The Russellville Democrat., 1881-02-17
DAVIS HISTORY OF THE WAR
A Work Likely to Create Profound Sen sation Nearly Ready.
 

l terday, for the purpose of getting what ever was new concerningthe forthcoming | history of the late war by Mir. Jefferson Davis, now in the presses of that house. l He found at a desk in the front of the | building Mr. J. c. Derby, who has more | direct charge of this book than any one | connected with the firm. In response to an inquiry as to when the book would be 1 out he replied:
 "Well, the Appletons do not like to 1 make promises, but l feel justified in saying that it will be ready inside of ninety days. l have now the proof sheets of half the first volume in my desk here. have just received a letter from Judge Penney, who was sent | down by the house to assist MT. Davis with the writing in which he says that he will forward inside of ten days from the date of writing, half the manuscript for the second volume, which is now ready, and is withheld simply that Mir Davis may make slight correction in one of the chapters He adds that the | printers may be put to work on it at once as the last half of the second vol tune is about ready and will be here be- fore the printers will need it. He writes that everything is now ready for the pushing forward of the work, and that the manuscript, virtually prepared to the last chapter, will come forward at once"
 l When was the contract with Mir. Davis l for this work closed?"
 | About five years ago. Mir. Davis has l proceeded in the preparation of this his- | tory with the utmost deliberation. He has taken nothing for granted, but has examined into the smallest details nd sifted the records. He was ambitious, | too, to give the work such scope as to make 1t comprehensible as well as thor | ough. His labor has, therefore, been | immense. Still he would have been ready long ago if he had been provided | with prompt, and skillful writers who | He dictates slowly, deliberately, and will have no shorthand writer. Since | Judge Penney was sent out to him near ly year age the work has gone right ahead"
 Has the name of the book been agreed on yet?"
 "Yes. l. will be called The Rise and l Fall of the Confederate Government | The name first determined on was The | History of the Confederate War for h. | dependence: It's Causes and Results | You will see that title runs on the proof sheets here."
 And by the way" he said as he leaned | forward to get the bundle of sheets from his drawer, 'you are the first journalist | that has ever had aglimpse ofthese proofs. And it is coincidence that this history and Bancrofts history of the Times of Washington are being published simul- l taneously, and" holding up batch of the Bancroft proofs "that the little of the first chapter of Bancroft's is headed The Confectionery meaning of course the | first confederation of the colonies. "Ah, | here are the Davis proofs"
 | With this he held up bundle ofsheets handsomely printed on heavy paper, in much the same style as, but clearer and | heavier than, "Sherman's Memoirs" The | introduction" to the book was short | covering nearly the first page and half the next, and it could be seen in the glance that the reporter got that the dedication was containedi in the introduction. The title ofthe book-which ofcourse will be changed on the present proof-sheets- runs across the top of every page.
 "In what shape and at what price will the book be published?"
 "In will be issued in two volumes, about the size of 'Appletons' Encyclope- dia,' and, will be sold for S5 volume It will be sold entirely by subscription. There is already large demand, one man in Missouri having already ordered 5000 copies. While of course the heaviest l demand is from the South, we find very large demand throughout the North, and shall be disappointed 1.-the sales do not reach 100000 copies. The sales of | Stewards Journey Around the World went up to that point and the demand for this is as promising as that was. No expense has been spared to make this book worthy of the reputation it must have"
 'The terms upon which Mir. Davis wrote the book are liberal ?"
 ''It is sufficient to say he will receive enough from the early sales to make him independent and easy for the rest of his life. But the chief reward that he will have will be the consciousness of having performed duty that has weighed upon him ever since the failure of the cause that he represented. He determined shortly after the collapse of his govern ment, to devote the remainder of his life to the preparation of full and compre- hensive history of the struggle of the Southern people and the causes that led to it."
 Have you seen him since the comple- ton of the workP"
 "Yes, Ispent several days with him at Beauyoir last January, when his labor was mainly over l never saw a man that so sincerely rejoiced in bis work. He said that he had made an history that would stand all the tests of time and criticism, because it was true, and that he had put in permanent record de- fence of his people that would command the verdict of posterity. He seemed to feel as a man who has had sacred duty weighing upon him as burden and who had at last honorably lifted it from his shoulders. He gave five years of almost unceasing labor to the work, Night and day during the most of that time he has been in the secluslon of Beauvoir, in his little study, careless of the hustle and worry of the outside world, at his self appointed task"
 The first volume of the work is almost entirely taken up with a constitutional discussion of the causes that led to the war. Both volumes will be illustrated with portraits of the prominent men who figured on the confederate side. The work is dedicated to the widows and orphans of the men who died for the cause. The introduction afiirms briefly
 the confederated character of Union and
 the necessity of separate sovereignties
 under general direction,