New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-12
JEFFERSON DAvIs'S BOOK.
EXTRACTS FROM THE MEMOIRS.

II has been known for two or three years that the
q. President Of the so-caed Southern Confederacy
was deyoting his leisure to book"making, with ths
purpose Of giving his own version OF nus pohucal
acts and IL might be- of yindicatng by the pen tue
cause Of slavery and secession that was 30 nope
lessly lost by trial Of arms Mr. DAVIS mas Deeh
citizen of Memphis, and with the aim probably OF
making the Southern heart warm toward two vol
umo subscription book, The Memphis Appeal has
been given access to the work in advance of North
ern newspapers 1t is q fair conclusion that the ex-
tracts chosen by The Appeal, since they bear upon
some of the leading questions OF the civil war;
are trustworthy samples of the political Tone
and literary quality OF Mr.. Davis's memoirs.
As regards the tone, nobody will be surprised W HI"
that time and tho logic OF events nave only ueep-
ened the disoyal colors Of Mr. Daviss CONVICTIONS
and not faded them out II was hoped. however, at
the North as much il could he at the South, that
the book would prove to be at least entertaining
and throw some light on tho secret history OF the
war; The followinecxtracts offer good basis ior
judging of the literary quality and entertain,ns
character of the book, and the result Is wnoiy a'
appointing. 1t would seem as if Mr.. Davis had
recollected little that o mere compiler might hot
nick up in q few months runlmaging among printed
rscords So far as these extracts go-and they were
selecte6 with view of making the book seli-the
work has little interest except as a museum OF IN
crusted opinions on obsolete political theories, ana
will make very dry and tedious reading. Inc 1oi-
lowing is the authors introduction in full:
duty to my countrymen; to the memory ofthose VINO
died In defence OF consecraed by lnnerl,ance
well a. sustained by conviction and to those who per
haps Fortunate staked all and lost AL save h hue n
dication OF their and conduct For TINS Putpose
have decided present historical sketch OF ,he %
Witch preceded and attended the struggle or the sout
crn states maintain their existence ana thelr -
sovereign communicating creators, not 'ne creae''
b%l. nroll
The social problem Of the Just reaoh he 9g
sonnd SO difficult that human history is record OF un
euccessful efforts TO establish It. Government 10 az NJ
ford the need protection and exercise proper care Ior
the welfure OF people have homogeneity in con
stuents 1t is this necessity which has divided t d
human race into separate nations, and nnay nus us
ecd the grandcst efforts which cOnquerors have inaue
to dive unlimited extent to their domain when our
their connection with Great Britain by
declaring themselves free and Independent stSs IneS
constituted thirteen separate communities ana were we're
careful TO assert and preserve, each for ITSELF is so'
ereignty and jurisdiction. , - 49,. .o,no FOR
At time when the minds OF men are and
well to recnr to the original principles Gu nd tne %
eternal truths which they announced the rights which
they declared unalienable are the fondatlon-stone
He must have been a careless reader OF our political
history who has not observed that whether under inc
atyle Of United Colonies" United states, when
was adopted after the declaration of independence
whether under the articles of Confederation or the com
assertion state sovereignty and nowhere the slightest
suggestion Of any On tne part Vim " asS candid
wellinfOrmed assert that, ut any time between
erS aRS Of he States and them in central
would have had the least possible chance OF
adoption Can any historical fact be more demonsra
Bile than that the states did both in the Confederation
and in the Union, retain their sovereignty and inde
pendence as distinct communities, voluntarily consent
Ing to federation. but never becoming the fractional
parts Of a nation That such opinions should find sd
herents in our day. may be attributable 10 the natura
law of aggregation surely not TO conscientious regard
for the terms of the compact for Union by the states
In all free governments the constitution or organic
law supreme over the Government and In our Federal
and prohibitions against all which WAS beyond the e1-
pressed grants of To the General Government In
the foreground therefore, take the position that those
who resisted violations OF the compact were the true
friends, and those who maintained the usurpation OF m
delegated powers were the real enemies OF the cohstu
TO the parents the widows and the orphans of the Con-
they died for the righta willing sacrifice on the
altar Of their country where their nenorles enshnea
to posterty immortazed by valor IN defence OF home
and marty rdom for liberty. JEFFERSON DAVIS
October 30. 1850.
In his opening chapter Mr.. Davis very properly
takes up the question of Negro Seryitude." He
repeats the so-caled ethical apology for slavery and
credits the Southern States with having been the
first in early times to protest against the extension
of slavery. At the outset he says:
Inasmucb as questions growing out Of the institution
Of negro seTyitude, or connected with H. VIII occupy
eonspcuous place in what Is follow. II IL important
that the reader should have In the very outset right
understanding of the true nature and character 81 those
questions No subject has been generally misun
derstood persistenty misrepresented The in
siitution itself has ceased 10 exit In TIE United states
.hc generation comprising all who took part Ia the
troverses to which II rise or for which afforded
nretext t. passing away and the misconceptions which
have prevailed In our own country and still more among
Foreigners remote the Held of contention. likely
to be perpetuated IN the mind Of pOserty, unless cor
rected before they become erystaIed by tact acqes
It well known that at the time OF the adoption 81
the Federal Constitution African servudc existed IN all
with the single execution Of Massachusetts,, in which 1t
had perhaps very recently ceased 10 exist The slaves
In the Northern states This diversity occasOnod
by differences of climate soil and industrial pursuits.
His principal aim seems To he TO make rivalrics
and conflicts of interests" growing out of deren-
ses of climate. soil, and industrial pursuits" the
.hief causes of the rupture between the North and
South Slavery sort Of side issue He speaks
as follows Of the Missouri Compromise ard the Kan
sas-Nebraska BILL
The Organization Of the Territory of Kansas was the
first question that rise to exciting debate after my
bill had become a Law during the administration Of Mr.
Pierce As this occupies large space In the political
history the period. IL IS proper To state some facts con
neced with H. which not pubic, hut were KNOWN
to ..e and 10 others yet living. ,o-o A.. IT..
The declaration, often repeated in 1850, that climate
and the will of the people concerned should dcernie
their institutions when thCy should FORM eon nd ,ai
legislation by Congress should be permitted To interfere
WAS hut the announcement of the fact firmly cstab
lished IN the Constitution tha Sovereignty IesiIoI
IN the States. and that Congress had only dele gated
IT. G1sn @ e 6rnsnce 81
1857 prohibited Involuntary serviiude In all the North
western Territory, the trainers OF the Constitution must
have recognized such power To exist III the congress o
the United States. Hence the deduction that the pro
hibitcry clause of what "a known "a The Missouri Com
promise justified by the precedent OF the ORDINANCE
Of 1887 TO make the action OF the Congress OF inc Ton
federation precedent for the Congress OF tue Utso
states il TO overlook the great distinction between TIC
two. -,
on Sunday morning. the 22d Of January, 1854, gentle
men OF each committee called at my house, ana DIT
Douglas chairman Of tie Senate Committee, FUZZY ex
pined the proposed BILL and stated their purpose to DC
through aid 10 obtnn an interview on that day VIII
tbs President, 10 ascertain whether the bill would mee
his appreciation. The President known 10 be- rgidJ
opposed 10 the reception of visits Sunday for the dis
ctsson Of any political subject; but in th case u %a