, 1881-06-05
The Rebel Presidents Comments
on the Battles.
criticisms of Confederate Generals
The Two Johnstons.
The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Cold and Clammy.
JeF's Own Version Of His Capture by the
Union Troopers. .'

President Of the Confederate States, will be
issued from the press Of the Appletons ut an
early date. The title of the work is II The
Rise and Fall, Of the Confederate Govern
ment," and will be printed In two handsome
volumes, advance sheets Of which lie before
us.
This book is by odds the most important
contribution to the history Of the War from
the Southern side. Mr.. Davis has resisted
the impulse to meet current assault or mis-
representation with current replication, and
has reserved all his strength for a final and
deliberate effort that should not only serve
as an answer to running assault, but stand as
an appeal to posterity. The book has the
advantage Of coming from an authoritative
source and an Intelligent author before
whom has passed i'll review the opinions OF
nearly every prominent actor on either side
OF the lnte struggle. and to whom the stores
of information gathered in nearly twenty
years Of peace have been opened. Beyond
question the book that is the result of Mr..
Davis work will be accepted as the standard
uf authority for the Southern side Of the
struggle, and the very causes that combine
to make it supreme among the sylnpathizers
with the Rebellion will tend more Or less to
give it weight with the world at large. 1t
Is, therefore, worthy Of the attention of in
teliigcnt people everywhere, and review Of
ing.
Mr.. Davis is aggressive in the assertion OF
the righteousness OF the principles for which
the Southern people fought. Utterly re-
eardless Of the arbitrament made ny the
sword ut Apponlattox or of the march Of
events since then lie defends secession, not
only rs right, but as the cornerstone of
the only possible constitutional Union, a1Nl
vindicates every position taken by the South
ern leaders before the War.
AN ANECD0TE OF CLAY.
An interesting anecdote of the author and
Mr.. Clay. Illustrating the uneasiness Of
chapter On slavery:
pending. nnd tho excitement concerning them
was at its hsghcss. one day overlook MIR. Clay,
cf Kentucky, and Sir; II ,Derrien, Of Georgia, in
rersarion. It was the 7th of Nurch.-thc eiuy on
which MIR. Webster had delivered his great
np manner which he had always employed since I
w'ns schootboy in Lexington: asked me what
thought OF the speech liked It better than he
compromise men,, saying that 1t was measure
which he thought would probably Klro peace to
the country for thirty years,-the period that
mise Of 1&0. Then, turning, to Mr. Hcrriet,: he
said. Is You and will be under GROUND before
clared M unwIilmgness to transfer to postcrIty
q 1rial which they woul1 be relatively less able
To meet than we were. and passed on my Wny.
LIScoLN's ELECTION.
Mr.. Davis seems to have appreciated the
Significance of the election of 1860, nnd to
have felt assured that 1t Mr.. Lincoln was
elected secession was the only remedy. lie
made efforts to secure, even after the cam
pa1gn had opened, compromise by which
the friends Of the Constitution might be raj
lied on one candidate Mr.. Douglas was re-
sponslble, according to 1Ir. Davis, for the
fnilure' Of this plan, which "would have
ayerted the catastrophe that followed" To
quote defnitly, he says: -......
Mr. Bell the Wing candidate. was highly re-
spectacle and experienced statesman. who mud
filled many Important Offices, both State ana
Federal He was not ambitious to tho extent of
coveting the Presidency, and he wis profoundly
Impressed BY the danger which threatened fhc
country. Mr.. Drecktnrsdge bad mn an1'cipaten.
and it NAV safely be said did not caEe1ly
desire, the Nomination. He was young enonEh
to wait. and patriotic. enough to oc willing
os to do so h,s + the puGs sa @hy 81
of both those rentlcmeh, for each Of them
authorized me 10 say that he was willing to
by WHICH the divided forces Of the friends Of
the Constitution could 6c concentrated upon
some one more generally hcccPtublo tnah elther s
country. When made this announcement 70
Nr. Douplas-with whom my relations had al
ways been such as to authorize tno assurance nc,
friendly epirit-he replied that the scheme pro-
posed wns i1npracticable, bcca,1se his trlends,
drawn. would join in the support Of Mr.. Lincoln
rather than of any one that saould snpp!hnt
him Douglast; thar ho was n the nanas o. ts aas
friends aud WIS sure they Wou1o not Aceepe eao
proposition.
ErIMAcY WITH BUCHANAN.
Mr.. Davis relations were very Intimate
with MI Buchanan, and lie was sent Tor JUST
prior to the sending in OF the message for Inc
Congress Of 1861 Touching this visit lie says:
On arrival Mt washington found, as had been
anticipated, thnt my presence there was oesltcu
posed might exercise with the Prosident tMr.
Hnchananj in relation TO bis forthcoming
essage to Congress On paypEE pnt e. @ h n{shed
the rough draft Of his message, but tnaL i M Mas
stili open to revision and amendment: ana tnat
he would Hike to road II to me- u so, ,i,s,
suggested. The messagc WIS, however alter-
ward somewhat cha ngcd, and, with great asier s
eNec to the wisd0ln and statostnausn.p o. ~ ~
author must say thnt, in my Judgment, INC
last alterations were untortunntc-su mucn go
that, when It was road in tie Senate, was re-
4%etantly 't 70 oceao s and political
which had long existed tRtwecn Mr. ,.,,,.l
and myself. had led him, occasionaly. W. durias .
him on '1 Subjects that caused him anxiety, ana
warrantad mo Ia sometimes calling upon MN ~
offer nv opinion on matters Of spccial fnfcrcs1
or im,,ortuucc. Thus 1t wns that nad con-
muoicated with him freely In rcgaru 70 tne
threatenfn9 aspect Of events ln the earlier parI
or tha winter Of 1860 81. When he told me Or
the work that lad been done or was dong m !1e ae
Fort Moultrlc.-that. Is, the clexauen , ua ~ ~
parapet by crowning 1t with barrels "; sau, t.,,
pointed out to him the ftnpocy as wen as lleln i
cheney OF the measure. 1t seemed toIne Iri,u.
Itic to nuke ostensible preparations fos aelense
when no attack Was threatened, anu tae ucaus s
adopted were inefficient because any o!oluac5
field piece would knock the barrels ou eae puso ~.
apet and thus render them only nurtlul ~ ene
defenders. He inquired whether the expco'e,he ~.
had not been successful ut Fort Brown. on 1ae
Rio Grande, in the beginning OF tne hc4tcau H:snt
wnt, and was answered that the nttaoK at W roat
Brown had been made with small arms OF AZ sfsat
distance. +, . ~.
After the removal of the. garrison to the
Stronger and safer position OF Fort toHmtet, - =
called upon him. again 70 reprcsenlsjl sum ~
knowledge Of thepeople and the cifonmssrSf a,Sf ~
OF the case, how productive th1 Ios ~ ~ e.Ieni ini
would be Of discomfort, and now lKtls ~ ~ fha III
20 collision One Of the vexcd qucsuous " " sto s
cay was, By what authority. the ColleCtot " ano
poft should lo appointed. mud the Fumof VAS "ns'
toat Instructions had been given 10 tne culn
mandin: officer at Fort Sumter uof 70 ailoM W. ~,
sels 10 Pass, unless under clearance 1tom aan sne
United States Collector. 1t Was easy 10 u1iae1-
stand that, If vessel were fred upon nnGeo eso
sucn circumstances. 1t would be accepLe4 ~ 'ho 10
pee1411nE Of hostities,-a result v men uotn =.
al