Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-01-13
ALEXANDRIA, Va.
TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 13.

that the controversy between him
calf and MFR. Jefferson Davis was private
nersonal matter between TWO gentlemen
and would be so arranged, he has not only
not escorted to the method of adjusting am
entities between gentlemen" but resorts 10
altogether different means, and through us
todes in the Senate is trying to peg the
question" and revive, if possible the ola
sectional issues.
Sherman recently addressed long com
munication to the Secretary of war 10 SUP
stantiate his assertion that MI. DaVls,"h'ie
President of the Confederate states, aoah-
doned his States rights doctrines ana ann
ed at dictatorship, and endeaVors 10 justly
his position by quoting letter IRON AZ M
ander II. Stephens, the opposition 10 W.T..
Davis of Gov. Brown, of Georgia, letter
addressed to Gov. Vance, of North caro-
lima, and by the recital OF conversations
held with him (Shermanl during his pas
sage through Georgia, to the enee1 Vn NAV
Georgia was anxious to secede from Inc
Confederacy and so bring the war to an
earlier close, but was kept III the league
through the intervention OF MIR. Davis.
Sherman reiterates the charge oil favorlt-
ism shown by Mr.. Davis in the choice
of military commanders, and quotes an
article from Richmond paper to prove
that Mr.. Davis meditated strong measures,
and abused the power cOniided 10 hlm, ana
was one cause why the war was not ofoush1
10 an end at much earlier day. Sherman
also refers to letter which he mao reau,
but which was subsequently returned TO the
person from whom he got it, that would
show, if it were published, the inotdina'e
ambition of Mr.. Davis, aud his determ'ha'
ton, if necessary, 10 use force against one
of the Confederate States under CERTAIN
given circumstances. Mr.. Davis mas denieo
categorically that be ever medltatea sucn q
measure; and called upon Sherman ior MS
proofs. The letter upon when sherman
claims to have founded his accusation not
being forthcoming, the proof lails TO Tue
ground. There is really uothlng cohnrma-
Tory Of the charge made by hun 10 h's iong
communication on the subject addressed TO
the Secretary of War.
Yesterday, as stated in the GAZETTE the
subject Of the controversy was brought p
in the Senate, when long debate ensued,
part of which was given in cur Washington
letter. After that report eloo"d
@.ME. ingalls,, whose right to a seat, was
he leans over, nasalIy and with offended
arose in which Jefferson Davis was involved
the democratic party would always be found
on the side of Jefferson Davis and contlDu-
ing said that the Southern Senators had
always Endorsed him, always approved his
course, and had declared that there Was
nothing wrong in his record that would
convince posterity that he was not man
of honor and patriot" His loyal ears"
were much offended and it was not "an
agreeable statement to men who had been
on the other side Of the great controversy
to say that Jefferson Davis was an honora-
able man and patriot. 1t did not sound
we'll to be told that among the people
whom we were called on TO recognize as
bEothers, united by the bouds of &C.
mented union, there were millions of peo.
pie to-day that loved Jefferson Davis"
He had heard the Senator from Missouri
(Mr. Vest) frequently allude with some
thing of apparent pride aud satisfaction to
the part he played in the politics of the
Southern Confederacy and dwell upon the
fact that Jefferson Davis was beloved by
the Southern people, and that he had been
actuated by the sentiments of man of
honor and patriot. Continuing, he said
that $50 far as theState of Missouri was con-
cerned Mr.. Vest had not been accredited to
the Confederate Senate, rs the State of Mis-
souri, had not been out Of the Union, and in
the name of the loyal people of Missouri he
Ungals) protested against the seuti
ment which he had heard SO oiteu expressed
by Mr.. Vest. AS to the immediate con-
troversy under discussion, Mr.. Davis had
called Mr. Sherman liar That was the
plain English Of it"-And, tie might have
added, about the truth.
Mr.. Sherman, brother to the general, very
modesty and veracity arc
not his besetting sins-puL in, and con-
cluded his diatribe against the South with
the sanctimonious expression: Whenever
in my presence Jefferson Davis is treated as
q patriot, must enter my solemn protest
war are called in question, must assert |
that it was a causeless rebellion, entered |
upon with bad motives, and that all men
who led 10 that movement were traitors to
this country of ours"
Having vented their spleen and express
ed the latent hatred and fear Of the South
and its people, these super-zealous loyalists
when
Mr.. Lamar rose and said he would have
given his vote in silence had il not been for
The remarks of the Senator from Ohio (Mr.
Sherman). That speech was marked by
aagrant inaccuracies in the statement of
The issue between Gen. Sherman and Mr..
Davis. The issue between these two dis
,inguished men was not that which the SEN
.tor from Ohio had represented, aud the
ssue existing between them had not by that
Senator been brought to the attention of
he people of the North. According to the
publications in the press, and which went
lot only to the extremities of this nation,
,ut to the extremities of civilization, the
question was not merely that the secession of
he Southern States was the result Of con-
piracy. That question, as the Senator from
ohio Mr.. Sherman) had properly aiked
vas question of historical truth, and was
o be ascertained and decided by the facts
f history as read by future generations.
Whether it was conspiracy of few ambi-
ious individuals, or the uprising of whole
eople to preserve, as they thought, their
and their institutions, was
uestion which he Mr.. LAMAR was will.
az should be RENTED TO the verdict ,
f posterty. No Senator had kinder 9
ceilings for General Sherman, or more
asnact for his military sapacitv mr. penins | 4