Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-09-26
Jefferson Davis.

''Sunset" Cox, the wit and humor-
ist, orator and statesYan, has an ar
ticle in the September number Of
the Overland Monthly, that is full
Of very interesting "reminiscences,
some of them of Southern statesmen.
From them we extract the follow
ing:
E'ln that Congress, foremost in in
fuence for peace or war, for Union
or disunion, is Jefferson Davis; how
then unlike that Davis, who, in
Maine, but few years before had
spoken burning words for the per-
petuity of the Union. He had
fought gallantly in Mexico for its
extension and honor. Whatever of
prejudice his name may have since
aroused has been incident to recall
ing the memories of beaten cause
At that Congress he was far more po-
tential in directing the hateful genius
Of Southern statemanship than any
other man in the Senate. His own
memoirs have been published. There
his character is analyzed and his
motive questioned with pitiless and
torturing inquisition still the great
body of his countrymen South will
cherish his memory despite all ad-
verse criticism. Whether he ever
renounced his secession doctrines,
while acting as the chieftain of the
Confederacy, has not been proven.
1t has been surmiSed and inferred.
The same presiding care which
shielded him from trial Of treason
and gave him a peaceful retiracy in
Southern home seems still to hover
over his old age. Remembering his
personal courtesy, his urbane and
dignified manners, his silvery ora
tory, his undaunted courage as sol
der and honesty as a man, the his
torian of this eyentful epoch-in
which madness ruled in the most Sc
date counsels-cannot fail to recall
much to the credit Of this leader of
the Southern people. He may not
have exercised the wisdom of some
who acquiesced promptly and grace
fully in the inevitable. Yet with
many this trait of enduring cOnsis-
tency is a virtue. But it must be
said that he was not forward in the
secession. His State was not among
the foremost to secede. She waited
until the 9th of January, 1861, be-
fore passing her ordinance, and her
senator's fingered until the 21st be-
fore they withdrew. 1t is generally
credited by those who were familiar
with Mr.. Davis's inclination that,
even after the ordinance was passed,
he was anxious to remain. There is
undubitable evidence that while in
| the Committee Of Thirteen he was
willing tv accept the compromise of
Mr.. Crittenden and recede from Sc
cession. Crhis committee and a
| House committee of thirty-three
members were then considering ''the
state of the Union.") The compro-
mise failed; because as Senator
Hale said, on the 18th of December,
| 1860, the day il was introduced, it
was determined that the controversy
should not be settled in Congress.
When it failed, the hero of Beuna
Vista become the Confederate leader.
| Much as he is underrated by some
Southern men who opposed him dur
| ing the war, he was fitted to be the
leader of Just such a revolt. Every
revolution has fabulous or actual
hero conformable to the local situa-
ton, manners and character of the
people who rise. To rustic people
! ike the Swiss, William Tell, with
his crossbow and the apple;l to an
aspiring race, like the Americans,
| Washington, with his sword and the
law, are, as Lamartine once said, the
symbols standing erect at the cradles
of these two distinct Liberties JET.
ferson Davis, naughty, self-willed
and persistent, full of martial ardol
and defiant eloquence, was the sym
Dol, both in his character and his
situation, Of the proud, impulsive
but suppressed ardors and hopes Of
the Southern mind.