Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-02-05
JEPrER SON DAVIS.
His Coming Book'.RIse and Fall of
the Confederate Government.

JEFFERS SON DAVIS.
His Coming Book s'RIse and Fall of
the Confederate government.
New ORLEANS, Jan. Is, 1881.
For the first time since-nsarly
fifteen years ago-hs Wake ed a free
nan out of a federal prison, Mi. JEFF
erson Davis, frat aud last president
II the late Southern Cenfederscy. is
bout to become h center of dis
ussien. With u swiftness aud COM
2lletness hat were almost magical
he imperious aud self-willed leader
OFF the seeding states dropped out
If general attention on the collapse
Cpt his government. For more than
.en years the currents have swept by
Lain carelessly. aud nothing has been
ieard of him except that his name
SpNas here IL there woven Into the
( Irowling piatitudes Of some northern
.ditor, or borne on the huzzas OF
abome occasional southern audience.
Mr.. Davis now comes to b front
Kmitha history of secession aud the
war OF secession-that is.a defense as
fswell ~ q history-aud that being
aggressive as we'll as authoritative
ahnust command very wide attsntion.
In view Of the nature OF the forth
incoming book and its distinguished
character, it becomes interesting to
know something of MI. Davis his
tory for the past decade, the manner
of his research aud writing aud the
stinfuences aud Inspirations under
which he has prepared his defense
ceand Justification OF the most gigantic
civil war Of modern times.
oe 1t may be promised that MI. Davis
retirement has been purely voluntary.
tiAt the close of the war be held the
first place in tho sympathy and af-
ELECTIONS Of his people, just as he bore
! the larger share of northern odium
] and hatred. He could have been a
most potential factor in southern
s-affairs had he minded to enter the
arena, but he seemed to understand
from the first that, being the head
land front of the supreme failure, it
would not become him to expostu-
y'late with the victors or argue ever
the small details Of REIMBURSEMENT.
1.-THE leader of the southern armiss.
afGeneral Lee, seemed to have been
governed by the same sense of dig
Unity, aud no persuasion ever induced
b him to enter actively into public lite
after he surrendered his sword at
n Appomatox. MI. Davis seclusl0n
has been absolute. Without being
inaccessible he has been silent. And
after apolitical revolution that sur
passed III Importance even the war
itself it may be said that to neither
friend nor foe has he offered advice
= or uttered a remembrance. This
. policy of withdrawal on the part of
Mr.. Davis has extended even t. his
o business affairs, and has been sub.
L limated into u sort of abnegation. He
has seen his estates swept away and
n has raised no hand to stay them he
4 has turned away from business OPP
!. portun1ties that were made for his
behoet, and it may be literally said OF
] = him that, until he received it from
the hands OF q woman, he has had no
home. He has alternated betw cen
: Memphis, New Orleans and Missis-
sippi City, living / II dignity.
A PRIVATE SUBSCRIPTION.
tits known 10 his friends that Mr..
Davis has been very poor since 1870.
Seine years ago, l learned upon the
~ very best of authority, it came to the
knowledge Of Governor Colquit.. OF
Georgia, that the eX-president Was iu
e actual need of funds. Governor Col
quit at once quietly consulted Gov.
Hampton and others, and a fund OF
. s. 1000 was raised at once. This waa
ri sent to Mr.. Davis with a letter in
which it was stated that it had been
Al raised solely among his ex-colleagues,
aud in such way that if it were re.
turned it could not find its way to
the original subscribers. Mr.. Davis
replied in q dignified but appreciative
letter, saying that under the circum-
stances he would be compelled IL
retain the amount sent, but that the
subscription must not be repeated OF
! extended as he could consent TO re.
ceive nething more, adding that there
were hundreds of fatherless children
i aud widows who needed it worse
I than he did. In the same spirit Mr.
Davis has declined all testimonials Of
benefits, aud avoided when possible
even public recegnitien. He has At
tended ne convention or meetings
delivered no addresses except a few
casual speeches to crowds that caught
him at hotels, in which he said al
little % possible. He has refused al
offers to lecture, having had repeated
Offers to engage for . season at $500
Alkuts Win 8GCAu ouA uu0ooo1AoOiS
purpose he has preserved his silence
standing alsof from all discussion d
excitement, seeking seclusion in tn,
n Of dignity rather than Of re
treat, holding for years and years
through storm and calm, q igur,
that had once been all fire ant
energy, almost as dumb and motion
n less 90 the monuments that stan(
~ over the men who died under hi
leadership.
MATERIALS FOR HISTORY.
1t must not be supposed that Mr.
Davis has been idle or inactive durin:
his retirement. For more than ter
years he has devoted himself to tn,
celleetion of material for writing hi
history of the confederate govern
Aent. A gentleman who knows bin
intimately said to your correspen
dent
"Ten years ago Mr.. Davis said tt
me that he intended to devote tn
remaining years of his life to thu
writing OTIS detense OF the lost cause
IF God spares me-, be said, i shal
put in the, hautis of the children o
our dead a justification OF the caus
for which their fathers died. HI
- 40 W u al
children of the confede" t dead. Blu
there is little of sentiment in tn,
book. 1t is u colo, clear, logical ap
peal to public judgment"
After MI. Davis had spent years il
the collection OF material fer hi
work he felt the necessity OF bonn
quiet place in which he could con
centrate all his scattered papers an
obtain the seclusion necessary for hi
great task. This was quickly offere
by Mrs. Sarah Dorsey, who had al
ways been q devoted confederate an
an especial friend aud admirer of Nj
Davis. She was then living q
Il Beauyoir, a country sea of consider
able pretensious, about two hour
ride out of New Orleans. While sh
was not of blood kin to Mr.. Davi
the relation been his family aud hel
had always been close, and there ha
been some intermarriage. MIR. Dav
accepted her invitation and was SOC
settled at Beauvoir. where his pape,
shortly followed him.
= MR.. DAVIS AT BEAUvoIR.
If an author, engaged upon VOL
E -