his first volume with
he causes OF secession and his Justification h
or IL. The rest Of the work is devoted to ,
narrative of the struggle, with comment
o sparing that 1t barely throws light on the \
motives and purposes OF an administration f
hat perisbed con the wing" and left no q
rchiyes. MIR. Davis is thoroughly satisfied g
With his work. and confesses himself II
,leased at the thoroughness with which be
las been able to fix ali details add support :
II assertions with documentary proof.
EFFORTS TO SECURE PEACE. f
As to the history Of the efforts made to
ecure peace, he says that the facts show =
hat he did all that an honorable leader of
rave and devoted men could do TO secure G
'eace. Upon this point the discussion pro- e
oked by Mr.. Dayis's book will develop y,
ook, "The Rise and Fall Of the CoDfede-
Gnu no LODI I ~