New-York tribune., 1885-01-13
DEFENDING "JEFF" DAVIS.
ANGRY souTHERNERs IN THE SENATE.
AROUSED BY CALL FOR GENERAL shERMANS
IETTER--A HOT DEBATE.
rRy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.1


.v introduced resolution in the Senate few days ago
calling for a certain letter filed In the War Department
nv General Sherman, he had no IDEA proDaoiy 'hal ~
would lead TO discussion such as the senate Ia" no'
listened TO since the early days OF the Reconstruction
neriod But this is what took place to-day The resoh
on was laid before Senate in the regular ofder o
,siness Inv the presidng officer and would have Deen
ssed without opposition had not Senator Harris OF
Tcnnessec famed the embers OF rebel hatred INTO h"o
by remarking that he could not see "hat was W 'o
Gained by calling OIL the War Department for General
sherman's letter The Senate, he thought certainly
could not take any action upon 1t and 1t was establishing
. dancerous precedent TO cucumber the files OF the
senate with documents which had no place there
Mr. uor,is talked in mild and inofcnsye way. but 1t
ercd the Confederate blood Of Mr. Vest, OF Missouri
He took position in front of the Presidents chair ana
with much carnestnoss protested against the resolution
"a being rs useless pocket In a shrooh'
of conrse he expressed friendly feeling for General
sbernan Every Confederate brigadier In the Senate
does that when proceeds to the TASK OF Demoahs nc
"lost cause" But Mr. est went iurther ana eApe'scu
tbe belief that his feeling for General sherman was re-
ciprocatcd General sherman constituent OF his
said Mr. Vest and he respected him. but nc protesie"
hot this resolution would revive animoses of the past
which all GOOD peope want TO let remain buried In the
mast Mr. Vest said that. as Confederate SENATOR ITO
had often differed with Mr. Davis, but now thc lhter Is
an Old man. broken in health and purse seeking ohly
ro, and he ught TO be permitted to rest. Indeed Mr.
the Confcdoracy, and said 1t all with boas'ininesS
which coud not but lie offensive to the loyal men OF the
Chamber Later he objected TO the resolution on the
ground that 1t would make tho Senate party 10
n personal controversy In voice ehokcd Win shah
emotlon he exclaimed Is II right. Is II fair IA II manly
when Mr. Davis be heard upon this noor except
through the mouth who chooses to ospouse
b side o the controversy Is it right To the Govern
ucut of the United states In personal controversy
no matter what may De it's meritsF He continued; -
was n u,embor OF the Confederate Senate. opposed
with all my force advocated by Mr DAVIS out
believe he was trle and loyal to the course he
espoused as over was wife to her husband or religious
votarv 70 the God he worshlppcd" lie expressed his
earnest opinion that General sherman was mistaken
in the assertion that the southern people dld not sym
pathlze with their leader in the terrible conquest
ATTRACTING CROWDS OF EAGER LISTENERS.
The galleries by this time had become crowded with
eorer listeners The oor too Of the chamber occi-
MED bv Representatives and others, whom the report
about the building that Jc Davis being cnlogzed
by his Southern admirers drew to the scene Scarcely
Senator missing in his seat at,
Interested perhaps in the sherman letter published In
the morning papers than any other persons present e
freou ana earnest conferences and for large part Of
the morning engaged In coinaiing notes Nothing
EOih remained silent Mr. Vance doubt, thinking II
best in view of the approaching senatorial comics, y.
North Carolina. let nothing escape MN when might
throw any doubt uon his loyalty TO the Rebel Govern
The mos, udicrous turn In the discussion reached
when Mr. George Mississippi arose His or1ory' as
" rc 4. moi iunr,ss,vc and he has the good sense,
ordmary nccasi6ns 10 state what he has say u
ter fact and perfectly acceptable manner Inc pres
emf occasion however, was too much for him. lie had
moi spoScn hundred words when hi, eyes began To hhk
and vince, and sympathcic Tears uc-'h to ''iChi u"s
virtues the patriotism, the unscih,hness Of that
model patriot and Statesman whom peryer,e
world persists In styling traitor ana con'piritor II
would he difficult say just what point Mr.. George
wanted make while THIS maudlin oloqucnce ot Trick
ling eyes" lasted hut he managed To rcier io Jr'ts"h
Davis every time that he had occasion 70 do 80 - GU
this country and as occupying The same '-ne a-
parently General sherman Ia TACT ne thousht 'lal
This a controversy between two private citizens en-
This gave an opportunity Mr Con ger to suggcst in
his caustic manner thar he did not understand II
necessary on part OF Mr. Davis OF Congress before
Mr. Davis becamca cittLef
acts Of Mr. Davis aud he had fear hatts Judgment
woud be adverse either his honor his patriotism
ad Mr; a nTaey m yord n, ts 10 show s -n
PIE hSs ,Ss ft ,ss RaphG IT. nd that hS was
a conspiracy In the city Of Washington a. early
that 1t determined TO make II, headgihrtrhS AT
Montgomery. that ssrs Mason and slidell were dc
puted TO attend this while other Senators remained
here to attend to legislation
NORTHERN DEMOCRATS M,pf UNHAPPY.
The unhappy frame Of mind IN which such men asi'ay
ard Pendcton McIherson and other Nothcrn Democrats
m the discussion took this turn wasplan'
yepiced on their Bayar rested hi hing head
m his hands contemplated his Confederate friends
raupant with rage and thought o the control that he
would expected to exert over them ancr next March
Pendcton looked more solemn than ever. ana McPher-
son appeared dazed They would have gwen good deal
had the discussion taken place II must have been
for profound gratitude to them that 1t occurred
II seemed ai this point II a would be reached
the OF the resolution Rebel bic had not e1
haused Itself however Mr. Morgan forsooth must have
his say also lie wanted to explain his vote ant In doing
had the candor 10 acknowledge that although u wa,
that Mr. Davis had engaged n war with the United
aes he was dD5 mo SnS STs % t@H nn hs he odr T
Mr. Davis he made haset 10 add. was still beloved by
millions in the country. an announcement tnai VIII open
the eyes perhaps Of those who think that loyal feelings
only pcryado their souls at the present moment Mr..
Morgan also wanted to know what connection General
Sherman had with the Army the United States that
authorized him to make reports To th1t % 'partment u
1t could not In justice, refuse TO publish MI Dayiss re-
lilo ,,,. cou,d po mas. Of cour.o wrbout
Mr. ingalls, taking part In IT, and he did 1t with great
joymcnt apparently, to himself and much 10 the dis
comiture OF the Democratic side He has rarely spoken
more elccually than lie did today and III any other
body where decoum Ia less strictly observed perhaps,
have evoked marked demonstrations rather than the
| silent satisfaction with which they greeted by
arose br Ingalls, said. In which Jefferson Davis in
yy@ the Dsmos9G party so@S nways s S1 found % on
messed the spectacle Of President OF the unei States
elected by gentlemen who declared jefferson
a patriot II the memories Of the
tor Missouri should not repeatedly aludc with
pride TO the fact that he member of the Confcd-
accredited to the Confederate by the
State u, and in the OF the loyal people
Missouri he protested against the sentiments which the
Gentleman had expressed.
Mr.. SHERMAN DRAWS MR.. LAMAR.
In the course of nve-nnutes speech Mr. Ingalls, had
succeeded In provoking the full anger OF the Confederate
brlgadiers II there anything left TO ill the measure
OF their resentment 1t was excellent speech with
which Senator Sherman followed Mr.. Ingalls, From
motives OF delicacy, Mr.. Sherman SAID he should
have abstaned from taking any part In the
discussion but for the fact ms
on the other side the ground that this WAS per-
sona between two citizens knew that
IL would surprise General Sherman learn that IL was
supposed that he had any personal controversy with
Mr.. Davis for he had stated that he did know him
| L.. ouAnIn. hInIDn