The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1885-01-21
Rummer Versus Patriot

among the Confederates into contro-
versy. The Davis men, who had their
inning yesterday, sat silent to-day and let
the anti Davis men do the talking. SEN
ators Vance and Brown were too old
birds to peck at the chaff Gen. HaWley so
invitingly scattered around them. Both
made speeches, but they were SO cool and
unrufiied aud their language was SO TEN
perate that nobody on the Republican
side could object to them. Gen. Haw-
ley tried in vain to get old Joe Brown to
talk disparagingly OF jeff Davis by read
ing Browns raSpIng war letters about the
Confederate chief, but the sly old Geor-
gian sat III his seat like craven image,
looking for all the world like a Mormon
elder presiding over the Tabernacle.
Gov. Browns speech was interesting as
historical contribution, but there was
no encouragement in it for John Sherman
and IIawley, because he wouldn't pitch
into jeff Davis. Senator Vance, who Is
one of the finest orators In the Senate.
read his speech from manuscript very
much as he would read brief in court.
1t consequently lacked the interest of
some of his impromptu efforts. His de-
NAL of Sherman story of the Davis let
Mr. Vance read Gen. Sherman's state
ment that among records and papers
found in the State House and the Cover
nor's mansion in Raleigh, n. c., when
his army was there in April 1865, was a
letter from Jefferson DAVIS to Gen. Vance
relating to the coercion of any State that
should secede from the Confederacy. The
Senator then contradicted this statement.
He said that no part OF the official cores
pondence and records were ever kept IN
the Executive Mansion, and that the let
ter mentioned by Gen. Sherman was not
found in the copy book referred to, for
the reason that no such letter was ever
there. He asserted on the honor of a
gentleman that no letter making the
threats Gen. Sherman alleges to have been
made was ever rec eived by him from JEFF
ferson Davis.
"It may be, sir" Mr.. Vance continued,
that Northern gentlemen, who were on
the victorious side during the civil war,
cannot properly appreciate the feelings
and sentiments of those who were on the
side of misfortune and defeat. They
seem to regard it as quite a sin and shame
that we do not readily join in the denun-
Citations that are heaped upon him who
was the leader OF that war, and hasten tC
condemn him on all occasions, as the
surest way of eXcuslng our conduct anO
commending ourselves to the good opln'
ion of our late opponents. Surely no mar
of even the slightest sense of honor IN his
composition could respect any Southerr
man who would thus debase himself
Surely the most fagraDt and rampant
traf1icker in the issues of sectional hatred
would respect more an adversary wh(
came to him walking upright on his fee
than one crawling upon his belly. 1t ;
different sentiment Is to prevail, wha
must we think of the manhood of th'
men who should entertain it ? Now, sirs
be it known to you that those of US wht
pledged our faith to each other for th
establishment ofthe Confedoracy gave III
all for which we contended, when it taIle,
retaining to ourselves only one soltar,
satisfying reflection, and that is that W
, had at least served our country faithfully
! honestly, and devotedly as we understood
it."
Mr.. Vance continued that it was we
= known that he had been drawn into sc
cession unwillingly, and that he had op
posed some details of Mr.. Davis admin
lstration, but he hoped it was equal
we'll known that after his own honor an
the honor of his native State were eI
+, gagged there was not an hour during a
o the unhappy time IN which he did nc
. give every energy Of mind and soul to tn
+ success of the cause to which he ha
a pledged allegiance.
Mr.. Vance did not believe that tn
: Commissioners whom he sent to Ger
|. Sherman had told him that Gov. Vanc
wished TO make separate terms for b
State. They were honorable men. The
were sent under flag of truce to as
: for protection. The war was then VII
tually ended. Lee had surrendered an
Johnston was about to march away ar
), leave the capital of North Carolina III
covered. 1t was true that the speak
did not await the return of his Commi
sioners. He had heard that they h;
been captured by Kilpatrick's cavalr
erty, and taken to Gen. Sherman hea
quarters as prisoners. Thereupo
joined the line of the retreating army.
Mr.. Hawley, in reply to Mr.. Vanc
said the resolution had been offered
g. him in order to get an accessible form
formation of historic interest and valr
The debate on it he had not sought, n
was he disposed to prolong it. He sa
that MIR. Vance much understood t
people of the North if he thought tn
expected the men who risked everythi
in the war, and lost In it, to now tn
. and rend one another.
\ Mr.. Hawley knew that 80 600 or 10. Q
y majority of the people of North Carroll
n were. up to a certain point, opposed
Y secession. He knew it could lot ha
been effected III North Carolina had
Nv not been for the support Of the Uni
,d men, among whom had been the dist
Il. guished Senator from North Carolil
., But that gentleman knew that in t
judgment Of those Union men, and
: others who were not Union men,
o. Davis did go beyond his rightful pow
.al as President of the Confederacy under
,es sss Confederate Constitution; that he
ny abandon theories that he and they
considered proper for free governme
So and that they rebuked him.
ND Mr.. Hawley then read letter fr
= Vance protesting against fhe propo;
a. suspension of the writ of habeas corp
y and threatening that the people of No
Carolina would resist it. He also
ferred to q refusal by Gov Brown
n Georgia to obey an order of Presid
- Davis as justifying Gen. Sherman's
marks about the opposition in the G
. federacy to Davis's Administration.
" Mr.. Brown of Georgia was the D
- speaker. He said he was willing
t6e tee stand upon his record, and did not p
ask pose to discuss 1t, but would briefly re
ith 10 one OF Two assertions tnat nau Dt
an IA in raoa ri +, biS narol n hSt
suit Ah"DS " W nc o,-otou oo3.i wv
rest to President DAVIS s AQmInIStr ration,
rhe J;@.ro1 ,r;.b AZ D: -. -
ad uiucieu viii vi. LAWS very mateIli
'se on several questions, and discussed
all differences with him very frankly,
~ threw no obstacle in tbs way Of milit