Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-02-24
THE Lost CAUSE.
An Interesting Abstract Of tsr. JEFF
ferson Davis Forthcoming History
Of the War ana Its Causes.

ferson Davis Forthcoming History
Of the War ana Its Causes.
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 Government" !"
which is sent to it by its New York cor
respondent, who has a reputation for
accuracy and guarantees the sketch as far
as 1t goes. The work is to be issued in
two volumes of the size of the American
Cyclopedia by D. Appleton Il Co.
The Illustrations will include "a steel
portraits of Confederate chieftains,
two groups of portraits of men,
bers of Mr.. Davis first and second
cabinets, nnothri group showing the nine
aides-de cn;ip who promulgated the orders
which 10 gave as commander-in chief of
the Confederate forces, and two epgrsv-
ingS OF Mo Davis, one representing him
at the age of 32, soon after he had
Settled - Mississippi to the quiet life of a
cotton pl.pter, fresh from the Blackhawk
WAY; size other is taken from the portrait
by Maeshsil, painted in 1870, when Mr..
DAVIS was 62 years of age. Time has
dealt gently with him in the years of his
retirement, and il is said he has changed
but very little since he SAT for Msrshall's
portrait. MIR. Davis introduction is q
short one, covering not quite two pages.
In 1t he makes very clear, concise and
foroible statament of the political prinoi-
pies which it is one of the main purposes
of his history TO defend and Justify. He
dedicates his work to tho widows and
orphans of the Confederate dead. In
opening the work he treats of the early
lgUillpfInn tha pttI,fupt nf ola IL
acquits the South for all responsibility for
The existence in its midst of tie peculiar
institution. All through the work he
treats of slavery not ss the cause of the war,
but only as an incident of the secession
movement. The paramount question, he
declares, was equality in the territories,
and to the inability of the South to main
tain its equal rights in the territories and
the new-made states of tine Union he
traces the conflict which intensified until
it burst into open war. While upon this
subject be speaks in coudemustory terms
of the Missouri compromise, which he re-
CARDS ~ surrender OF rights which
belonged to the South, and which it
should have maintained. But after il was
adopted he believed 1t should have been
adhered to, and he arraigns the North
and the Federal government for the failure
OF the compromise, which was practically
repealed by the bills organizing the terri
tories of Kansas and Nebraska in 1859.
In his history of the slavery struggles he
has occasion to treat quite fully of the
administration Of Franklin Pierce, under
whom he was Secretary of War. He is
the sincere friend of Pierce and the
moderate eulogist of his sdminis-
trs.ion. He comedies To that gen.
tleman higher and more admirable
qualities rs man aud publicist than are
enumerated III the references which most
cotemporanaous historians make to him
This part of his work will probably be re-
garded as among the most noteworthy in
the history, for MIR. Davis distinctly OPP
poses 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
the people Of the territories should have
been free in their political action, and
when they came to form their state con.
stitutions and ask admission into the
Union they should exe rcise their right and
adopt or reject slavery. He regards the
repeal of the Missouri compromise AZ re-
opening the question of slavery in the
territories, and as precipitating a conflict
between the opposing partiea, which was
encouraged by the aboli,ionists of the
North, AID which finally compelled the
S0nth iu self defense to take decided
stand, He holds the violent abnlitionists
largely responsible for the iiual breach Of
peace. Having devoted half of the first
volume TO an exposition of the causes
which led the South to desire separation
from the Fod raj government MIR. Davis
proceeds III several chapters to defend the
right OF secession, In the justification of
this right he quotes largely from Webster,
Caiboun Douglas, Greeley, Seward. Ben
ton and Clay. In maintaining that the
compact between the States was of the
nature of Il confederation, he draws largely
for the basis Of his argument upon the
debates in the constitutional convention Of
1888, aud fortiiits himself with extracts
from Story On the Constitution, "Eiliotts
Debates" and Bancroft's HiBtory" He
fers to the memorable debate on the
purchase Of Louisiana, when Josiah
Quincy, OF Massachusetts,, asserted in
tle House at Repre- seutaiives that that nct
virtually dissolved the Union, so that the
stgies were freed from their obligations,
ard should prepare for pesoeabIe or
forcible separation He gives the history
Of the adoption of tho tenth amendment tn
the Constitution, by which 1t was provided
that ''the powers not granted to The
UnitGd States by the Constitution. nor
prohibited 10y it TO the states, arc reserved
TO the sistos respectively or 10 tine people"
HA virdicates the right OF secession RS
p'Iftctiy compatible with the Conslitu-
ton, sod claims. besides, that the general
government has no Eightful power to pre-
vent il. Fhe question, he maintains. PESTS
with the people, from whom all power Is
derived,
Arriving in the latter part OF the frst
volume nj tho period whcn hostlities COM
menced the narrative makes rapid pro-
gress How one gtlte after another fol.
lowed South Carolina out OF the Union is
briefly sketch,d, The author refers to the
Ncrthers protests against coercion, in
w1ci' connection tho name Of Mr..
Gret ley figures prominently He main
tHirs that the SDuih did everything ia its
poEer 10 20 ou' of the Union psaceAhly
md quietly lie 'lkes ffitudiirr view
Ut Lincoln Al the hegiunine of his admin
is'cstiDu than that uf his coufrerea IN the
Federal government. He speaks of
L'ncoln's Inaugural address, and says that
Mir Lircgln did MT so tsr violate the ira
di'ions Of bis cpuntry as to defend eoer.
ciOn. These ,xtfAc;s from 5ir Liucou'a
iuuogGral led the South 20 hope that the
seuato'i0h would be brought abDu; in
pt art full manner He paws It tribute TO
tn4 manly conduct ~ Major Anderson at
Firt Sumpler but condemns the action of
our government in undertaking to supply
| Furts sumDfer and p;njfrnS with uroVi
siuns and ammunition as gruss breach OF
faith. Ha accuses s ward AID others of
bad faith in representing that no hOslils
intention was involved iu the succor which
waa sent to the gsrIisoIs of the forts
whereas the reel design YVES to enable tbs
troops 10 hold out against the demands Of
the South for the restoration Of its
property. He characterizes the act IF the
Lincoln administration il sending ammu
niSion to Fort Sumpter as an act Of fraud
and pre- yarica.inn. Defending them and
still justiiyre the right Of the South TO
withdraw from the Uniou AID form c
gov II II. at Of il, owa, te lays The respor-
s,ti!iiy ior All the biaoi shed upou the
Moth he spe'ks al LET 9Th of the journey
Of the psdce CON miSsioners WHO
wore seut by the Oonfederatr
government from Montgomery, then it's
capital to Washington, to negotiate for Il
peaceful ii justment of the question at
issue. Hs severely criticigea the conduct
of Secretary Seward and his colleagues
during those deliberations, and asserts
that ihe overtures of the South were not
met in frank and candid spirit. 1t is
impossible TO give, at this early day, even
a general view of the concluding portion