Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-17
THE SHERMAN . DAVIS CONTRO.
VERSY.


THE SHERMAN DAVIS CONTRO-
VERSY.
A Letter OF Alex. HI. stephens Bearing
on the Confederate Presidents Al.
legged Grasping After Absolute Power.
letter written by Alex H. Stephens to
Herschell Y. johnson in 1854 has been produced
to bear on the controversy between Gen. Sher-
man and jefferson Davis, growing out Of tho
recent charge by Sherman that Davis contem-
plated military dictatorship. The genuineness
Of the letter Is attested by Gen. Shermans en-
dorsement. In the course Of the communca-
ton Stephens replies to the charge that he has
antipathy to Davis. Referring to this imputa-
ton he writes
AS for Mr.. Davis. / repeat again | have no
feelings OF antipathy, much less Of hostility.
what opinions you may think l entertain of
him, as you intmated know nothing. but |
have no hesitancy In stating to you freely and
frankly and most contidentially what nv
opinions of him are. They are much more akin
20 suspicion and jealousy than of luminosity or
hate. While do not and never have regarded
MN as great man or statesman on a large
scale or man Of any marked genius. yet
nave regarded him as a man of good intentions,
weak and vascillating. Timid. petulant. peeyish
obstinate. but not firm. l am now beginning
to doubt his good Intentions. | say doubt for
after watching him closely am not satisfied in
my own mind. nor have / arrived at any con-
ciuson. whether some OF his short comugs are
to be attributed to weakness or bad purposes
Ihese are my real sentiments, and my reasons
for them are these: Since his first elevation to
power he has changed many of his former
states rights principles. as in case of conscrp-
ton. His whole policy-the organization and
discipline of the army-is perfectly consistent
with the hypothesis that he is aiming at abso-
lutte power Not word has come from him of
military usurpation in the orders for martial
by Bragg and Van Dorm On the whole sys-
tenn OF passports and provost marshals which is
utterly wrong and without authority of law
After all that may be said or written by myself
and others against these Gsurpations not one
word has escaped Mr.. Davis showing his dsap-
prevail OF them.
QUESTION OF DICTATORSHIP.
Again it is well known that the subject of a
dictatorship has been mooted, talked of and
discussed in private and in the public journals.
and that the most earnest advocates of such a
course, the virtual doing away with Congress
and the constitution, have been editors near
him-right under his nose; editors of Journals
recognized at the time to be the organs of the
administration. Now. it seems to me strange
that this should be so. and that men holding
and advocating such sentiments for months
should hold such near relations to him Of such
sentiments were distaSteful to him. These are
bad signs to me- Yet they are not conclusive
evidence OF bad objects or intentions on his part
They leave me in doubt. but certainly awaken
my suspicion and watchful jealousy. They teach
me to be on my guard. and they should. in my
opinion, put the whole country On their guard.
The price of liberty is eternal vigilance But
again | assure you feel no more hostility to
him than do to you and great numbers meet
with, who see no danger in these things
THE SEVERITY OE PITY.
My hostility and wrath (and have enough of
it to burst ten thousand bottles) is not against
him or any man or men. but against the thing,
the measures and the policy which see is lead
ing us to despotism. As to what you say about
the Administrations hardly know what idea
you attach to this term-it you mean the acts
and messages of Congress, then am confident
not One-tenth Of the people of the country ap-
prove them. would stake nv head upon the
issue that not ten districts In the contederacy
could be carried in congressional election for
candidate running on the advocacy of the four
leading measures of the last Congress, and
pledged to sustain them as the settled policy of
the country. This cry OF sustaining the admin
istratiOn. you will allow me to say. with all due
respect to you, is nothing but stupid. sense
less cachination. Nobody approves 1t. heard
that Gen. Cobb. In his speech at Milledgeville
said all these acts OF Congress were proper wise
and just, and yet do know that Gen. Cobb
spoke very differently to me of some of them
before they were passed. Why will men thus
degrade themselves by attempting to bam-
boozle the people, and how are we to get bet
ter laws II bad ones-that all feel and know to
be bad-are not denounced and true principles
proclaimed?
But must add, in conclusion, that you are. /
think. mistaken in suppOsing that the late
movement In Georgia was started with any view
toward the organization of party against Mr..
Davis or his administration. l i-now all about
that movement. Ii allusiOn Is made to Gov
Browns MESSAGE advised it from stem to
stern and approve it. | don't mean the lam
guage, but the policy and the course taken, and
/ know had no such object, thought OF none
SUCH nor dreamed of any such. 1t is the proc
lamation and vlndication of great essential
truths that desired to see set forth at the right
time and on proper occasion.