Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-14
PRESIDENT DAVIS'POWER
THE PRINCIPLES OF THE CON-
FEDERACY NOT ABANDONED.

Gen. Sherman's Misstatements Refuted
by Senators Vance and BrOwn-Each
Explains His War Stand-The Alleged
Letter Said to Have Never Been Writ
ten-The LOng-Debated Resolution
Adopted.
WAsHINGTON,J j an. 13.-At 12 :55 O'Clock
to-day, upon motion of Mr.. Hawley, the
Senate took up the Sherman-Davls reso-
luton, and Senator Vance began a speech
upon it.
Mr.. Vance said that the Senate would prob
ably pass this resolution and place on Its
record aR unofficial paper by Gen. William I.
sherman, which makes certain statements
about many persons. 1t was proper that all
persons affected by those statements should be
heard IN the same forum. AS one of those in
teresJed, Mr.. Vance would take occasion to
reply TO certain things contained in Gen.
Sherman's published statement TO the War
Department. 1t was understood and
not not denied that in a speech mad made
had SAID he had seen letter written by JEFF
feTsOn Davis TO the Governor Of a Southern
state during the war, now a senator of the
United states, IN which Mr.. Davis threatened
the coercion of any state that should under
take TO secede from the COnfederacy. As
there was at least three such Senators on the
floor, hlu self .Nance) being one, he had i'm
mediately through the Washington Post de-
ten by him (Nance). The newspapers soon
afterward said tnat Gen. Sherman had been
interviewed, and had stated that Mr.. Vance
was not the person alluded to.
NOT EASILY DOW NED.
lie (Yance) thought that this denial at both
ends Of the line would conclude the matter,
but IL seemed that he was mistaken. Mr..
Vance quoted from the published edition of
the document fled by Gen. Sherman the fol-
lowing statement:
AT Raleigh, n. c., the public records had
been carried OH. yet number were left be-
hind at the State House, and at the Gov
ernOr's mansion called the 'Paiace,' which we
occupied as headquarters during our stay
These records and papers were oVerhauled by
Provost Marshals and clerks who de-
livered to Adjt. Gen. Sawyer such as
contained material information, and my per-
sonal attention was only drawn to such as
were deemed of sufficient Importance. Among
the books collected at the Palace in Raleigh
was the Clerks, or Secretary's, copy book,
containing loose sheets and letters, among
which was the particular letter of Mr.. Davis
TO which | referred. / gave little attention
to II because Mr.. Davis was then himself a
fugitive, and his opinions had little or no
importance, but IL explained why Gov. Vance,
after sending Commissioners to treat for his
state separately, had not awaited my answer.
A SUBJECT OF COMMENT.
at was the subject OF common talk about
my headquarters at the time, or as stated bv
Col. Dayton in a recent letter to me from Gin
~ am quite sure that we generally talked
that 1t was the desire Of Gov. Vance and the
State officials TO take North Carolina out of
the COnfederacy as l have stated, tut they
were afraid of DAVIS, and wanted protec
Concerning this statement MIR. Vance
said that he had to say, first that
no letters, documents or public books of any
character were ever left at his residence or at
the Palace of the Governor while he was its
occupant. Second. No clerk or secretary Of
his ever used as a repository any copy book
for correspondence. all official or public let
ters being first cope in a letter-bOOk which
was required by law to be kept in the eXecu-
tive Office and then tied up into bundles and
placed in files where they still remain. Third.
Gen. sherman did not find in the copy book
the particular letter of Mr.. Davis to which he
referred in his st. Louis speech. for the reason
that there was no such letter there and no
such copy books when Mr.. Vance occupied the
house.
NO SUCH LETTER EVER RECEIVED.
Fourth. He ayerred most positi sely on the
honor of gentleman and an American Sen
atOr, that no letter containing such a threat
was ever received by him from Jefferson
Davis. All letters from Mr.. Davis to him
tNancel IF any nature were to be found
copied in the letter books of the Executive
Department of North Carolina, which books
were now in the War Depar tment. The rea-
sons given by Gen. Sherman to cOrroborate
his statement were such, Mr.. Vance thought,
as would scarcely commend themselves to a
respectable lawyer. Gen, Sherman said that he
had paid little attention to the letter at the
time, and did not say that he ever saw it after.
Gen. sherman had said further that Mr.. Davis
being then himself fugitive, his opinions were
of little Importance. Mr.. Vance supposed that
it was perhaps the little attention given to
the opinions OF an unimpOrtant man that en-
abled Gen. Sherman to remember so well the
contents of the letter after the lapse of 20
years. The suggestion as to the probable fate
of that mysterious letter-that it " as burned
in the Chicago fire-was mere apology for
its non production, and cOntradicted the
idea of its Importance, for If 1t had been
such as Gen. sherman said it was, it would
have found its way into the public files.
FEELING OF THE vANQUIsHED.
But there was another matter averred by
Gen; sherman that more nearly concerned
Mr.. Vance, and to which he would ask the at
tentiOn of the Senate.
1T may be, sir" continued Mr.. Vance. ''that
Northern gentlemen who were on the YlctOrl
Gus 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 SIN and shame
that we do not readily Join in denuncia tiOns
that are heaped upon him, who was the lead
er in that war and hasten to condemn him
on all occasions as the surest way of eXcus-
ing our conduct and commencing ourselves
TO the good opinions of our late opponents.
honor in his composition could respect any
Southern man who would thus debase him.
self. Surely the most iagrant and rampant
trathcker IN the issues of sectional hatred
would respect more an adversary who came
to him walking upright on his feet, than one
crawling on his belly.
HONOR NOT SURRENDERED.
"If not, if different sentiment is to prevail,
what must we think of the manhood of the
men who should entertain it? Now sirs, be it
L-rraN To NnT nf nz u nIpnnnn
our faith to each other for the establishment
Of the COnfederacy gave up all for which we
cOutended when IL failed, retaining to our
selves one solitary satisfying reflection, and
that is that we had at least served our country
faithfully, honestly and devOtedly, as we un-
derstOOd it." Mr.. Vance continued that it
was well known that he had been drawn
into secession unwlllngly, ana he had Op-
posed some details of Mr.. Davis administra-
tiOn, but he hoped that it was equally well
known that when the honor of his native
state was engaged there was not an hour
during the unhappy time IN which he did not
give every energy of mind and soul to the
success of the cause to which he had pledged
allegiance. Gen. sherman, Mr.. Vance said,
thought, perhaps, that he was doing him
(Nance) a kindness, and that he was COM
mending him to the people by holding out the
idea that he (Nance), while Governor, WAS
disaffected toward that cause, and was anxi-
Gus to separate from the Confederacy, but was
restrained by fear.
REBUTTED WITH SCORN.
AFR, Vance wanted no mans good will that
was based on the supposed virtue of treason
to his country and desertiOn of his associates.
The good will of a man who would respect
these traits was not worth picking up. Gen.
/, herman had said that the commissioners
sent by Gov. Vance (eX-GOvs. Graham and
Swain and Surgeon General Warren) told him
that Gov. Vance wanted to make separate
terms for the State, but was afraid of Jeffer
son DAVIS. Mr.. Vance did not believe that
they said so. 1t could not be true. They
were men eminent for exalted charac-
none more than their regard for
truth. Two of them were dead. The third
was now an eminent physician OF Paris, and
no statement from him had been produced.
They would never have told Gen. sherman or
any other living man the reverse OF what they
knew to be the truth, and they knew that Mr..
Vance was not afraid of Mr.. Davis.
THE SENDING OF THE AMBASSADORS.
Referring to the sending of the commits
siOners to Gen. Sherman, Mr.. Vance said that
il was true that he had sent them under nag
of truce to ask protection, not for separate
war was virtually ended. Mr.. Davis and his
official household were fugltlYes, Richmond
had fallen, Gen. Lee had surrendered, and
Gen. Johnston was about to march West, no
one knew whittier, and uncover the capital OF
the State. With Gen. JOhnst0n's consent and
appreciation thee mbassy had been sent. Be
fore it's return Raleigh was uncovered, and
Mr.. Vance left it to JOIN Mr.. Davis at
Gen. Johnston was authorized, and the end
came. Then and there Mr.. Vance took leave
Of Mr.. Davis and the COnfederacy and went
back to his people. Mr.. Vance characterized
as absurd Gen. Sherman's suggestion that he
Vance) had been afraid to await the return
OF the commissioners. The reason why he dld
not wait was that he had been informed that
his commissioners had been captured by Gen.
kilpatrick's cavalry-prOmptly r0bbsd OF
their personal effects, and taken before Gen.
sherman as prisoners. As they had not re-
turned at midnight of the day
they were sent, he conc Uded
that the information was correct, and left
llnrnclr1dirncr