The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-01-21

were found to stand on the floor of the
Senate and declare that Jefferson Davis
was man of honor and n patriot and
that there were milliona Of men in this
country who loved him to-day, it would
be in vain to stand upon the rostrum in
the political forum and declare to the
people of the United States that the ami
mosities cnsendcrcd by the war had been
buried forever. 1t did not sound pleas
antly to loyal ears. 1t was not agree
able statement to men who had been on
the other side of the great controversy
to say that Jefferson Davis was an hon
orablc man and a patriot. 1t did not
sound we'll to be told that, among the
people whom we were called on to
recognize as brothers united by the
bonds Of ccmcntcd union, thcro were
millions of people to-day that loved
Jefferson Davis. 1t was not pleasant to
have that statement continually hauntcd
i'll our faces, paradcd on the floor of the
Senate, announced to the people by Scna-
tors who had taken the oath of allegiance
and had been relieved Of their political
disabilities. He (Ingalls) had heard the
Senator from Missouri (VcsD frequently
allnde with something of apparent pride
and satisfaction to the part he played in
the politics Of the Southern Con onfcdcracy.
There was no occasion for such allusions.
IL d'd not concern the argument of
questions before the Senate, when no
appeal was made to the partisan feeling,
Tor Senators to rise, one after another,
and dwell upon the fact that they had
been members Of the Confederate Senate.
and that Jefferson Davis was beloved by
the Southern people, and that he had
been actunted by the sentiments of a
man Of honor and a patriot. Referring
to Senator Vests allusion to his mem
bersh'p of the Confederate Senate, Scna-
tor ingalls, remarked that so far as the
State of Missouri was concerned. Scna-
tor Vest had not been accredited to that
Senate, as the State Of Missouri was not
out OF the Union. In the name of the
loyal people Of Missouri Senator Ingalls,
protested against the sentiments which
he had heard SO often expressed bv
Senator Vest. AS to the intermediates
controversy under discussion, Mr.. Davis
had called Gen. Sherman n liar. That
was the plain English Of it. In any con-
troversy between Mr. Davis and Gen.
Sherman, Senator Ingalls, was for Gen.
Sherman, and so, he said, would all the
loyal people Of the country be.
Senator Sherman said that from feel
ing Of personal delicacy growing out of
his relations to one Of the parties to the
controversy. he would have preferred
not speaking on it, but some Senators
seemed to treat it as controversy between
two citizens. 1t would be a matter of
surprise to Gen. Sherman that it was Of
that character. Gen. Sherman had stated
that he did not know Mr.. Davis person
ally. Gen. Sherman had by invitation
attended the reunion Of an army post
and in the course Of some impromptu
remarks, as reported by the newspapers,
perhaps correctly enough. said he re-
garded Mr.. Davis rs not only rebel but
a conSpirator, and that he had seen GER
tain letters and papers while on his
march through Georgia, tending to show
that Davis while the war was progress
ing had abandoned his States Rights
convictions, and had become practically
a dictator i'll the South. But there was
no personal controversy between Mr..
Davis and Gen. Sherman. Gen. Sher-
man simply insisted on his right to class
Mr.. Davis as conspirator and traitor.
Did that make personal quarrel be-
tween the two men? Far from it. He
(the speaker) might as we'll be said, in
the same way, to make personal quar-
rel with the descendants Of Benedict
Arnold by repeating an historical fact.
Mr.. Davis had written bitter article,
not addressed to Gen. Sherman, but
substantially giving him the lie. Gen.
eral Sherman did not respond to that
article by any letter to Davis or to any
newspaper. He did the very oppo-
site. He was still in ovcry sense an
officer of the army, even though on the
retired list. He was subject to the
Presidents orders. AS an army officer,
therefore, he properly gave to his mill
tary superior the reasons for every as
sertion he had made. This he was
bound to do. When an officer Of the
army, whether retired or not, had any
insult put upon him or any thing which
among gentlemen would reflect upon
his character, his honor or integrity, he
was bound by his calling to make
an explanation to the proper authority
to show that the imputation upon his
honor was not just. There was, there
| foro no personal controversy hctwoen