Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-12-11
DEATH or JEFFERSON DAVIS.

DEATH OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Tho Leader Of the Southern Confstlcraoy
Passes Away Mt New Orleans-I Last Hours
81 the Dying Mana sketch OF His Long
and Evcntful Career.
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 6. e Jefferson
Davis, President of the Confederate
States, died at the residence Of his life
long friend, j. u. Payne, at 1913 o'clock
this incoming.
Shortly before s o'clock in the even
ing Mr.. Davis was attacked by severe
congestive chill, followed by high fever.
The attack was sudden, and up to that
moment Mr.. Davis was no worse than he
had been atany time during the last week
or ten days. .5.ss Dbl "a Is.
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 necessity of taking the
remainder, but, putting it aside
with the gentlest Of gestures, he whis-
pered: Pray excuse me-" Those were
his words. Gradually he grew weaker
and weaker, but never for an instant
seemed to lose consciousness.
BY 11:30 o'clock there were assembled
In the death-chamber Mrs. Davis, Drs.
Chaille and Bickham, Associate Justice
and Mrs. Fenner, Miss Mamie Smith,
grand-niece of the dying ex-Presi
dent, and Mr.. and Mr.. E. H.
Farrar. Finding that Mr.. Davis
was breathing somewhat heavily az
he lay upon his back the doctors as.
sisted him to turn upon his right side.
With his cheek resting upon his
right hand like a sleeping infant and
with his left hand dropping across
his chin he lay for some fifteen
minutes breathing softly but family.
More and more feeble became his res
pirations till they passed into silence
and then the watchers knew that the
silver cord had been loosed and the
golden bowl broken.
HIS CAREER.
Jefferson Davis was born June 8 1903 IN
that part OF Christian County, KY, which
now forms Todd County His father was
Georgia cavalry during the revolution. When
Jefferson was but an infant the family
moved to place near Woodville, Miss.
where young Davis began his education.
later entering the Transylvania College, Ken
lucky. In 1924 he was appointed by President
Monroe to the United States Military Acade-
my, from which be graduated in 1923, and was
assigned to the First Infantry. He served in
the Black Hawk war of 1922, and March 4.
1888, was promoted to be First Lieutenant OF
Dragons.
June 81, 1885, after more service against the
Indians, he resigned, eloped with the daughter
Of Zachary Taylor, then a Colonel in the army,
and settled near Vicksburg, Miss, as
cotton planter He remained here
quietly until 1913 when he entered
politics and made reputation as a
popular speaker. In 1915 he was sent to Con-
gress, where he at once took an active part
in debate, especially with reference to
the preparations for the war with
Mexico. In June. 1915. he resigned
his seat in the House to accept the
ColOnelcy OF the First Mississippi Volunteers.
and at once moved to reinforce General Taylor
on the Rio Grande. His record in this war was
an excellent one. He charged fort at Mon
terey without bayonets and led the command
through the streets nearly to the Grand Plaza
May "a, 1s47, his regiment was ordered home
and he was made a Brigadier- General by Presi.
dent Polk, but declined the honor In August he
went to the Senate. where he became Jealous
advocate of State rights. In 1851 he re-
signed his seat to become candidate for
Governor Of Mississippi. but was defeated at
the polls. Agar later he supported Franklin
Pierce for the Presidency, and as q reward for
his la5ors was made Secretary of War; He in
creased the standing army. improved the
equipment and made many changes in the tao
tics. a.sg.@.t#E -..-,-. -
was again sent to the Senate and became the
Democratic leader. Many OF his speeches dur.
ing this time contained strong Union senti.
ments, but December 10, 1860, he made q
speech in which he carefully distinguished be-
tween the independence which the States
had achieved at great COST and the Union,
which had cost little time, little money and no
blood" thus taking his old State-rghts posi-
ton. January TO- 1861 he made another speech,
asserting the right Of secession and urging that
the garrison be withdrawn from Fort Sumter.
January "a being officially informed that Mis-
sissippi had seeded January 9, he withdrew
from the Senate and went to his home. He
was at once appointed Commandcr-in Chief OF
the army of Mississippi, but February IS, 1851.
he resigned that office to accept the Pcesi.
dency of the Confederate States. In his
inaugural address he said that me
cessity, not choice" had led to Sc.
cession. November 10. 1861, he was formally
elected President for six years and was duly
inaugurated February q, 1862. Before that he
had held the office by virtue Of appointment BY
the Provisional Congress-.
December aS 1862 he issued a procla-
nation in retaliation for the emancipation
proclamation Of President Lincoln. In
this he declared that General B. F.
Butler was felon, anu ordered that all com.
misstOned officers serving under him. as well as
all serving with slaves, should be treated as
robbers and criminals deserving DEATH"
In January, 1885, he sent three commissioners
to trent with the United States Government.
but their mission was unsuccessful There
was temporary outburst Of enthusiasm, but
1t soon died away, as the Union armies con.
tinued to advance, and more and more dissatis-
faction was expressed. In his last message to the
Congress-March IS lS85-Mr. Davis asserted
that the Confederacy had ample means to meet
the emergency and April 2, less than a month
later, he was obliged to evacuate Richmond
He was captured near Irwinsville, Ca, May
10, and taken to Fort Monroe Nav &
1860, he Was indicted for treason by grand
jury In the United States District Court for
Virginia, sitting at Norfolk under Judge Tn.
derwood. May IS. 1857, he was admitted
to bail In the sum Of 100000 He was
never brought to trial. nolle proseuui
being entered by the Government December,
1883 After being given an enthusiastic recep-
t1on in the South, his imprisonment having
silenced all opponents, he went to Canada
and then to England. Returning he became
president Of q life-insurance company in
Memphis. In 1879 Mrs. Dorsey, of Beau