The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1881-01-07


embittered against the nation and
the world greatly misjudge him.
Nor heis the broken invalid that
he Is generally regarded.
DAVIS IN CONVERSATION.
His yet abundant locks aud full
beard are deeply silvered, aud his
face and frame are spare as they
always have bsen, but his step il
elastic aud steady, and the hard
lines OF his brow which are 80 con-
spicuous in his pictures, are at once
effaced when he enters iuto conver-
sation. Instead of 'impressiag the
visitor as a political rpcluse who
has no interest in the land to
whose citizenship he will live aud
die a stranger, he at once invites
the freedom of the planters home
by chatting without reserve, save
when his contemporaries are likely
to be criticised, when he adroitly
aud pleasantly turns the discussion
into iuonensive channels. He is
yet the same positive man in all
bis convictions aud purposes that
made him the leader Of causeless
rebellion. He well understands
that he cast the die for empire or
for failure that must make him
alien to the country aud the world,
and that he lost; and he knows
that he is to day tue most power.
less OF all men in the land to re-
trieve the fortunes of those who
followed him to bereavement aud
sacrifice. He reads Alright the in.
exorablc judgment that makes him
execrated for the Confederacy,
while his equally guilty subor,li.
mates have been welcomed to the
fattcd calf. His vice.president
who followed the slave empire altar
oil when doubt and darkness gath.
cred about it, made haste to scram
BILE over tue ruins OF the Confed.
eracy and rcgained the seat IN
Washington FROM which he seeded
with Davis to aid in guiding re-
bellion. Two OF his noted war.
riOrs have sat in republican cabi-
nets; Lees ablest lieutenant is the
republican minister to Turkey /;
the man who marched the first reg
iment of volunteers to Charleston
and who served us Confederate
senator until AppomattoS became
historic, died as the republican,
minister to Russia, aud senate,
house aud the Washington depart
ments swarm with men who were
abreast with Jefferson Davis In
every effort to dismember tho re-
public, but Davis is the embodi-
ment OF humiliation while his fel-
lows 60 in aud out without dis.
pleasure. | heard no allusiOn to
or complaint OF this injustice, but
it is plaiuly evident that Davis Ell.
tirely appreciates it and that he
believes he would not he consistent
with bimselt aud the grave respon.
sibilities he assumed, however mis-
taken he may have been assuming
them, ii he did not deliberately re-
main an alien to the government
that he more conspicuously than
all others struggled to overthrow.
He could not help the South or
himself by seeking or accepting
restoration to citizenship, and be
is wisely content with stubborn
faith in the rectitude ol his lost
cause.
SOME "REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR
l have long desired to know the
exact truth from the fountain oI
Southern knowledge OH the subject
| In regard to several important
events OF tue war, and | was agree
ably surprised at the free,loIn with
which Mr.. DAVIS met my inquiries
Why Beauregard was ordered t.
fire upon Anderson in Fort Sumter
after his surrender was inevitable
at a specified time without assault
ing the flag, has never been entire
ly understood. 1t was the act ol
madness, as it made division In The
North impossible, and | have al
ways believed that tue real calls,
OF the order to open fre was Il
unity the South aud end the threat
ening movements for Ieuuiou OF
terms. Mr.. Davisanswered prompt
" aud empbatieally that the ordcl
was given solely because faith ha.
been broken by the Lincoln adDil
istration in attempting to reinforc,
Anderson, and that the South need
ed no war to solidity it's people.
thmk Ee errs in Understanding
tue probable power of the move
ment in the South for reconstruc
ton before the war, but 1t Is evi
dent that in deciding to issue thu
fatal order for tho assault upol
| | Sumter, he believed the Confedera
cy invincible and dcnautly resentet
what he regarded as a violation Q
tho pletl "a Of the Federal govern