Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-03-12
TEE LOSE CAUSE.
AN INTERESTING ABSTEACroF MIR JEFFER
SON DAVIss FORTHCOMING HISTORY.

SON UAvIss FORTHCOMING HISTORY.
The Chicago Times has just printed
what purports to be an abstract Of the
book by jefferson Davis, The Rise
and Fall OF the Confederate Govern
ment, which is sent to it 10y its New
York correspondent, who has a reputa-
ZION for accuracy and guarantees the
sketch as far SO it goes. The work is
to be issued in two volumes of the size
OF the American Cyclopcd;a by ID. Ap-
plcton u Go. The illustrations Will in-
clude tweuty-tour steel portraits Of Con
tcdcrate chIe!tuins, two groups OF por-
traits of members of Mr.. Davis's first
and second cabinets, another group
showing the nine aides.de camp who
promulgated the orders which he gave
Us commander in-chict Of the Coniedcr-
ate forces, and two engraylngs OF Mr..
Davis, one representing hun at the age
Of 81, soon after he had settled in Miss
issippi to the quiet life of cotton plant
er fresh from the Blackhawk war; the
other is taken from theporlrait by Mar
shall, painted in 1870, when Mr.. Davis
was 81 years Of age. Time has dealt
gently with him in the years OF his re
tremcnt, and it is said he has changed
but very little since he sat for Marshall's
portrait Mr.. Dayis's introduction is
short one, covering not quite two pages.
In it he makes very clear, concise aud
forcble statement OF The political prir
ciple which it Is one of the IN il pur-
poses Of his history to defend aud jus
tity. he dedicaies his WORK to the Wild
ows and orphans OF the Confederate
dead. In opening the work he treats
Of the early legislation on the subject
of slavery. He acquts the South OF
all responsibility for the existence in IL
midst of the peculiar institution. All
through the work he treats Of slavery,
not as the cause of the war, but only AZ
an incident of the secession movement.
The paramount question, he declares,
was equality in the Territories, and 10
the inability of the South to maintain
It's equal rights in the Territories and
the new made States Of the Union he
traces the conflict which intensified un-
Ill II burst into open war. While upon
this subject he speaks in condemnatory
terms Of the Missouri compromise,
which he regards as a surrender ofrigh:s
which belonged to the South, and which
it should have maintained. Bot after
it was adopted he believed it should
have been adhered to, and he arraigns
the North aud the federal government
tor the failure OF the compromise,
which was practically repealed by the
bills organizing the Territories Of Kan
sas and Nebraska in 1859. 10 his his
tory of the slavery struggles he has &C
casion 10 treat quite fully OF the admin
istration Of Franklin Pierce, under whom
be was Secretary Of War. He is the
sincere friend Of Pierce and the moder-
ate culogist Of his administration. lie
comedies to that gentleman higher and
more admirable qualities as man and
pubicist than are enumerated ia the
references which most contemparsneous
historians make 10 him. This part Of
bis work viii probably be regarded az
among the most noteworthy iu the his
tory, for Mr Davis distinctly opposes
the favorable notion of Douglas and
many others OF the leading democrats
Of that time. summed up in the doctrine
OF "squatter' or popular sovereignty,
that the people of the Territories should
have been tree in their political action,
aud when they came TO form their State
constitutions and ask admission into the
Unien they shonld exercise their right
ard adopt or reject slavery. lie regards
the repeal Of tie Missouri compromise
as reopening the question Of slavery in
the Territories, and as precipitating a
conflict between the opposing parties,
which wss encouraged by the abolition
isis of the North, and which finally com
PEELED the South in selfdefense 10 take
a decided stand. He holds the violent
sbolitiOnists largely responsible for the
final breach Of peace
Having devoted half of the FIRST vol
ume to- an exposition of the causes
which led the South 10 desire a sepsra-
tion from the federal government, Mr.
Davis proceeds in several chapters 20
defend the right of secession. In the
justification of this right be quotes large
ly from Webster, Calhoun, Douglas,
Greeley, Seward, Benton and Clay. In
maintaining that the compact between
the States was of the nature Of q confed-
Grafton, he draws largely for the basis