The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-07


10 re with them wnere danger was to be
bEaved and glory won. Thought to find that
place which / believed TO bs better suited
70 my capacity-uhat OF an officer in the SER
vice OF the state of Mississippi"
CHOSEN PRESIDENT OF THE cONFEDERACY.
On Feb. 4. 1861, the confederate congress
met az Montgomery, organized a prOvis-
lOnal government for the seeded states,
and on Feb. 9, by a unanimous vote. elected
jefferson DavisP resident Of the confederate
states OF America. He arrived at Mont
gomery on Feb 10, and was inaugurated on
Feb. Is, Alexander II. Stephens of
Georgla having been inaugurated as
Vice PRESIDENT about a week earlier. There
can be no doubt that in this selection of the
president Of the confedsracy the congress
! ratlned the previous choice of the southern
people, who almost unanimously regarded
Mr.. Davis as the mal best fitted for the
position by ability, character, and political
and military experience. He selected for
his cabinet Robert Toombs of Georgia as
| Secretary of State, Leroy p. Walker of
Alabama as Secretary of War, Charles G..
Memnlnger of South Carolina as Secre-
tary OF the Treasury, Stephen r.
Mallory of Florida as Secretary of the
Navy, Judah P. Benjamin of Louisiana as
Attorney General, and john n. Reagan of
Texas as Postmaster General. The last
three continued in the cabinet as long as
the confederate government maintained its
existence.
AT RICHMOND.
On May 20 the confederate government
was transferred from Montgomery to Rich
mond, and few days later Mr.. Davis fol-
lowed it. On the journey to Richmond he
was received with every demonstration of
popular favor and exultation, and his first
days in the new capital were de-
voted nf
and speeches to the multitude. An army,
commanded by Beauregard and Johnston,
bad been gathered in Northern Virginia
In July the union troops advanced toward
Manassas, and were routed in the battle of
Bull Run. Mr.. Davis left Richmond on
the morning of the battle, intending to take
command in person; but the victory was
won before he arrived.
PRESIDENT BY POPULAR VOTE.
In November, 1861, presidential election
was held throughout the confederacy, and
Mr.. Davis was chosen President for the full
term Of six years, and Mr.. Stephens Vice
President. On Feb IS, 1852, the first con-
gresS under the permanent constitution of
the confederate states assembled in Rich
mond. On FEB. % Mr.. Davis was inaugu-
rated President
THE WAR PERIOD.
From that time until the close of the war
MIR. Davis life was so interviewer with that
OF the coufederacy that it would not be
possible to give brief sketch of that part
of it that would do his memory justice in
the brief space of a newspaper article. In
deed, it would be necessary to give pretty
fair history of the war to convey a clear
idea of the part that Mr. Davis had in the
confederacy. His life during the war
period was one of constant anxiety and in
cessant toll, and it is a source of wonder
that he bore SO well the immense burdens
that rested upon him.
MR.. DAVIS DEPARTURE FROM RICHMOND.
On April s. at S p. M, attended by his
personal staff, members Of his cabinet and
several other officials, his family having
gone southwark several days before, Mr..
Davis left Richmond on the train for Dan
vile.
When the news arrived that Gen. Lee had
surrendered to Gen. Grant, Mr.. Davis and
his party then went by railroad to Green's
boro, N. c. Here he met Johnston and
Beauregard, who told him it was useless to
continue the struggle. From Greensboro
he proceeded to Charlotte, where he re-
manned about a week
He then went south, and was captured
near Irwinsville, Ga, May 10, 1865.
HIS SUBSEQUENT CAREER.
where he arrived May 49, and where ne
was confined for two years. In May, 1867,
he was brought before the United States
circuit court at Richmond on a charge of
treason, and was admitted to bail
He made a brief stay in Richmond,
where he was well received by the people.
and went thence to New York and Canada.
In the summer of 1868 he went to England,
mercantile house in Liverpool having
offered to take him as partner without any
capital. On arriving in England he
became satisfied that the offer was
one which he had best not accept.
He made q brief visit to France and soon
returned to America. At the term of the
United States circuit court held in Rich
mond in December, 1868, a noyIe prosequi
was entered in his case, and he was accord
inglY discharged. He was included in the
general amnesty of Dec. 25. 1868. After his
discharge he lived for time in Memphis,
Tenn, where he was president of life
insurance company. From there he re-
turned to his native state, and at Beauvoir,
his delightful homo on the Mississippi
sound, he spent the declining years of his
life.
His life at Beauvoir was very secluded,
and was spent with his wife and Miss
Winnie, his daughter, whose devotion to him
was marvelously loyal and sweet. He
seldom left the quiet of his home, but
looked after his plantation, Brierfelds, and
sought solace from the detraction of his
enemies in his library and in affectionate
correspondence with his friends. 1t was at
Brierfields that he was taken sick, as had
happened on almost all present visits
to that place, the air being unhealthy. On
his return from Brierfieids on his way home
he was able to journey no further than New
Orleans. He was taken to the residence of
his lifelong friend. j. U. Payne, and died
there. His last hours were cheered by the
presence of his devoted wife. His daugh-
ter, however, is in Europe, where she went
with friends several months ago.