The Portland daily press., 1889-12-07
THE LEADER OF The LOST CAUSE.
Death of jefferson Davis in the City
of New OrIe ans.
People of the Southern States Give
Evidence of Their Sorrow.
The Event not Officially Recognized
In WashIngton-EnRIish opinion.


breathed his last at AS this morning, sur
rounded by his friends and relatives. His
end was peaceful. From the beginning of
his fatal illness Mr. Davis had insisted that
his case was nearly, or quite, hopeless,
though the dread of pain or fear of death
never appeared to take the slightest hold up
on his spirits, which were brave and even
buoyant from the beginning of his attack.
He was taken sick while on his way to this
city, suffering from chill during the pas
sage down the river. Arriving here he was
at once taken to the house Of Mr.. Payne,
never to leave it alive. At 6 O'Clock last
evening, without any assignable cause, he
was seized with a congestiye chill. which
seemed to absolutely crush the vitality out
Mr.. Davis that the violence of the assault
soon subsidized for lack of vitality upon
which to prey. From that moment to the
moment of his death, the history of his case
was that Of gradual sinking. Att o'clock
Mrs. Davis administered some medicine, but
the .ex.president declined to receive the
whole dose. She urged upon him the neces-
sity of taking the remainder, but, putting 1t
aside with the gentlest of gestures, he whis-
pered: "Pray excuse me-" These were his
last words. Gradually he grew weaker and
lose consciousness. Lying peacefully upon
his bed, and, without any trace of pain in
his look. he remained for hours. Silently
clasping and tenderly caressing his wife's
hahd with undaunted spirit, he
awaited the end. From the moment of the
dread assault of the cOngestive chill, those
gathered around his bedside, who had been
watching and noting with painful interest
every change of symptom for the past
month, knew well that the dread messenger
was even at the door. About 10 30 o'clock
Associate Justice Fenner went t. the French
Opera House to call to Mr.. Davis's bedside
Mr.. and Mrs. Farrar and Mrs. Stamps. As
soon as the message reached them they hur-
ried to the bedside of the dying president.
BY 11.30 O'Clock there were assembled in the
Bickam. Associate Justice and Mrs. Fenner,
Miss Mamie Smith, grand niece of the dying
eX-president, and Mr.. and Mrs. E. FL. Far
rar. Finding that Mr.. Davis was breathing
somewhat heavily as be lay upon his back,
the doctors assisted him to turn upon his
right side. He lay in this position until he
peacefully passed away.
Miss Winnie Davis, daughter of the late
Jefferson Davis, is in Paris with Mrs. Pulit-
Zer. Mr.. Davis's son-in-law is in Colorado
City,. Mrs. Hayes, another daughter. who
tanned last night at Fort Worth. and is not
to be in the city until Saturday
Judge Fenner and Mrs Farrar
have the-affairs of the dead Confederate
leader in hand.
mayor Shakespeare has lSSu6u u pTOcldmd-
tion announcing Mr.. Oavis's death, and in
yiting the presidents of the various exchanges
and commercial bodies and number of
prominent citizens to meet at the city hall in
order that proper arrangements may be made
for the funeral. The mayor says: 1T is
the people of the city of New Orleans the de-
parture from this life of Jefferson Davis. He
needs no eul0gy from me. His life is history
and his memory is enshrined in the heart of
every man, woman and child in this broad
South. We all loved him and we all owe him
honor and reverence"
1t has been decided that the body will be
from the residence of Mr., Payne
tonight, to the City Hall, where it will re-
main until Wednesday next. Governor
Nichols having been notified of Mr.. Davis's
that all business be suspended on the day Of
.he funeral. Mr.. Davis's remains will be
deposited temporarily in the vault of the AS
ISOLATION of Confederate Veterans. A meet
committee, to arrange the details of the fu-
neral
Jefferson Davis was born in Kentucky, June
3, 1908. During his childhood his father re-
moved into the State Of Mississippi. In 1924
he entered the U. S. Military Academy at
West Point, where he graduated four years
afterwards. The first part of his military
career lasted seven years, during which pc
ri0d he served with distinction against sew
eral hostile Indian tribes. Resigning his
sippi, married the daughter Of Gen. Taylor,
afterwards President of the United States,
and became cotton planter, until 1843, when
he interested himself in politics as a Demo-
crat, and took prominent part in the cleo
tion of Mr.. Polk. He was returned to Con-
gress In 1845, and took part in the debates on
The tariff, the Oregon question:" "mili-
tary AFFAIRS" aud upon the preparations for
the Mexican War"
Upon the breaking out of this contest he
was elected colonel of the Mississippi regi-
meut of volunteers, when he resigned his
seat in Congress and joined the army of
Gen. Taylor on the Rio Grande. He was en-
gagged at the storming of Monterey, and in
the battle of Buena Vista. At the close of
the war he was offered by President Polk
but declined it on the ground that the ap-
p0intment to such offices belonged to indi-
vidual States only, and not to the federal
executive. In 1847 he was elected senator
from Mississippi; in 1850 he became chair
man Of the committee on military affairs, lana
was distinguished by the energy with which
he defended slavery. aud by his Jealous ad-
yocacy Of state rights.
In 1851 he resigned his seat in the Senate
to enter upon a canvass for Mr.. Franklin
PPierGie who; upon being elected
Secretary of War. He introduced impor-
tant reforms into this department, and the
military service generally. He was again
elected as senator in 1858; but the election Of
Mr.. Lincoln in 1860, and the consequent Sc
cession movement, caused him to withdraw.
When the movement received shape and
form, he was chosen provisional President of
the Confederate States, Feb 4. 1861, inaugur-
ated Feb %, and elected as President for six
years in 1862. After the fall of Richmond,
President Davis, while endeavoring to make
his escape, was captured at Irwinvile, Ga,
May 10. 1866, and rel aimed a prisoner for
two years in Fortress Monroe, awaiting a
trial He was released on bail in the summer
of 1867, and was included in the general am-
nesty of Dec. 25 1868. After his release he
visited Europe, and on his return took up his
residence at Memphis, Tenn, where he be-
came president of = life insurance company.
he has occupied himself in part in writing
"HiStOrY of the Civil War" which was nuh-