The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-05-27
BIRTH OF THE CONFEDERACY,
A GLANCE BACK TO THE DAYS OF
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO.

and tho First Cruiser.
WASH. Letter to tile Neao York World
''No, sir, was not with Mr.. Davis
at Montgomery this week to hear him
pronounce what you are pleased TO call
the funeral oratiCn Of the Confederacy.
1 was there with him twenty-five years
ago and heard him make a speech
much more cheerful. 1t was his inau-
pural as Prcsidcnt--thc baptismal SER
Vice YOU might call it-of the Confed-
cracy. | was one of the marshals
aids on that occasion, and represented
South Carolina"
The speaker, chatting with group
of his friends in the parlor of the
National Hotel, was Col. Henry ID.
Capers, of Georgia. He has been here
for several months and his erect figure
and gallant bearing arc much re-
marked. lie was private secretary of
the first Confederate secretary of the
treasury, and his "reminiscences Of the
babyhood Of that short-lived Govern
mcnt arc an interesting volume. The
bittcrcst Northcrnor cannot begrudge
the pathos in the spectacle Of Jefferson
Davis, Il solitary old man, grey and
feeble, standing up to speak in the
memorial service of the rebellion,
upon the steps Of the very Capitol
where he first stood forth its chief, in
the prime Of his manly strength and
the first flush Of its hopes, on the 18th
February, 1861. How many he must
miss of the high-hcartcd, hot-bloodod
Southern chivalrv who stood proudly
around him that day!
The 18th of February, 1861, was a
beautiful Southern day, SAYS Col.
Capers. The sun bcamcd down on
the natal occasion like a happy father,
and q soft southwest wind was lifting
the leaves of the magnolia that twincd
with the laurel in many large fcstoon
about the Corinthian columns of the
capitol. An immense concourse of
people gathered to the inauguration,
but SO solemn were the ceremonies
and so earnest were the people, that
Col. Capcrs, sitting on horseback in
the outskirts of the thron%, heard dis
tinctly every word of the eloquent
opening prayer Of Dr. Manly. The
venerable divine and Nicc-Prcsident-
elect Stephens rode in the carriage
with Mr.. Davis, and Howell Cobb,
president Of the convention, admins
tered the oath Of office. sMr Davis
spoke lis inaugural quietly, but dis
tinctly, and upon taking the oath
raised his eyes towards heaven and
repeated the concluding words, $50
help me God, in Il tone so strong and
clear that they could be heard by
every one present. There was a re-
ception that night and brilliant ball
{. q. Mcmmingcr, of South Carolina,
was appointed secretary Of the trcasu-
ry, and on the 2Oth Col. Capers, whom
he selected as his private secretary,
opened their Office in the Commercial
building. The accommodations were
limited, but convenient. There was a
banking office on the ground floor.
The State, treasury, war, navy and
law departments Of the new govern
mcnt settled down in the twelve rooms
on the second story, none of them very
large. Young Capers took possession
OF their office, swept out the cobwebs
and dust himself, got in a few articles
of furniture, tackled card on the
door, hired an Office boy and waited
two whole days before anybody came
to do business.
Then came Il tall, soldierly- looking,
man with an eager step and the unmis-
taxable air Of business. He wanted TO
see the secretary at once upon an i'm
portant matter He handed the young
private secretary an official note and
hurriedly said:
81 am Capt. Dcas, sir, late Of the
United States army. have been in
structcd by President Davis, whose
note band you, TO provide rations
and blankets for one hundred men
who have reported to him for duty in
the army. | want thc money, sir, to
carry out the order Of the President. !"
nl a
he was both willing and anxious the
men should he filed and covered, but
he added, shaking out q purse that
contained something iGsg than 50:
81 have been on considerable of q
frolic tor the last two weeks in Mont
gomcry, and my finances arc at this
moment pretty low. This is all the
money / ain able to vouch for as being
in the treasury department of the
Confederate States at this time"
Patriotism couldn't be allowed to 90
unfed and unblankcted, however, and
after some delay the money was raised
on tho private credit Of Mr.. Mem
minger. The soldiers thus equipped
were a company Of Gcorgians, com
manded by Capt. George Washington
Lee. They were the first body of
troops enlisted by the Conlcdcracy
When their provisional Congress
provided for It loan of 100000 "to
meet the emergencies Government" i"
they thereby provided another cmcr-
genCy. The Government had no paper
to print thCir bonds, ccrtiicatea and
notes upon. They managed to get tho
chief ingredient ofpaper money credit
very well, but stuck fast while for
lack of what is usually comparatively
valueless. The paper mills of the
South made onIy the ordinary news.
paper and tic common wrapping
paper Of the shops. The finer manu-
factories of the country lay north of
the line Of separation. G. b. Lamar,
president Of the Bank of the Republic,
in Now York, acting as agent for the
Confederate Government, arranged to
have the work done by the American
Bank Note Company, but when the
bonds and notes were all handsomely
printed and ready to be shipped the
x,n, A. IL ~