Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-02-02
JEFFERSON DAVIS HISTORY
OF THE WAR.
A Work Likely 10 Create a Pro-
found Sensation Nearly
Ready.
Now York Herald.l

New York Herald.l
A Heraldrepresentative visited the
publishing house of the Appletons on
yesterday for the purpose Of getting
whatever was new concerning the
forthcoming history of the late war by
Jefferson Davis, now in the presses at
that house. He found at q desk in the
front of the building Mr.. J.C. Derbyr,
who has more direct charge Of this
book, possibly, than any n 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 | feel justified in
saying that it will be ready in ninety
days. | have now the sheets of half
the first volume in my desk here. |
l have Just received a letter from
Judge Tenny, who was sent down by
the house TO assist Mr.. Davis in writ
ing, in which he SAYS that he will for
ward inside Of ten days from the date
Of writing half of the manuscript for
the second volume, which is now ready,
and is withheld simply that Mr..
Davis may make a correction in one
of the chapters. He adds that Che
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 it.
He writes that everything is now
ready for the pushing forward OF the
work and that the manuscript, vir-
tually prepared to the last cnapter,
will come forward at once.
when was the contract with Mr..
Davis for this work closed?"
About five years ago. Mr.. Davis
has proceeded in the preparation of
this history with the utmost delibera-
ton. He has taken nothing for
granted, but has examined into the
smallest details and silted the records.
He was ambitious, too, to give the
work such scope as to make it compre
hensive as we'll as thorough. His labor,
therefore, has been immense. Still
he would have been ready long ago if
he had been provided with prompt
and skiliful writers who could have
kept up with his dictation. He die
tates SLOWLY, deliberately, and will
have no shorthand writer. Since
Judge Tenny was sent out to him,
nearly a year ago, the work has gone
right ahead"
HAS the name Of the book been
agreed on vet?
Eyes. 1t will be called THE Rise
and Fall of the Confederate Govern.
ment.' The name first determined on
was The History Of the War for In
dependence Its Causes and Results.
You will see the title runs through the
proof-sheets here"
AND by the way" he said as he
leaned forward TO get the bundle of
proofs from the drawer, you are the
first journalist who has ever had a
glimpse of these proofs. And it is a
coincidence that this history and Ban
croft's history of the Times of Wash
ington' are being published simulta-
neously, and" holding up a batch Of
the Bancroft proof, that the title of
the first chapter of Bancrolts is head
ed The Confederacy, meaning, of
course, the first confederation Of the
colonies. All, here are the Davis
proofs"
With this he held up a bundle Of
sheets handsomely printed on heavy
paper, much the same style as, but
clearer and heavier than "Sherman's
Memoirs" The introduction" to
the book was short, covering nearly
the first page and half the next, and
it could be seer in the glance that the
reporter got that the dedication was
contained in the introduction. The
title Of the book, which, of course,
will be changed on the present proof
sheets, runs across the top Of every
page. .
in what shape and at what price
will the book be publishod2"
ut will be issued in two volumes,
about the size of 'Appleton's Ency-
clopedia, and will be sold for five dol
lars a volume. 1t will besold entirely
by subscription. There is already a
large demand, one nan in Missouri
having already ordered five thousand
copies. While, of course, the heaviest
demand is from the south, we find a
large demand throughout the north,
and shall be much disappointed III the
sales do not reach one hundred thou
sand 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 ex.
pense has been spared to make this
book worthy Of the reputation that it
must haYe2"
"The terms upon which Mr.. Davis
wrote the book are liberal?"
st is sufficient to say that be will
receive enough from the early sales to
make him independent and easy for
the rest Of his life. But the chief re-
ward be will have will be the con-
seriousness of having PERFORMED a duty
that has weighed upon him since the
failure Of the cause he represented.
He determined, shortly afCer the col
lapse Of his government, to devote
the remainder Of his life to the prepar-
alton of a full and comprehensive his.
tory Of the struggle Of the southern
people, and Of the causes which led
to it."
Have you seen him since the COM
pletion Of the work."
Eyes, | spent several days with him
at Beauvoir last January when his
labor was mainly over. l never saw
a man hat SO sincerely rejoiced in his
work. He said that he had made a
history that would stand all the tests
0 ftime, and that he had put in perma-
nent record a defense of his people
that would command the verdict of
noeferifv He qeamad IN fool ae n