The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-12

.
spring OF 1861: been with him through th'
eventful days of those many years o
the war and the sad days that fol
. lowed; known the struggles, the hopes ant
fears OF his inner life; saw him I'm his darkest
trials; wounded his heart laid open TO me
unreservedly. and beheld the man, the mar
himself, the heart. disposition. character In
all his faith and purity and gentleDess, all
his weakness, his hrmness OF principle
his unfarnished honesty and unhesitatinR
conscientpusness, his perseverance, through
every doubt and every difficulty. his conquest
Of himself amidst the iiidignities he had u
bear. his undying love to his neighbor, be-
ginning with his own family, through all the
grndatiOns Of the society In which he
moved, tender, generous feeling towards
the poor and with bleeding heart toward
his suffering people. true to his country
true to his God. OF course. he had his
faults, he would not have been
human without them; but II was just In the
conflict with his failngs and the reality OF his
repentence the determination to deal earn
esty with himself, and not be satisfied with
"a lame 10 live without TIE power; just I'm
these eternal conflicts, open to the eye of
God, he was preserved from self-decepiiOn or
spiritual pride. and was the hum lie petit
toner for grace before the throne OF God.
| Those lonely rides which he 80 often took. |
am sure. were not only filled with anxious
thoughts about his country and plans for the
guidance and defense of his people, but | am
SURE they Ofien were the tine of sweet, hum
BILE. Trusting. praying intercourse with his
| Heavenly Father and his saviour.
| People have misunderstood Mr. Davis very
much. Before knew him, often heard him
spoken OF as "a fire EATER" but am sure he
| did not deserve that name, unless IL means
the man, firm and bold and uncomproms-
| ing, standing by what Is right even unto
date. No, he was no brawler, no demagogue,
no friend 10 violence. IL was sore trouble
/ 10 him 10 yield to what appeared TO him at
last the necessity OF secession, and wrath
cruelty, blood thiIstiness were far from him.
| His real nature was gentle. and conscience
ruled him supreme. such was The sense OF
| his responsibility, that whilst when II was
plain, decided action. ana be II the most
dangerous, was needed. he ne7rr finched.
Such was his scrupulOus conscientiousness,
| that at times. when the issue was not clear
he would stay To weigh so fully the pros AMI
cons, that this de ay at times may have In
terfered with "A success. And have reason
| TO believe n was his love and attachment for
Richmond. which caused him to confine the
troops In The trenches. rather than give up
his capitol I'm time to meet the enemy In the
/ open eds while yet there was hope In Lees
army TO cope with him.
On two OCCASIONS only sought him with
| the desire OF presenting my Views on what
seemed 10 me important cases. The time
/ had come for the permanent government To
| take the place Of the provisional. IL was
very critical time, and | felt had right
/ 10 direct the attention OF the President
10 some thoughts which any one had the
| right to give utterance to, and which !, as bis
pastor, could without ir1proprlety lay before
him. did so, supported in my view by one
/ Of the most iudiciOus men of Richmond, John
Stewart. of Brookhill. Ii was this: We were
starting upon n new epoch in the history OF
| the tonfederacy. To start Alright, AMI nope
for any lasting success, We must have The
/ favor OF God, the King OF Kings, and the
God Of battles. That was all acknowledged
by MS openly. Let MS now. wrote TO Kim. do
/ IL in good earnest! 1 reminded Mr.. Davis,
I that ali history showed that the character OF
| the ruler wns apt to become the guide or pat b
l Ia N nQnulps baf VrCnf lesson
| the historical books OF the Bible. the book OF
Kings and the book OF Chronicles, was
That las the king, so the people;
that evil examples made the people SIN. y
and that Gods Judgment will overtake both;
whilst the people OF Juda always repented
and did right whenever their King adhered
to the law, and Jehovah's blessing was unon
both. From tins | pressed the responsible
ify in this respect. and adjured him as
such at this critical point, maDfully to as
sumo this position. that as God alone can
guide us Alright and bless us, he should snow
the w9y and begin right by pressing THIS ne
cessiiy Of having God on our side on his peo-
pie in the address he was 10 make from the
Washington monumental the capitol square,
and exhorting them To unite with him In The
PRAYER for Gods favor, and solemnly putting
our welfare and success. as well the means
that should lead 10 II under HIS
holy aud righteous care ana protection.
The only other time / ventured to speak 10
him on the policy to be pursued. was when,
caused by some proclamation or some out
rageOus act on the part OF our invaders tne
people demanded retaliation and the pubic
loudly demanded this course. our interview
was most harmonious, and Mr.. Davis used
these noble words: If our enemies DO or
should do us wrong, that is no reason or ex-
cuse tnat We should do So. 100
Mr. Davis never answered II, ana IN an my
intercourse with him never referred TO IL.
But he did Uhdt I had asked him 10 30.
About this time he united himself win the
Cnuich our intercourse had become more
4 a 4ft4l =
subject Of religion: and by his wife's advice
vent To see him on the subject OF coniessing
Christ lie met me more than half way,
and expressed his desire To do 20. ana unite
himself with the Church; that he must Ds n
Christian he feit in his inmost soul. lie
spoke very earnestly and most humDly OF
needing the cleansing blood OF Jesus ana tne
power of the Holy spirit; but IN the c. n.
sciOusness OF his lnsufficieLcy felt some douDt
whether he had the right TO come.
All thai was natural and right; but soon III
settled this que.tiOn with man SO fesolute
In doing y hat he thought his outy. Dap
tized him alphabetically. for he was not GER
tain II ne had ever been baptized. When
the day OF confirmation came IL was quite IN
keeping with ms resolute character tnat
when the tishOp called the candidates 10 the
chancel he was the first To rise, ana, as IL
were. lead the Others on. among whom were
General Gorgas and several other officer
From that day, so far as | know and can
iudgs, che never looked back lie never
VOW and leaG Christian life. And so he
vent on brayely and perseverngly, even
when il became clear that hope OF success
was falling He could not leave ms posi-. re
did not lose heart. The cause lost-defeated
for "a time-he felt sure would yet bring fortn
blessings upon the country. We know what
followed and what was his cruel fate. Here
opens a page OF noble martyrdom ana patient
endurance VIII ch none can iuily IeaiHc mho
has not seen II.
Fortress Monroe. wrote 10 PRESIDENT An
drew Johnson petitioning for permission 10
visit Mr. Davis, as his pastor, ana. minis
ter 70 him.
At bishop Johns sadvice-rather against my
ludgment-it was accompanied by no argu.
ment, the Bishop saying mat suppofting II
by an argument would indicate that IL was
bv the petitioner himself not looked upon as
natural. right and proper In Itself.
Mr. Johnson deigued no answer.
In October following received commu-
nicatiOn of some friends that they thought
the time was favorable TO again make the ap-
plicaiiOn. ,,,o,,..,
aid so. but this time gave what | thought
was n full and unanswerable argument. And
il proved so. IN.
there were ladies who were acting WIN
me and upon the advice OF a judiciOus friend
they gave my paper 10 Rev. Dr HAL, rector
of the Epiphany and pastor OF MI stahioh,
: secretary of War. lie first was adverse 10
acting i'm the mater, but the ladies' begged
him al least 10 read The petition. lie ala so'
ana consented to take IL III cnarge 10 MI.
stanton, and he got me very fuli permit 10
visit Mr. Iayis as his pastor.
From that time | went whenever couin
TO see my beloved and martyred friend, ana
precious were the days and hours spent WIN
1 hin. | loved that lowly, patient, Gcd-iear-
/ ing soul. -. -, ,.ox-.
Mr. Stanton's permit must have been yer;
liberal. for General Miles, then In command,
who received me politely enough, dld not
act for more than day, after when ne De-
came very cordial and allowed all my wishes.
| He evidently asked and received fuller direc-
tions from the secretary.
| must say here that the Imprisonment IL
self was better than those who had ORDER
ed II. ,...,..t,,,o
Allat the Fortress were glad that the mug
nities of putting that man IN irons were
| stouped. even tor the honor OF the country.
The officers were all polite and sympatnetlc.
and The common sOldiers-not one of them
| adOpted the low practice OF even nlgh dieni-
/ faries and officers, who seemed TO glory ia
sneaIing of him disrespectfully In asneerlng
way As "Jef, Davis"
Not one OF the common soldiers but spoke
of him in subdued and kindly tone as MI
Davis. c.. -. ..xo,,
| on nv first visit came on Saturday even
| ing and spent n pleasant enough evening n.
| fhs quarters of Gene raj Miles, VINO profniseu
10 take me to Mr.. Davis cell next mornlnR
! sunday. but he waited till Monday morn
/ ing