Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-12-13
WAR SECRETARY DAVIS,

His Able Administration of the War De-
partment.
March 4, 1858, President Franklin Pierce
named Col Jefferson Davis as secretary of
war. That of Pierce was strong cabinet,
and secretary Davis was certainly among the
strongest men in it, Men of all parties agree
that his administration of the war depart
ment was marked by ability and energy, and
many old officers testify that of all secre-
taries in their time Col Davis was Save for
his quarrel with Gen. Scott most popular
with the army. He reorganized almost the
entire service, drafted a new code of army
regulations, introduced the light infantry
rifle system of tactics, tried the experiment
of camels for transportation on the south
western deserts, added four regiments to the
regular army and improved the entire sys-
TEN of sea coast defenses. He also had the
boundaries between Mexico and the United
States fixed accurately and secured the cons
plete survey and almost the adoption of the
southern route for Pacific railroad. He
sent Capt George B. Mcclellan and two
other officers to the Crimea to study the mill
tary tactics of the armies there i'm 1S5f5,
and was SO pleased with their report that he
retained warm personal feelings for them
even through the civil war.
At his retirement from the cabinet In
March, 1857, the legislature of Mississippi had
elected Mr. Davis as United States senator
for the term to close March 4, 1868. He
plunged at once into the heated debates of the
time, maintaining the rather extreme southern
view, and with an ability and courtesy which
elected warm praise even from his foes. The
editor of Harpers Weekly has this sketch of
him in 1858:
''In the north, Col. Davis is regarded
somewhat unjustly, perhaps-asa type of the
southern fire eater. Many persons who have
never seen him fancy him quarrelsome, petu-
liant, hot headed, turbulent. His appearance in
the senate does not justify these views. A prim,
smooth looking man, with a precise manner,
stiff soldierly carriage, and cold expression;
his head fuller, seemingly, of statistics and
hard, dry principles tha4 anything else; his
voice cool and firm, without tremor or eA-
element: he is the last person a spectator
would pick out as the fire eater In MS own
country be is intensely beloved, chiefly from
his kind and gentle disposition. He is man
of whom Mississippi may well be proud"
He also took an active part in opposing the
French spolation bill and advocating the
southern route for the Pacific railroad. He
led the so-called "Lecompton party" in con-
gress in opposition to Senator Douglas, and
in debate with the latter propounded the once
celebrated queries and propositions which
drew from the Illinois senator his famous
theory as to the right Of a territorial legisla-
ture to adopt "unfriendly legislation" against
slavery, and his article in Harper's Magazine,
which set forth the creed of the douglas
Democrats" The breach was now complete
Meantime, in the summer Of 1858, he made
q tour for health and pleasure through tbe
eastern states, delivering several addresses
in which the warmest attachment to the
union was avowed-always, however, with
proviso, expressed or implied, that aggres
sons upon the south would certainly be met
sgsth resistance. Some of these addresses
have strange s4und now. In letter &C
knowledging an invitation TO loil in 8 jQstaa
celebration Of the birthday Of Daniel Web
ster in January, 1859, he wrote:
~ send you my cordial greetings to the
friends Of che constitution, and ask to be en-
rolled among those whose mission is, by fra
ternity and good faith to every sonstitII
tional obligation, to insure that, from this
Aroostook to San Diego, from Key West te
Puget sound, the grand arch OF our political
temple shall stand mistaken"
DID WAR BEGIN IN 1859?
An event was at hand, however, which wa.
30 nrecipitate the conflict-namely, the en-
terpriss Of John Brown A million southern
men and women vino had laughed ct the ide.
of danger from northern aggression" wer.
suddenly converted saying, as one of then
expressed it, "We can no longer live in peace
with ihs pqrth; our allies have become oui
enemies, and we nias5 seek release from thu
connection while we can do so with safely
The feelings of jefferson Davis for the mex
fifteen months may be gathered from the fol
lowing letter, written at the close of the dis
cusson to ii, ig lopg time friend, ex-President
Pierce:
WASHINGTON, D. e., jan &C. 1854
My DEAR FRIEND have often and sadly turned
my thoughts to you during the troublous tnes
through which we have been passing, and now
come to the hard task of announcing to you thai
Inc hour is at hand which closes my connection
with the UniGed stalas. for the independence and
union Of which my father toiieG aAG ig The service
of which have sought to emulate the exaltpis
he set for my guidance Mississippi, not as :
matter of choice but of necessity has resolved tc
enter on llla trial of secession. Those who have
driven her to this eitsFIatiye threaten to deprive
her of the right TO require thai bsr gogeramenI
shall rest on the consent of the governed, TO sub
stitute foreign force for domestic support, to re
duce state 10 the condition from which the col
ony rose. In the attempt 20 aE2id the issue which
had been Joined by the country, the pregsnt al
ministration has complicated and preciptated
gbe question. Even now, if the duty ito preserve
the public propardy'' }sas rafiQnay regarded, the
probable collision at Charleston Mq4lld be avoided
Security far better than any which the Federal
troops can give might be obtained in considera
lion af the little garrison of Fort Sumter, If the
disayowal Of any purpose TO coerce South Caro-
lima be sincere, the possession Or q waFh ta cpm
rland the harbor is worse than useless.
wbaa Lincoln comes in he will have but to con
tnue in the path ef his predecessor to inaugurate
civil war, and leave & soi-disent Democratic ad
ministration responsible for the fact. Gen. Oush
ing was here last week, and when he parted il
seemed like taking a last leave Of a brother.