Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-04-23
THE CONQUERED BANNER.
Continued from first page.)

what was their surprise to hear Mr..
Davis proceed to unfold a daring plan
for making another fight With glitter
ing eyes, with voice and gesture full of
command and confidence, he began by
saying that they should never give up
until terms had been obtained to secure,
at least, the property rights of the south
ern people. They could rally right at
this point, rally the people Of the coun-
try, gather recruits armed with shot
guns If necessary, and with the troops
at their disposal fight back the enemy
and demand formal guaranty before
surrendering. If defeated, they could
then retreat into Mississippi, the country
having been given time to pull itself to-
gether, and another struggle could be
waged there. But there was no respon.
sive echo to Mr.. Davis enthusiasm.
Every member of the cabinet sadly
shook his head. The troops were even
then breaking their company ranks and
making for their homes. Finding him
self overruled, Mr.. Davis took no fur
ther part in the discussion, and leaning
back, covered his face with his handker-
chief.
Breckinridge was occupied until late
in the night arranging papers and sign
ing discharges for such of the officers
and men as desired to return home.
Benjamin alone preserved his accus-
toned serenity, and it is believed that he
had in his possession the great seal of
thn Ton faHarntn Gtatoo about r.
there has been much heated discussion.
A few days later he left the party, with
the intention of rejoining them in the
trans Mississippi departments. Continu-
ing his journey across tho Savannah
river, the surrender of Gen. Johnston
having meanwhile taken place, Mr.. Da-
Wis dispensed with his larger escort, and,
with ten gentlemen who insisted on re-
naming as his body guard, passed on
through Washington, Ga.
The incidents of Mr.. Davis release
have been graphically described by
George Alfred Townsend, and from his |
letter written for The Chicago Tribune
are made the following extracts:
II took the regular steamer at Balti-
more, and at daylight Fortress Monroe
was disclosed, with the flag of the recov-
cred country lazily waving above the
parapet. We waited half an hour, and
then l saw walk down the plank road
way from the fort, with military Off
Ger on one side of him and lady on the
other, n thin, bent, gray haired, unim-
posing, village looking man in suit of
homespun gray or lrab jefferson
Davis. A couple of soldiers Jagged be-
hind, and altogether there were not q
dozen people on the wharf in sight be.
side these. Mr.. Davis did not come
directly out to the boat, but loitercd
there awhile in the warm sunshine of
that quiet Saturday talking to Gen.
Duncan and Mrs. Davis, with the smile
of sick man convalescent playing on
his face.
"What should the United States do
with jefferson Davis? At law he might
be hanged. Who would hang him? The
pulse of the country fluttered and every
body wanted somebody else to take the
"At that moment of irresolution a
man in New York obeyed an impulse
which solved the problem. Horace
Greeley took the public mind off jefferson
Davis and became the best abused man
in America. The most prominent man
In the north wrote his name to the bond
Of security. Monday morning the United
States granite building was the town
1.-THE grand jury was composed of
whites and blacks. John Minor Bolts was
IN the jury--a big bellied, hail fellow,
farmer, politician, two-thirds demagogue :
md one-third obstinacy, with the var
lish and veneer of eloquence over all;
alker by profession, who boosted that he ,
iad never read book since boyhood,
,ut lived on newspapers and other slim. ,
ilants. saw there Charles OConor,
md another who next to Jefferson Davis
vas the cynosure of every eye--Horace
Greeley. He was to u great extent the
eigning influence in that presence, and
Underwood, the judge with whom lay
he option Of taking the bail paid much
more respect to Horace Greeley's inten.
ions than to Mr.. Davis, After the bond
vas signed, as Mr.. Greeley stepped back
owards pillar where he had first stood.
ir. Davis rose from his chair with q
milo of respect and reached out his
and, bowling like one under deep obi /
ations, and fully accepting the act in its
enevolent spirit. Mr.. Greeley took the {
and without speaking, and the action ,
lsted only portion of a moment"
Gerrit Smith, another famous Abo- S
zionist, and Charles O'Conor then went c
trough the Formally of afiixing their s
ames to the bozd, ard jefferson Davis q
hen stepped forth free man. l
F. O. DE FoNTAINE. l