Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-02-19
Ex-PREsEDENT DAVIS
Points os His Coming Book, the
ssEkise and Fall of fhe Com
Federate Government.''
New YORK Herald.


Points Of His Coming Book, th,
ssEkise and Fall of the Com
Federate Government-''
New York Herald.
. For the first time since-nearlS !
fifteen years ags-he walked a fres
imam nut of fedora! prison Mr.
Jefferson Da Wis, first and last presi
/ dent of the late Southern Confeder.
acy, is about to become the centre
OF discussion. With swiftness
that we're almost magical the impe.
rious and self wilied leader of the
seeding states dropped out of gen.
i eneral attention on the collapse OF
his government. For more than
ten years the currents have swept
by him earelessly, and nothing, has
/ been heard of him oxcent that his
name was here and there woven
into the growing paiatitudes of
some northern editor, or southern
audience. Mr.. Davis now comes
TO the front with a history of seces-
sion-that is, a defence as well as a
history-and that being aggressive
as well as authoritative must COM
mand very wide attention. In view
of the nature of the forthcoming
book and sits distinguished charac-
fer, it becomes interesting to know
something of Mr.. Davsis' history
for the past decade, the manner of
his research and writing, the infiu-
ences and inspirations under which
he has prepared his defense and
Justification t,f the most gigantic
civil war of modern times.
A PRIvATE SUBSCRIPTION.
1t is known to mis- friends that
Mr.. Davis has been very poor since
1870. Some years ago, learn upon.
the very best authority, it came to
the knowledge of Colquitt, of Ger
gia, that the ex-president was in ac-
tual need of funds. Gov. C0lquitt
at once quietly consulted Governor
Hampton and others, and fund of
$4 900 was raised at once. This was
sent to Mr.. Davis with a letter in
which it was stated that it had been
raised solely among his ex-col-
leagues, and such q way that il ii
were returned it could not find its
way to the original subscribers.
Mr.. Davis replied in a dignitied but
appreciative letter, saying that un-
der the circumstances he would be
compelled to retain the amount
sent, but that the subscription must
not be repeated nor extended as he
could consent to receive nothing
more, adding that there were hum |
dreds of fatherless children and
widows who needed it worse than
he did. In the same spirit Mr.. Da-
Wis has declined all testimonials or
benefits, and avoided when possible
even public recognition. He has
attended no convention or meet
ings, delivered no addresses except !
a few casual speeches TO crowds that
caught him at hotels, in which he
said as little as possible. He has
refused all offers to lecture, having
had repeated offers to engage for |
season at $500 a night. With stern |
and unassailable purpose he has pre- |
served his silence, standing aloof !
from all discussion or excitement,
seeking seeIusion in the sense of |
dignity rather than a retreat, hold |
ing for years and years, through \
storm and calm, a figure that had
once been all fire and energy, all
ways as dumb and motionless as
the monuments that stand over the
men who died under his leadership.
MATERIALS FOR HISTORY.
1t must not be supposed that Mr..
Davis has been idle or Inactive du-
ring his retirement. For lnorefhan
ten years he has devoted himself to
the collection of material for writ
ing his history of the Confederate
A gentleman who
knows him intimately said to your
correspondent:
'sTen years ago Mr.. Davis said to
me that he intended to devote the
years of his life to the
writing of defense of the ''lost
If God spares me- he said
i shall put in the hands of the
children of our dead a Justification
of the cause for which their fathers
died. His work is dedicated to the
and children Of the Confed-
crate dead. But there is little of
in the book. 1t is cold,
clear, logical appeal to public judg- ,
ment."
After Mr.. Davis'had spent years
In the collection O material for this
work he felt the necessity of some
Iuiet place in Wlich he could con
all his scattered papers and
obtain the secktsion necessary for ,
MS great task This was quickly j
offered ny Ms. Sarah Dorsey, who !
had always been devoted confed- {
crate and an special friend and adj T
nirer of Mr.. Davis. She was then /
living at BsauYOir, a country seat q
If considerable professions, about d
wo hours ride out of New Orleans. /
While shewas not of blood kin to !
Mr.. DaVD the relations between /
his family and hers had always !
been closa, and there had been some (
Mr.. Davis accept +
ID her Invitation and was som set n
led at Beauvnir, where his papers \
hortly followed him. i
sfR. DAVIS AT BEUVoIR. h
Ifin author, engaged upon work l
hatrequired reflection and study, .
wee to try the world over he could =
lot get a place better suited to his y
Reds than BeauVoir. 1t stands /,
Neral miles off the railroad on the =
lore of the Gulf, and is surrounded Y
18th the dismantled wrecks of man ,
ons that were formerly the sum- = =
ier homes of the wealthy people of v
ew Orleans. The rooms in which y
[r. Davis wrote his history of the :.
ar are neatly and comfortably =
Finished. The front room, en- =
FAd from a low piazza, is the libra
2. 1t is filed to the ceiling with
,oks and papers, all bearing on the
ar. There is rough ladder plat S
rm by which the upper shelves al
ay be reached. Mr.. Davis is quite "
'oud of his library, which, he says, N
probably the completest collection fe
books bearing on the war, its fo
uses and its conduct now in exist m
ice. Your correspondent noticed is
! the shelves such light and gos- al
py books as ''Four Years in the fr
lddle, Surrey of Eagles Nest" OF
G., and accepted them as evidence cr
the care with which the distin- A
Iished author had gathered every g,
Ilume that could fix an incident or al
dicate a sentiment. Over the PLAIN m
OGDEN mantel is large steel en- p
aving, the only decoration in the M
ON. Y
HOW HE WORKS. ne
In the center of the room stands a 70 p