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


had right ID make. When
Cen. Sherman invaded Georgia he Gov
Brown had organized military force of
old men and boys who We're not liable TO
conscription to military duty under the
law of the Confederacy. A requisition
was made by President Davis to turn this
body Of troops over to the regular Con-
tederate commander, and he refused -
obey it, because the President had no
right to issue the order, and undoubtedly
had issued it under mlsunderstanding
of the nature of the case.
Mr. Hawley's resolution was passed by
80 to 10, the Senator'S voting in the
negative being Brown Of Georgia, Col
quit, Hampton, Harris, kenna, Ma2ey,
Morgan, salisbury, Slater, \ est, ali Of
whom are Democrats.
Representative Reagan Of Texas, who
was Postmaster-General of the Confeder-
acy all through the war and on very
friendly terms with Mr.. Davis, said to-
day: Il know that there was not the
slightest truth in the charge that Mr..
Davis aimed at absolute power or had
any such thought. The very reverse was
true. He was a great stickler for the
law, insisting that it should be fullfilld to
nicely; but know that such thing as
despotism or absolute power, or any such
thing as charged by Gen. Sherman was
never in his thoughts. | was with him
from first to last. | knew bIm here
in Washington before the war, was
member of his Cabinet from first to last,
was captured with him, and probably
knew more thoroughly his personal and
official views and movements and thought
than any other man now living. and do
not hesitate TO say that Gen. Sherman S
charges are entirely without foundation.
Mr. Conger, of Michigan, could not
see on what authority Jefferson Davis
was called citizen Of the United States.
He thought there was something for Mr..
Davis to do and for Congress to do be-
fore he could be brought into equality of
citizenship with Gen. Sherman
Mr.. Ingalls,, of Kansas, said that when
ever any question arose In which Jeffer-
son Davis was involved the Democratic
party would always be found on the side
of Jefferson Davis. The occasions had
been frequent when the Senator from
Alabama and his associates of the Dem
ocratic party had, in debate in the Sen
ate, declared that there was nothing in
Mr.. Davis record that would convince
posterlty that he was not man Of honor
and patriot The Senator from Alabama
and the Senator from Missouri had taken
occasion to inform the Senate that there
were millions of people in the United
/ States tO-dav who loved Jefferson Davis,
and to whom jefferson Davis was en-
deared by the memory of common hard
ships, common prlvatlons. and common
calamities. 1t did not sound pleasantly
to loyal ears-it was not an agreeable
statement to men who had been on the
other side OF the great controversy, tC
say that J efferson Davis was an honor
able man and a patriot. 1t did not sounC
well to be told that among the people
whom we were called on to recognize a:
brothers, united by the bonds of ce
mented union, there were millions of peo
pie to-day that loved Jefferson Davis. i
was not pleasant to have that statemen
continually paraded on the floor of the
Senate, and announced to the people by
Senators who had taken the oath of ale
glance and had been relieved OF their po
ltical disability. As to the immediate
controversy under discussion, Mr.. lngal
added, Davis had called Sherman liar
that was the plain English Of it. In an
controversy between Davis and Sherman
he was for Sherman, and SO would be al
the loyal people of the country
Senator Sherman denied that the con
! troversy between Gen Sherman an
Jefferson Davis was personal. Gen Shel
man had simply charged Mr.. Davis wit
| having a consprator and traitor an
t had declared that he had seen a letter
: from Alexander Stephens and other pa
pers while on his march through Geor
gia tending to show that Davis, Will
2 the war was progressing, had abandone
his State Right convictions had become
2 practically dictator in the South. Nj
5 Davis had positively given Gen. Sherma
J the lie, and the General, as he is yet a
< officer Of the army, bad given to the Sc
retary Of War the reasons for his origin
! statement. "Why,'' Mr. Sherman cor
d tinued, should not these papers |
: printed? Did they not show the motiy
r that led to the great civil war? Did ut
j. they tend to show the probable term
d nation of the rebellion-even if the Un
:. ted States arms had not suppressed it
: to be eventually the establishment of
l. despotism in the Southern States? NJ
e Davis is now an old man. 10 not d
sire to say anything unkind of him, b.
:, will it ever be disputed in this country
" our at any time within thousand yea
j. that in the war and before the war Je
2. ferson Davis was a conspirator aud
,r traitor to his country? Whenever in u
d presence, the Senator added, "Jeffe
,e son Davis is treated as patriot l mu
" enter my solemn protest, Whenever Il
70 motives and the causes of the war a
a called in question | must assert that
was a causelcss rebellion, entered up
M with bad motives, aud that all men W
- led in that movement were traitors
this country of ours"
70 -