Democratic messenger., 1889-12-14

cNpaifiutiOn ana liNcu u stranger 10 our
institutions aud died without country.
lie did no, teach or cherish resentment ;
he had accepted the highest responsible
ty and distinction o! the rebellion he
had failed in revolution and fallen with
his cause. and hc never yielded in convic.
,ior or bowed 10 cxrcdicncy.
Tie present generation knows little oi
what manner of man Jefferson Davis was.
lie is known 10 The new generation OF the
south as the chosen leader of the Contcd
cracy who Ind been imprisoned and
Inundated as the representative ol the
cause for which the South lad fought
with hcrnism that challenged the homage
of the world. and the new generation Of
the North knew him only as the Chief
Magistrate Of The Conicdcracy that gave
us hlouiy war aud countless sacrifice and
~ the persistent defender Of the over
thrown rebellion. Neither section does
even approximate justice tn Mr.. Davis,
aud only when al the passions Of the
present shal! have faded ont with the pcn
pie who cherish them. will history present
Him in liz true character. lie was not the
author ot rebellion and war he became an
integral par, nf i, from the sinccrcS, con.
,ic,inn> nor was he The implncnblr foe
Of the reunited Rcpnhlic ila, hc has ="
4. =
Mr. Davis was onc "f the most Goa.
scicmioa- of our public men. lie was
no, brirani, hut he was able, painslaking
aud csAesi in everything lie was born
cdr " and thoroughly indociriuatcd in
u rIcs Of the ultra State Rights
Nnd he became leader IN The bat,
c sovereignty Of The State at an
e. Sent 10 West Point by Prc>i
soc and graduate of the mill.
Snl of the nation. he maintained
fOds of the martinez throughout
ncnt civil career. and rs President
se Conlcdcmcy he was too much of u
!. Mry student TO ac ii successful popu.
lar ruler, AID too much of the civilian
mingled with his early military schooling
To make Him great Commander in Chief
in the Executive chair. The ahlcSi of the
Southern chieliian>, such ~ Lee and J..
T.. Johnston, did not command his hearty
sympathy. rnd when the afbilmmcnt of
The sword decided against him and his
case he was widely aud doubtless Justly
ccnsurcd in the South FOR his failures ~
President.
Mr.. Davis was not u rampan, secession.
ii in 1851. liz then boldly advocated the
right Of secession, n he hai ever done b..
fore the people aud in the House aud
Senate, but he was not ut those who pre-.
cipiiaird armed rebellion. lie sravilalcl
into il with his State and the South, and
when Mississippi notified him of her
former withdrawal from The Union. he
hldc iarcwc Ia the Senate in u spcccn
that j. memorable for lis dignity aud
pailI1s Nor did he seek the Presidency
of the Conirdcracy On the contrary while
u dozen or more were openly ambitious Ia
wear the chief lhurcls of the new Conird.
cucy tina, was founded nj Montgomery
with such imposing ceremony, he was
preferred aud called Ia the fearful trust
latausc at his sincere devotion to South.
crn conviction, 0f his ripe statcsmanship.
nf his military education aud experience
aud Oi the careful dclimraiion that ever
guided hlm in public aiiairs Having been
called 10 the grayrsi duties ~ the Exccu.
live OF the Conicdcrncy. he accepted the
task in The same conscientious apprccia.
lion oi duty that ever characterized him
in every relation of lite: and when failure
and dcsulalinm came ~ the result uf the
desperate conflict. BE- icll that hc owed il
10 his own sincere hiih aud 10 HE people
Of the South, To 1--we AID ,lc an alien 10
the government he had struggled 10 over.
throw.
Sad was the day IN the South that told
the story uf Lees surrender. the saldcsi
day Tia, ever east Us pail over that see.
linn was that which dated the murder ui
Abraham LINCOLN. In the natural temp.
csl of passion that followed, the new
President intensified the violence Of pub
lie sentiment and the fleeing President oI
the broken Confclrracy was proclaimed Il
murderons cOnspiralOr and large reward
Offered for his arrest. Unfortunately ful
the country hut fortunately for Mr. Davis
he was captured, imprisoned and suffered
wanton indignili"s and crucllics in hi.
prison life II soon became apparent that
lac was absolutely innocent of the charg,
of implication in the assassination oI
President l.inealn and II was equally
clear that there was no law that could
punish him for treason after hls govern
mcnt had been conceded hcliligrreni
rights .or four wears hut law and passion
were in conflict ai.i |, was no, until h,
had been imprisoned Tor Two years that
the government iuunC u method of .scapt
from iis avn universally confessed blum
der lie WAS then admitted To- ball In III,
sLm Of $lOO.OOO. aud records OF The Unite,
States Court at Richmond show that h,
was released from the bond only when
summoned before the Judge of all N,
living. This persecution logically avail.
ened The keenesl sympalhics Tor N.
Davis in the South, a. he WAS male a.,
sacrifice af The whole people ~ the lnsnr