Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-02-05

room, entered from u lew piazza, is
the library. 1t Is filled to the ceiling
with books aud papers, ali bearing
on the war. There is q rough ladder
platform by which the upper sehlves
may be reached. Mr.. Davis is quite
proud of this library, which, he says,
is probably the completest collection
of books bearing on the war, it's
causes aud its conduct, now in ex-
istence. Your correspondent noticed
on the shelves such light and gosslpy
books as 'Four Years in the Saddle"
'.Survey of Eagles Nest" &C., and
accepted them as evidence Of the
cars with which the distinguished
author had gathered every volume
that could fix All incident or indicate
a sentiment. Over the plain wooden
mantel is a large steel engraving, the
only decoration III the room.
HOW He WORKS.
In the centre Of the room stands a
large table, on which Mr.. Davis
writes or dictates. He writes a great
deal himself, bue occasionally die
tates-always to a. long-hauded wri-
ter. Major w. T. Walthall began
with him as secretary, but Judge
Tenney, editor of "Appleton's Eu-
cyclop@dia," aud General Joe Davis,
his nephew, have been with him for
the past year. The room adjoining
the library is q simply furnished
room, in which there is a lounge, on
which Mr.. Davis takes au occasional
nap. He is very regular aud syste-
matte, giving about six hours a day
to actual work. He is careful 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 decision and accuracy.
He dresses plainly, his usual costume
being dark trousers and a long, mod
est colored dressing gown. He takes
a great deal of exercise, the climate
being so mild that he can walk on the
beach under the orange trees, or any
whore about the place, in his dress-
ingsgown almost any month in the
year-except for the last few months
of excessively cold weather. The
gift. of Beauvolr has made him easy
as to worldly affairs, and he has had
for years nothing to tax his atten-
ton from his work. There have been
few visitors at Beauvoir since Mrs.
DOIoCy ulOus ou0 NV 0Aony 0kAA
her lifetime. Occasionally q cores
pondent Of some newspaper drops in ;
Ouce i'll q while III excursion train
dumps out q load OF people, who
scurry out to catch q sight of their
ex-president, and frequently some
old general or prominent confederate
comes out for a talk on some point.
to the discussion of which he has
been invited by Mr.. DaviS OF has
been attracted of himself. General
Marcus Wright, who has charge of
the confederate archives at Washing
ton, has been In almost constant Or
respondence with Mr. Davis, has had
thousands Of original documents
copied from the archives aud has
spent some weeks at BeauvOir.
AN EAGERLY EXPECTED BOOK.
1t is impossible to overestimate the
eagerness with which the forthcom-
ing book is looked tor throughout
the south. They recognize il as the
first formal aud cemprensive defense
of their cause.-the first general his
tory that has been written of their
struggle. All other southern histories
nave been special aud narrow. Mr..
Stephens books are the work of a
docLrinaire pleading shrewdly, but
not broadly. General Johnston's is
the story of a campaign or SO, told
somewhat peevishly - and 81 OIL
through the list.
WILL 1T BE BROAD OR PERSONALLY
find a very general fear through
out the south that Mr.. Davis will let
Ills lntOlerant spirit get the better OF
aim, and that what should be all i'm.
partial history will become a vehicle
Of personal opinions and prejudices.
Your correspondent talked with Mr..
Davis upon this point when the work
was about half completed. In reply
to the question as to whether or not
The book would be personal and ag'
gressive, Mr.. Davis laughed and
said
''They say when people get old they
become spiteful, but I think l under.
stand aud appreciate thoroughly the
character of my undertaking." The
untagonisms bred in the confederate
administration were SO bitter, and
where Mr.. Davis was concerned were
so personal aud relentless, that the
book will necessarily provoke many
q controversy throughout southern
political aud military circles. Mr.
Davis enjoys the rare advantage o,
having before him as he writes the
special pleas of most of his antagon
ists.
THE CHIEF POINTS OF THE WORK.
The two most important points O.
the work-for after all the constitu
tional argument which will doubtless
be fine, became res adjudicata after
certain fine morning at Appomattox
will be the discussion OF the peace
movements and the defense of the
policy of the Davis administration q,
opposed to the Stephens, Brown anc
Toombs policy. The first is vastly
the most important point. History
l. gradually settling upon the head OF
Mr. Davis the burden of q war pro
tracted long after he was assured tina
success was impossible. 1t ia said
that General Lee assured Mr.. Davis
long before the conclusion of the wal
that inevitable failure awaited The
confederate rms 1t is even said thai
prior to the first visit of Mr.. Blair t.
Mr.. Davis that General Lee had de
monstrated to him the improbability
OF success, aud that the interview be.
tween Mr.. Davis and Mr.. Blair will
show this. Mr.. Davis sent out hi
commissioners, however, instructed
10 listen to nothing but the full re
cognition of the independence of tn,
confederate government. The coun
try, north and south, will look will
interest to see how Mr.. Davis ca,
clear himself of the suspicion that h,
prolonged for months a struggle tia
was known to be hopeless, and tina
involved the useless sacrifice of
hundred thousand lives, when hon
orable terms Of peace aud reunion
as will be shown, were awaiting hi
acceptance. The discussion of tn
special policy of Mr. Davis, and tn
determined opposition Of over hal
the statesmen who were leagued wit
} him, the incompetent. financial sys
/, , tenn of the confederacy, the allege
: lack of intelligence in the cabine
= aud congress, which no valor in. til
. field could compensate, all these wi
y demand some very pertinent writiu
. on Mr.. Davis part and will stir mai
an ugly feud.
AN AGGRESSIVE BOOK.
. The book is aggressive in its gel
eral tenor and maintains with u
d shaken frmness all the points tn;
9 were put to the arbitrament of tt
q sword. MI. Davis writes concisel,
e however, and manages to consum
d less than half of his first volume wi,
l. the causes of secession aud his lust,