The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-12

Saviclnity of Atlanta than to that of
ssRichmond and Petersburg, and pene-
&; trated much deeper into Virginia than
%into Georgia." General John b.
g3Hood, successor Of General Johnston,
g was obliged to evacuate Atlanta on
SSeptember i. Mr.. Davis then visited
9Georgia and endeavored to raise the
ssspirits ofthe people there, and to restore
sharmony between the Confederate and
Estate governments. Governor Brown,
who had opposed the conscription aet
@continued to be hostile to the admins d
atration, Notwithstanding an interview
with Mr.. Davis, in which the latter
tried to convince him that his COM
saplaint was unjust. He reviewed and
q addressed Hoods army on September
AlS, and afterwards, in speeches made
Gin Macon, Augusta, and elsewhere,
Sgstrove to inspire the people with the
Esprit of renewed resistance, and to-
them that anhonorable peace|
swas impossible. AS is evident fromI
ssthe tone of these and other speeches,
ss;the peace party in the South was daily
strength. Besides those who
e Greatly desired peace, there were others
Sswho hoped that rejected attempt to-
81 treat with the national government
anight fire the South with indlgna::;o9 !
3 AS early as December 80, 1899, Gov.
#Zebalon B. Vance, of North Carolina,
chad written to Mr.. Davis urging nego-
citation. The latter, in his answer
Ssdated January 8, 1864, cited previous|
Eunsuccessful attempts to communicate
with the authorities at Washington,
ESand concluded that another would bel
8 undesirable. In January, 1865, how
Fever, after an interview with FraDcisI
ssssP. Blair, Sr., who had gone to Rich
q mond, unoficially, in the hope of
q bringing about peace, Mr.. Davis agreed
#to send three commissioners to confer
with the national government. The
result was an unsatisfactory meeting]
3 on steamer in Hampton roads. On|
Ethe return of the commissioners, pub
@lic meetings were held at which there
Eseemed to be return of the enthus-
Eiasm of the early days of the war.
EPeace with the independence of the
HSouth was now seen to be impossible,
Hand the horrors of subjugation by the
B ENorth were painted in gloomy colors
Eby the speakers. Mr.. Davis, always
8 Jan able and impressive speaker,
Emade what is called the most re-
Emarkable speech Of his life. But
S this outburst Of enthusiasm was
soniy temporary. The evacuation of
e HEsAtlanta has been followed by Sher-
sman's march to the sea, and Hood =
Bdlsastrous campaign in Tennessee. Gen
HHood himself said, in speaking of it,
b Ewhen taking leave of his army in Jan
Euary, 1865: II alone am responsible
sfor its conception" These reverses,
@however with Grants steady advance
Eon Richmond, and, above all, the re-
Helection of President Lincoln, had pro-
&duced growing conviction in the
ESouth that defeat was inevitable. The
@Confederate Congress then met in No
svember, 1864, was outspoken in oppo-
Rsition to the administration, and in
n january, 1865, the Virginia delegation
Eurged change in the cabinet, express
Hiug their want of confidence in its
B members. AS consequence of this,
flames A. Seddon, then secretary of
gswar, sent in his resignation.
81 In his last message to Congress,
dated March 13, 1865, while acknowl-
gedging the peril of the Confederacy,
aasserted that it had ample means of
Mmeeting the emergency. On Sun
Eday, April 2, 1865, while seated in his
Hnew pew at St. Paul's church, Rich
IS mond, he was handed telegram from
zGen. Lee, announcing the latter's
Hspeedy withdrawal from Petersburg,
gand the consequent necessity of evacu-
Eating the capital. That evening, ac-
Ncompanied by his personal staff, mem
Hbers of the cabinet, and others, he left
@by train for Danville. On his arrival
Hthere he issued, on April 5, proclaim
Aation ofwhich be afterwards admitted
Sthat "viewed by the light of subse-
Hquent events, it may fairly be said it
q was oversanguine." In it be said: ERE
alieved from the necessity Of guarding
@particular points, Our army will be free
Gto move from point to point, to strike
@the enemy in detail far from its base"
MDanville was abandoned in less than a
Hweek, and after a conference at Green's
Eboro, n. c., with Gems. Johnston and
HBeauregard, in which his hopes Of con-
Etiuuing the war met with little en-
Encouragement, he went to Charlotte,
Swhere he heard of the assassination of
EMr. Lincoln. His wife had preceded
him with small escort, and it was just
latter he had overtaken her, while en-
Hcamped near Irvinsville, Ga, that the
@whole party were captured on May 10
aby a body of cavalry under Lieutenant
HColonel Pritchard. He was taken to
HFort Munroe and kept in confinement
Hfor two years.
q On September 81, 1865, the United
Estates called on the President for in.
Hformation on the subject of his trial,
Hand in response reports were submit
Hted from the secretary of war and the
.aattorney general, their substance. being
that Virginia was the proper place for
1.-THE trial, and that it was not yet pc ssh
.aple, peacefully, to hold a United States
Acourt in that State. On October 18th