The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-22
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
As a Nan and a Gentle
man.
a STUDENT AND LiTTERATEuR.
His Beck Upon the war sad Has Favor
tie Asshors-Ths stery Of His
Plantation.
= STUDENT AND LITTERATEUR.
View YORK wcrsA.

View York worIA.
WAsHiscTox, Der. s--The death az JEFF
eFscn Davis Is the chief subject t,f gassp
among the Statesmen af Washington. H@
record ~ president Of the confeaeracy \
hssiIag discussed. ard IA addition to that
tliere are many quiet estimates OF jefferson
bAsis, the man. IL IL wonderful what 4
hold he has kept on the South. aud the
leading southern senator's speak Of him
With praise and admiration. Senator
George. OF Mississippi, said 70 me the other
night that he thought Davis would have a
Tar different character in history than that
nov accorded him, and this Is the opinion
ct Senator Reagan, Of Texas. senator
1eoFEe SAYS that be was q private IN Col
ofiei Davis company during the Mexican
war, and be describes Davis as one OF the
hnesf-iooking and one OF the ahlest officers
ne had ever known. Senator Reagan
speaks IN high terms of his character as a
great military ofheer. and he once told me
tfiat had be had the choosing of the pyesi-
dent OF the Confederaey be would have
voted against him, as he thought that
uayis was especially fitted for the head OF
the army. Senator CockreIl speaks in the
highest terms of Jefferson Davis as seho-
lar and general. and hear on every side
remarks as 20 his wide reading and cgassi-
Cal scholarship. After his graduation at
West Point he entered the army. bat after
wards resigned and settled near Vickshnrg,
Miss. Here he spent ten years in study
arid reading before he entered upon his
political career. and Senator Reagan tells
me that he was an excellent French and
German scholar
As literary man Mr.. Davis win not
rank a. the equal Of many OF the writer's
Of the rebellion. His book upon the wer
WIS not financial success ~ far al he was
concerned. II sold al over the South. but
hsd little circulation throughout the North,
mainly on account OF the anti Northern
views expressed In IL Ii vas published
by y. Appleton a Co., and there was some
trouble about the sale. Mr.. Davis thought
the Appletons did not treat him fairly. and
4 was said that the Appletons cleared
more than $4,000 ont Of the work, while
Mf. Davis did not get one-teath Of this
sum. Mr.. Davis was assisted in writing
the book by Major ". WalthaIl. who was
20 receive salary OF $3.50 month from
the publishers for aiding in It's compost
ton. Mr.. Davis dictated il TO MIR. Wall
thai. and am told that he preferred 10
use an amanuensis in his literary work 10
writing il himself.
| was At Fortress Monroe few weeks
ago. and | saw there the cell in which JEFF
isIson Davis was confined after che war
closed. He carried Oh his stadies while he
was ia prison, and be then read Macaulay's
History Of England and re-re.ad BAN
crhfts History of the United States
Daring the first days OF his Imprisonment
he was allowed nothing bat the Bible. bat
other papers aud books we're soon given
hlsns and he spent the greater part OF his
time In reading. He was ! ana told, a man
web yersed in English literature, and he
said not long ago that his favorise author
was Sir Walter Scott. lie regarded Byron
as the greatest Of poets. and he said that
the striking feature la Byron's works is
that whenever he renders quotation from
the classics he improves IL so much as TO
make il his own. Speaking OF Moore. he
considered him the perfection OF harmony.
and Burns was the greatest poet OF human
feeling the world has ever known. Mr..
Davis was very fond OF fsulsxer, and he
novelists.
Senator Reagan says that the scope of
Jefferson Davisss knowledge was very wide
Hia learning seemed 20 cover all subjects.
and nc could talk on astronomy, geology.
and the ether sciences not with the super
fetal words of the amateur. bat with ali
the learning Of the advanced professor.
Senator Reagan especially admires him as
an English scholar. and. referring 20 his
state papers. says he considers them med.
els Of elegant diction. "He was. says he.
IAN entertaining talker. and when away
from the cares OF state BEE was a most de-
lightsul companion. and loved by all who
knew him Women and children were es-
I~cially attracted 10 him, and al who be-
came acquainted with him were charmed
with him"
Throughout his private letters to his
friends there are many expressions which
20 TO show that his heart continued tender
as his years went on. Just before the war
he wrote 10 q friend. describing the eondl-
tiosl ai the North and advising his friend.
by Nil means, not Go send his hovs % school
al q Northern college. lie concluded the
letter rs follows.
keep John and Andrew at home there
Il no need they should so above Baltimore
for their schooling
And then after lev words continued
ssMy mind often goes back To the old
days. when we we're laughing and huTrah-
sne car lives away oys. for the little time
whaiIy happy. | never see 4 yaung hare
foot that nv heart does not warm 10 him.
aud white the old-Fashioned BOY survives
aaat Snl have hope abundant.
Aud old Aunt Raeh%I~tiod grant Der peace
- Is vet alive and with your 10 Yea re-
member how she used "a serimp herself zt
ainnsr 80 exc Gus seuls fayorite Kitchen
saislig sally Yes. She's gone
An honest woman il in heaven. tlnee
wss sure she wSS going 70 he your wife.
ard thea was certain that she Sas bound
- be mins All. love Of eur callaw days
It was only last noath she vas hurried.
Cousin salty 10 the end. Her life wAs nos
sn iey. she sFua down sood many thorns.
fear. Her pseoT husband. as tod goa
long ago = IN poosheuse. mad. tie quts
his nalpst pennslesS more tbSa year AKA
hat. 10 yea know I've ofsen re-
GREETED that | asd rot take 20 the cloth for
lsfss fhs i1te q 4 ooausFy parson. life at
ssSe, bat stsil X eaFaszisess, reckon wosssd
sait nae hettes than any ether levaane II
al she wuEk5 =