Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-04

tHe receipt ora New YORK herald con-
tainlag an account Of the mill
tarY forces of the Confedera-
cY, so detailed and so accu-
rate that Congress proposed to order an
investigation on tine ground that mo one
IN subordinate position, without assist
ance from higher authority, could have
prepared such paper as that published
IN the Herald" Always ready TO assist
the Federal army, the so-called Union
men" OF Richmond were valuable auXili-
aries as spies and as secret enemies to
the Con ederate cause. The haheas COR
pus was never suspended by President
Davis, but only by act OF Congress, and
then only for limited time and tor spe-
cifc circumstances. On one occasion
department commander did suspend the
writ, but his conduct was disapproved
and he was relieved.
1t is fact not generally known that
two attempts were made during the
war to assassinate Jefferson Davis while
riding out in the suburbs of Richmond.
The first time he was fired upon, at dusk,
from some bushes. The second time his
woulc-De assassin fired from house,
which was surrounded, and the culprit
was captured while hiding between the
ceiling and floor OF an upper story. He
proved to be German spy in the pay of
the Federal government. He was impris-
oned, but by the aid of the writ OF habeas
corpus he was soon released, his counsel
being paid in gold. He was again ar
rested under the conscript law and sent
to Gen. Lees army, where all trace of
him is lost. 1t ia believed by Mr.. Davis
and others that his attempted assassina-
ton was melted by those in authority at
Washington. SIS
Mr.. Davis referred to the circumstances
attending Gen. Lees crossing the Poto-
mac during the Gettysburg campaign and
the march into Pennsylvania. He as
sumed the responsibility for that move
ment OF the Confederate army. He says:
1.-The enemy had long been concentrating
his force, and it was evident that il they
continued their steady progress the Con-
federacy would he overwhelmed. Our
only hope was to drive HIM to the defense
of his own capital. and we being enabled
In the meantime to reinforce our shattered
army. How well Gen. Lee carried out
that dangerous experiment need not be
told. Richmond was relieved. the Con-
federacy was relieved and time was OBJ
tanned, if other things had favored to
reinforce the army" During the
war;" Mr.. Davis says, ''Gen. Lee was
ever conscious of the inequality of the
means at his control; but it was never his
to complain or to utter a doubt-it was
always his to do. When IN the last cam
paign he was beleaguered at Petersburg,
and painfully aware Of the straits to
which he was reduced, he said: with
my army in the mountains Of Virginia
could carry on this war twenty years
longer HIS men exhausted and his sup
plies failing, he was unable to carry out
his plane. An untoward event caused
him to anticipate the movement, and the
army of Northern Virginia was over
xuhnlVnod SsCan I 90 w phurna1 with
want OF dash,'" says Mr.. Davis, land
wish to put on record the fact that never
knew him to fater TO attempt anything
ever man could dare"
After speaking in the most exalted
terms of Lee and Jackson, their mutual
confidence In each other, and their prompt
cooperation, be said: ''They supple
mented each other, and together, with
any fair opportunity, they were abso-
lutely invincible."
He gave me some interesting incidents
concerning the fight he witnessed at Fra
zier's farm, one Of the Seven Days bat
ties around Richmond. Early In the day
he met Gen. Lee near the front, and at
once accosted him with "Why, General.
what are you doing here? You are in too
dangerous position for the commander
of the army" 81 am trying" was the
reply, "to find out something about the
movements and plans of those people.
But yop must excuse me, Mr..
President, for asking what you are
dong here, and for suggesting that
this is no proper place for the
commander-in-chief of all our armies"
sob. l am here on the same mission that
you are" replied Mr.. Davis, and they
were beginning 70 consult about the situa-
ton when 'gallant little A. P. Hill"
dashed up and exclaimed: "This is no
place for either of you, and as commander
of this part OF the field l order you both
to the rear" I'VE Will obey your Or
ders," was the reply, and they fell back
short distance, but the FIRE grew hotter,
and presently A. p. Hill galloped up to
them again and exclaimed: "Did / not
tell you to go away from here? And did
you not promise to obey my orders? Why,
one shell from that battery over Wonder
may presently deprive the Confederacy OF
the President and the army OF Northern
Virginia OF it's commander" And with
other earnest words he finally persuaded
the President and Gen. Lee to move back
to a more secure place.
Speaking of his responsibility for the
war. Mr.. Davis said: II was but one OF
the vast body Of the South, and no more
responsible ttan thousands of others.
The war would have taken place without
me as inevitably as it did with me. 1t
was one of those things which was sure
to come in the progress OF events, and In
solving the great problems Of government
upon this continentD He expressed
the opinion that the abolition OF slavery
would prove an ultimate good TO
the country; that il was a manifest
advantage to the white race, for ii would
lead to the development OF the South,
increase her industries, divide up her
great landed estates, and multiply her
manufacturing and mechanical indus
tries. From the advantages Of climate
alone he thought the future of the South
more promising than that OF any other
section OF the country He says he ac-
cepts the situation as decided by the srb-
trament of the sword: that he ia very
hopeful of the country; that be does not
believe that there is any existing cause
for sectional arrangement, or that there
can be any hereafter. In discussing this
topic be talked rather as a spectator re-
viewing things from n distance, in which
he bad neither part nor lot.
AS said in my previous letters, he has
no ambitions or aspirations for himself,
but seems deeply solicitous for the vel
fare and prosperity Of the whole country.
He said one Of the results OF the war al
ready apparent was that the South was
less dependent upon the North than here
tofore: for while sne would supply the
great staples OF cotton, rice and sugar as
before, the people had begun to produce
a greater variety of crops for thor own
use than ever before, and they would
o,.r,uaHu con,pafa xuii n 0thar aaotfOne IN