Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-06-25

ana Oh very common article OF
dirt at that. AS long as Grant
kept his mouth shut the imagina-
ton was left to chisel the features Of
his character and to shape the pro-
portions of his renown. But when
he talks, and thus essays the task of
defining himself, the gold degeDer-
ates into brass and the marble melts
into mud.
In recent interview, the great
hero and statesman, as his friends
delight to call him, among other
very unbecoming things, is reported
as having said that JEFF. Davis was
always a great coward. There is
nothing in the antecedents or the
record of Mr.. Davis that would
warrant the inflated son OF old Jes-
sic Grant in speaking of him in
such terms, to say nothing of con-
siderations of decency and proprie-
ty, which should always temper
and restrain the utteranees of one
historic character in reference TO
another.
1t has fallen to the lot of Davis
and Grant, during their eventful
lives and public services, to occupy
several not dissimiIar positions.
They were both graduates of
West Point, and both were officers
in the regular army of the United
States. While Mr.. Davis held his
commission in the army he never
disgraced the sword he wore, or
proved unworthy of the service.
He was not forced TO resign on ac-
count of drunkenness. Can the
puissantson of Jessie say the same?
Both have, during their careers,
been charged with the high and
solemn responsibility of command
ing troops on fields where the
lives Of their soldiers depended i'm a
great measure upon the skill and
valor of their commanders. While
clothed with this sacred trust, on
the perilous edge of battle, JefTer-
son Davis was never so unmindful
of the brave men under his COM
mand, and of what he owed TO
them, and the cause in which they
were engaged, as to be found drunk
and incapable of discharging his
duty. Can his bloated calumniator
say as much? During a trial in the
Circuit court, at this place, some
years since, it became material to
enquire into the demeanOr of the
Federal army prior to their arrival
in GAINESVILLE. a truthful and re.
putable citizen of Stewart county,
who at one time represented that
county in the legislature, in the
course of that trial, swOre that dur
ing the time the Federal army was
operating against Fort Donelson, he
had occasion to call on Gen. Grant |
twice, for protection against the
soldiers, who We're depredating on
his property. On his first visit, he
found him booty, and on the second,
Enthusiastically drunk. This will !
doubtless sound shocking to the
flunkey's that crawl at Grants feet,
but the witness who thus deposed !
was an honorable man, and we
have not the least doubt of the
truth of every word he swore.
Davis and Grant have each been
president of great People-Davis
of the Confederate states, and Grant
of the United Suites. A comparison
of the purity of the public service
during their administrations will
cause no blush to mantle the cheek
of Jefferson Davis. The sleuth-
hounds Of justice tracked no Bah
cocks to the door of the executive
mansion over which he presided,
and no guilty Belknaps hid their
dishOnored heads under his official
wing. No whiskey thieves crowd
cd his. hands with propitiary pres
ents, and no bummer5 and dead
beats were admitted into his friend
ship and confidence. His training
and associations had been among
gentlemen, and public plunderers
and treasury thieves could never
feel at home in his society. No po-
litical malaria poisoned the atmOs-
phere that floated around his adj
ministration. And when the great
struggle was ended, in which he
failed, he scorned to traverse the
country as distinguished tramp,
parading his poverty and holding
out his hands for aims. Broken in
health and fortune though he was,
when his friends set on foot Il
movement to raise a fund for his
benefit, with that fine sensibility
and delicacy which belong alone
to the gentleman bred and born,
and which no vulgar scrub can imi-
tate or understand, he promptly
suppressed the effort, and said that
while he felt duly grateful to his
friends, he could not consent to ac-
cept their charity. OF course, Grant
is wholly incapable of approaching
Il man who could thus act. lie was
never known to refuse but one pres
Cnt, and that was couple of bull
pups that one of his intimate friends
sent him by express. The fellow
neglected to pay the express charges
and Grant refused to take the pups
out of the office.
Mr.. Davis, in the great work
which he has just given to the
world, has had the temerity to sug-
gest that Grant is not very far SUI
perior to Napoleon or Wellington,
and that Tecumseh Sherman proved
n greater success during the war as
a vandal than he did as the COM
mander of civilized army.
Whereupon these two spoiled child
rem of luck and fortune foam at the
mouth, tear their hair and make