Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-22
JRFFERSoN DAVIS.

| JEFFERSON DAVIS.
HI. Coming Book 'sRise and Fail Of
the Confederate G0vernment."
WHAT IT WILL CoyRR-HIs WORKSHOP At BkAg-
y0IR.
New Orleans Cor. n. Y. Herald
In the center OF the room stands large ia
I BILE. On which Mr.. Davis writes or dictates He
writes great deal himself. but occasionally dc
tates-sl~ays TO q long handed writer Major
w. I. Walthah began with him as secretary.
but Judge Tenney, editor Of ''AppletOns Ency-
clopedia," and General Joe Davis, his nephew,
have been with him for the past year. The
room adjoining the library is simply fur
nished room. In which there Is lounge. On
which MIR. Davis takes an occasional nap. lie
Is very regular and S. stematic. giving ab0u.
! SIX hours day TO actual work He is careful
f. TO the extreme about all that he writes, but
never changes the proofs when they are sent
back TO him, writing In the first place with de-
usual costume being dark trousers aad
long. modest colored dressing gown. he
takes a great deal OF exercise, the ell
on the beach under the orange trees. or
anywhere about the place. In his dressing gown
almost any month In the year-eXcept for the
lsss rev months NJ OF excessively cold weather.
worldly affairs, and he has had for years MOTH
1Bg TO take his attention from his work. There
/ NAVE Uten lew SlS1tOrS al BeAuyOlr StDce Mrs.
Dorsey died, and not many during her lifetime.
occasionally correspondent OF some newspa Ger
crops In; once in q while an excursion train
dumps out a load of people, who scurry out 10
c1tch Slgnt OF their eX president, an fire.
gpently some old general or prominent conied-
crate comes out for q talk on some point, 10 the
discussion OF which he has been invited OF Mr.
! Davis or has bt en- attracted Of himself. Gen.
NJ ATcus Wright, who has charge OF the confed-
crate archives at Washington, has been Ia
almost constant correspondence with Nr.DaviS.
has had thousands OF original documents copied
from the archives and has spent some weeks at
BeauyOir.
AN EAGERLY EXPECTED BOOK.
Ii is impossible TO Over-eStimtte the eagerness
With which the forthcoming book Is looked for
throughout the south. They recognize II as the
first formal and comprehensive defence OF their
cause.-the first general history that has been
S,r1da OF their struggle All other southern
Stephens books are the work OF a doctr,naire
pleading shrewdly. but not broadly. General
Johnston's is the story OF campaign or sc,
told somewhat peeylshly-and so on through
the list
WILL II BE BROAD OK Personal?
| ana very general fear throughout the
south that Mr. Davis viii let his 1ntolerant
spirit get the better OF him, and that what
should be an impartial history will become a
vehicle OF personal opinions and prejudices
lour correspondent talked with Mr.. Davis upon
pleted. In reply to the question as to whether
Or not the book would be personal and agrees
sive, Mr.. Davis laughed and said:
"They say when people get Old they become
spiteful, but think l understand and apprecf-
ate thoroughly the character OF my undertak-
Ing The antagOn1SmS bred Ia the conrede.
rate administration were SO bitter and where
Mr.. Davis was concerned were so personal aud
re lentless, that the book will necessarily pro-
woke many controversy throughout southern
political and military circles Mr.. Davis en-
as he writes the special pleas OF most OF his
antagonists.
THB CHIBP POINTS OF THR WORK,
The TWO most important points OF the work
Will doubtless De fine, became res odjpdicaia
after certain fine morning at Appomattox-
VIII be the discussion OF the peace movements
administration as opposed TO the Ste
phens, Brown and Toombs policy. The first
is vastly the most important point. His
tory Is gradually settling upon the head OF
Mr.. Davis the burden of q war protracted
long after he was assured that success was
impossible. 1t is said that General Lee assured
mt; Darts long before the conclusion OF the
war that inevitable failure awaited the con-
Tolerate arms. Ii Is even said that prior to the
first visit OF Mr.. Blair to Mr.. Davis that Gen.
eral Lee had demonstrated to him the i'm
PROBABILITY OF success, and that the interview
between MI. Davis and MIR. Blair will show this.
MI. Davis sent out his commissioners how
ever. Instructed 10 listen to nothing but the
full recognition OF the Independence OF the coa-
Iederate government The country, north
and south, will look with interest to see now
Or. Davis can clear himself OF the suspicion
that he prolonged for months struggle that
WAS known to be hopeless and that Involved
The useless sacrifice OF a hundred thousand
lives, when honorable terms OF peace and re-
union, as Will be shown, were awaiting his ac-
ceptance. The discussion OF the special policy
OF Mr.. Davis and the determined opposition OF
over hall the statesmen who Were leagued
with him. the incompetent financial system OF
the confederacy, the alleged lacS OF Intelligence
IN the cabinet and congress which DO yalor In
me neid could compensate. ali these Will
demand some very pertinent writing on NJ
DAVIS part ana VIII stir many an ugly fued
AN AGGRESSIVE BOOK.
The book is aggressive In its general tenor
and maintains with ubshaken hrmness all the
points That were put TO the arDitrament of the
sword. Mi. Davis writes concIsely however.
ard manages to consume less than half OF his
nrst volume With the causes OF secession and
his Justification for it. The rest OF the work Is
devoted TO a narrative OF the struggle. with
comment so sparing that II barely throws light
on the motives and purposes OF an administra-
archives. Mr.. Davis is thoroughly satisfied
with his work, and cOnfesseS himself pleased
at the thoroughneSs With which he has been able
TO fix all details and support ali assertion WITH
documentary proof.
EFFORTS TO SECURE rKAcE.
AS TO the history OF the efforts made to secure
peace he says that the facts show that he did
all that an honorable leader Of brave and de-
voted men could do to secure peace. Upon this
point the discussion provoked by MI. Davis
book will develop something new. Upon the
name OF lne DOCK, 'Ine tlSe ana ran or the
Confederate Government" Mr.. Davis was de-
cided, even against the protest OF friends, who
objected that 1t suggested the title OF another
work.
A Race for Life with BlOOdAOunds.
Apropos OF the death OF ''old MountJoy," the
PEDESTRIAN. a correspondent OF London sport
ing newspaper, related story which he heard
from MOuntjoy's own lips. Hearing Lord w.
boast that his bloodhounds would track any
living thing by scent alone, Colonel A. wagered
a hundred guineaS they would not track q man,
and asked MOuntjoy to win the wager for him