River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-06-14
JEFF DAVIS IN RICHMOND.
His Reception i'm War Times-His Un-
popularity--Ihe Lees.
N H. l.


From Philadelphia Times.
The presidents house was, of course,
open on the evenings of regular recep-
tons to any man who had clean face
and wore decent coat. The crowd gath
cred there on such occasions was motley
assembla,e. Wide latitude was allowed
N the matter of dress, and the hldeous,
though patriotic, homespun figured SIDE
by side with the pretty toilet, whose
possessor had run the blockade or come
south under the flag OF truce. Such
dresses as these were last were rare and
merely served to emphasize the new
calicoes and carefully preserved silks
and woolens in which most of the ladies'
present were arrayed. Mr.. Davis inva-
riablv wore citizens dress at these re-
ceptions, but the blaze of officers uni
forms made brilliant the spacious rooms
of the old-fashioned mansion.
Probably the president of the confed-
crate states was the most unpopular man
within their limits. Grave, gentle, cor
dial and dignifed, his manners IN the
presidential mansioh were all that could
be desired, but outside he was brusque
to the verge of rudeness and carried nus
private preiudices into public life. Inc
Examiner attacked him Hereby ana crlti-
cised him mercilessly. John M. Daniel s
brilliant intellect and keen satire made
his paper power in the country, and II
was by far the most popular among
Southern Journals. Thus Mr.. Davis mis-
takes, and they were many, were July
informed of all quarrels in the confeder-
ate cabinet or with the generals OF the
army. Perhaps the chief cause OF his
unpopularity was bis scarcely concealed
enmitv to General Lee, who was, on the
other hand, the idol of the army, and
through it of the people at home.
Probably nothing but Lees stately
courtesy and perfect self-control pre-
vented an open rupture between him
self and Davis. 1t was often charged
that only the fear of an open revolt IN
the army kept Davis from endeavoring
tn remove Lee from the command of the
confederate forces. Doubtless any such
step would have provoked revolt, but
the yexed question of state rights stood
also in the way. Lee was the chosen
chief of the Virginia troops and as such
could not have been removed by even
the president of the coufederacy. In
deed. Virginia,claimed a peculiar position
among the billigerent states. The
Mother of States and Statesmen" had, IN
tartjly accepting the federal constitution
of 1889. expressly reserved the right to
withdraw from the union under certain
contingencies, right tacltly acknowl-
edged at the time by the rest OF the Old
Thirteen" None of the other seceeded
states having made the same stipulation,
she was. therefore, in her own eyes,
more than any other, sovereign state
asserting her sovereignty. Even Jefi
Davis had too much prudence to pro-
woke an open issue between Virginia
and the confed eracy and thus the old
dominion held her 9gis over her favor
tie son. VINO. in fact, was In the confed-
crate army rather from loyalty to his
state than as an advocate for secession,
Mrs. Davis was handsome and well ac-
customed to society by years OF HE III
Washington. She discharged her duties
as mistress of the presidential mansion
wirh a Quiet grace and dignity which, Il
it won her few friends, at all events
made her no enemies. She was emf
nently domestic in her tastes, devoted
to her husband and children, and AFTER
the terrible death of her little boy, VINO
Was killed during the second year of the
war by fall from the high porch In the
rear OF the house, she withdrew fron
society as much as possible, leaving her
sister to fill her place. This the young
ladv was nothing 10th to do, and indeed
magnified her office TO such an extent,
as the Richmond ladies said, gave her
self such airs" that she came in for hel
full share OF i'll feeling toward her bro
ther-in-law :.
Mrs. Lee was an invalid, whose deli
cate health confined her almost entirely
almost altogether to her own house
She held the office of president OF tht
soldiers aid society by the wish OF the
whole country, but the active duties. o.
the posts developed chiefly on the wee
presidents. Her daughters were, o
| course. leaders in society and were
| loved and admired no less for tneir owl
tttractiong THAI their fathers sake.
Illinois has furnished 259.l47 white
and 1871 colored soldiers during tht
| wears ls6l-IS65. The mortality was q
| follows; killed, 5,SSs; died OF woun ds