Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-22

Gath's Letter from New orleans 10 the Cincinnati
enquirer
In my travels through the gulf country l
met an interesting man, Albert Lamar, one
/ Of the celebrated family 10 which the senator
from Mississippi belongs, their homes being
in Georgia, and Albert Lamar was a stout
secessionist and follower Of his relative,
Howell Cobb, and became the secretary OF
the Secession convention OF Georgia, and, |
think, afterward clerk or secretary OF the
Confederate Congress He is q spare man,
grave, at times absent, affable, but seldom or
ever smiling, and he would quickly be taken
for the typical ardent hre-eaIer any where, as
he was twenty years ago.
| asked him if the organization Of the Con-
federate civil government was such as to have
produced the best possible results.
No, rather the worst results. Mr.. Davis
was man out of health, 4 confirmed dys-
peptic, and of course he was mOrose, preju-
diced and sour with all who crossed him.
Mr.. Stephens was never anything but in
valid. l remember saying in my disgust at
their selection that the only thing which
prevented a revolution at Montgomery was
tine want OF paving stones in the streets.
Howell Cobb should have been the president
of the Confederacy, and he expected TO be
selected, but his experience as speaker OF
the House of Representatives at Wash
iugton led the South Carolina delega-
ton, headed by Lawrence NJ. Keitt, to
choose him for president OF the conven-
| ton at Opelika, where they met Mr..
| Cobb, both delegations being there, en- route
to the opening of the convention at Mont
gomery. Mr.. Cobb said to me at the time:
This unfortunate choice will prevent me
being the executive magistrate of the Con-
federacy.' So he presided over the cOnven-
| ton, and Davis was elected to be the presi-
dent, chiefly because he had been a Union
man."
..NFbv yrara Union mon at a nremiupn9n
because Of the fierce resistance to seces-
sion in all parts of the Confederacy, but es-
pecially in Georgia, Tennessee, North Caro-
lima and Virginia. Several of the large
States were so reluctant to leave the Union
that after they had been crowded into seced-
ing they sent their old Union conservative
men 10 the provisional convention at Mont
gomery For that reason two Union men,
Davis and Stephens, were made the two
chief executives over the two other expect
arts. Cobb and Toombs. Mr.. Davis, during
the presidential campaign of 1860, had
made a speech at Portland, Maine, and
another on the way, warmly praising the
Union. This was remembered in his favor
as against the aggressive record of Toombs
Tor secession. But Stephens and Davis were
not 20 agree in any event. Stephens never
had the least interest or confidence in the
Confederate cause. He began by objeeting,
and the breach between him and Davis
widened every day. Yet he continues TO be,
in many respects the most popular man in
Georgia.
"Snppose Toombs had been the Confeder-
ate president, would he have been failure?n
at would have been a six months war
He would have been either mashed all to
pieces in a lew months or would have in
vaded the North after the first shock of arms
at Bull Run. | said to Mr.. Toombs once
that he ought to have died at the battle OF
Sharpsburg, where he held the nights of
Antietam against Burnside with such gal
lantry that Lee complimented him in the
military orders Since that day Toombs has
shattered his splendid mind by dissipation
and asperity till he survives melancholy
wreck of once noble galaxy"
"In what was Howell Cobb superior to
Jefferson Davis"
I'm health, temperament, temper and
brain Mr.. Davis was a master of details
only, and wore himself out experimenting
trihes, fretting with passing enemies and
celebrating theoretical messages and papers.
He never had the large, solid brain to resolve
the wants Of broad nation which had with
reluctance passed out of a larger one-to
take critical view of the leaders who had
led it out. Mr.. Davis made no foreign
friends by his bearing; at the end OF the war
he possessed no influence at the North, while
Cobb had made the friendship in other days
of Andrew johnson and of many of our in
iuential enemies. Cobb was broad-sighted
man; he would have instantly perceived the
fiscal requirements OF the COnfederacy, the
need of foreign credit, of interested friends
ia other lands, a cOHlmiseTidt and manufac-
tories. He saw these things neglected and
the young State drifting into a narrow chan
mel, and he went off into the army like a
private volunteer, never raising a factious
word, but fearing the worst. He was the
best beloved public man Georgia ever had,
not excepting William II. Crawford, who
lacked the refinement of mind and feeling of
Howell Cobb. Crawford was a strong, but a
coarse man."
/ asked Mr.. Lamar what had become of
the South Carolina leaders who worked up
secession, naming Pickens, Hammond, Ches-
nut and others.
There are but two OF them living-Wm.
Porcber Miles and Keitt. Chestnut was a
man of little ability; the same may be said
of Governor Pickens. Wade Hampton was
a good military officer, but is a feather
weight in civil questions. Hammond was
man Of mental power, with requirements,
will and force, but he had no love Of the |
multitude and rather despised them"
"Is not Senator Butler, of South Carolina,
something of a man."
Every much of man. He was a man OF |
very violent passions, and of such intense |
evaporation when insulted that if he had |
killed CoDkling in the Senate when they
came into a collision there it would not have
surprised me at all. But his control over
himself, his amicable, and, indeed, popular
relations with many of the leading Republic
cans, and the extension of his influence by
both discretion and candor are gratifying
surprises. We are very weak as a party in
leaders, and Butler is one of the men who
has developed into thinking, leading mind"
"Was the Confederate Congress at Mont
gomery body of some ability?"
at had some very able men in it. Mr.
Cobb had filed the largest position in the
Federal government. Mr.. Hunter, of Viz
ginia, was in it; it comprised the ability the
secretary of state had sent to Washington
for years. One of the most remarkable men
in it was Ex-senator Foote, of Mississippi,
person of remarkable requirements and gifts
of mind and speech, but constitutionally
false 10 every movement he would connect
himself wih-a Jesuit, a caviIer, a marplot.
bending the features of Iago and Macchia-
vellr'
(Which States OF the South have recovered
most fully from the war;"
Georgia has pulled ahead the best. Prob