The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1889-12-12
WAR SECRETARY DAVIS.
His Able Administration of the War de-
paFtment.

WAR SECRETARY DAVIS.
His Able Administration of the War De-
partment-
March 4, 1853, President Franklin Pierce
named Col jefferson Davis as secretary of
war. That Of Pierce was a strong cabinet,
and secretary Davis was certainly among the
strongest men In il. Men of all parties agree
that his administration of the war depart
ment was marked by ability and energy, and
many old officers testify that OF all secre-
taries in their time Col Davis was save for
his quarrel with Gen. Scott most popular
with the army. Ho reorganized almost the
entire service, drafted n new code of army
regulations, introduced the light infantry
rife system Of tactics, tried the experiment
of camels for transportation on the south
western deserts, added four regiments to the
regular army, and improved the entire sys-
tenn of sea coast defenses. He also had tho
boundaries between Mexico and the United
States fixed accurately, and secured the COM
plete survey and almost the adoption of the
southern route for a Pacific railroad. He
sent Capt. George b. Mcclellan and two
other officers to the Crimea to study the mill
tary tactics of the armies there Gin 1S54-5),
and was so pleased with their report that he
retained warm personal feelings for them
even through the civil war.
With the events of President Pierce's ad-
ministration congress and the country may
be said to have entered in full course upon
the proceedings which led to the civil war
1t is not to be expected that any American
could at this time take diSpassionate and
philosophical view of that part Of history.
All that remains then is to recite the princi-
pal events and quote briefly the matur
judgment of friends and foes.
At his retirement from the cabinet in
March, 1857, the legislature of Mississippi had
elected Mr.. Davis as United States senator
for the term to close March 4, 1868. He
plunged at once into the heated debates of the
time maintaining the rather extreme southern
view, and with an ability and courtesy which
elected warm praise even from his foes. The
editor of Harper's Weekly has this sketch of
him in 1853:
"In the north, Col. Davis is regarded
somewhat unjustly, perhaps-as type of the
southern fire cater Many persons who have
never seen him fancy him quarrelsome, petu-
| liant, hot headed, turbulent His appearance in
4 the senate does not justify these views A prim,
smooth looking man, with a precise manner,
stiff soldierly carriage, and cold expression;
his head fuller, seemingly, of statistics and
hard, dry principles than anything else; his
voice cool and firm, without tremor or OK
citement: he is the last person spectator
would pick out as the fire eacsr.' In his own
l scountry he is intensely beloved, chiefly from
! his kind and gentle disposition. He is a man
! of whom Mississippi may well be proud"
He also took an active part in opposing the
! French spoliation bill and advocating the
ssouthern route for the Pacific railroad He
I led the so called "Lecompton party" in con.
4 gress in opposition to Senator Douglas, and
I in debate with the latter propounded the once
celebrated queries and propositions which
drew from the Illinois senator his famou:
theory as to the right of a territorial legisla
ture to adopt "unfriendly legislation" against
4 slavery, and his article in Harper's Magazine
which set forth the creed of the 'Dougla!
z Democrats" The breach was now complete
d Meantime, in the summer of 1853 he made
i a tour for health and pleasure through th'
8 eastern states, delivering several addresses
y in which the warmest attachment to th,
q union was aTowed-always, however, with
s proviso, expressed or implied, that aggres
8 sions upon the south would certainly be me
i with resistance. Some of these addresSe
Z, have strange sound now. In letter &C
q knowledging an invitation to Join in a Bostol
& celebration of the birthday of Dadiel Web
Z ster, In January, 1885, he wrote:
q II send you my cordial greetings to tn
Z friends of the constitution, and ask to be en-
4 rolled among those whose mission is, by fra
s ternity and good faith to every constitu
3 tional obligation, to insure that, from th
d Aroostook to San Diego, from Key West t
d Puget sound, the grand arch Of our pclitica
q temple shall stand unshaken."
q DID WAR BEGIN IN 1852
q An event was at hand, however, which wa
to precipitate tho conflict namely, the er
q terprise of John Brown. A million souther
7. men and women, who had laughed at the ide
q of danger from northern aggression" wer
8 suddenly converted, saying. as one of ther
.a expressed it, I'VE can no longer live in peac
s with the north; our allies have become ou
!. enemies, and we must seek release from th
a connection while we can do so with safety.
3 The feelings of jefferson Davis for the mex
q fifteen months may be gathered from the 70
8 lowing letter, written at the close of the di
q cussion to his long time friend. ex-Presiden
q Pierce:
S WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 20, 1881.
a My DEAR FRIEND-I have often and sadly turne
8 my thoughts to you during the troub!ous time
81 through which we have been passing, and now
3 come to the hard task of announcing to you ths
81 the hour Is at hand which closes my connectio
81 with the United States, for the independence an
3 union of which my father toiled and in the servic
= of which have sought to emulate the examp
y he set for my guidance. Mississippi, not as
81 matter of choice but of necessity, has resolved
q enter on the trial of secession. Those who hay
81 driven her to this alternative threaten to depriy
. her Of the right TO require that her governmeI
s5 shall rest on the consent of the governed to sui
sri it,,ta to r
a duce state to the condition from which the &C
a ony rose In the attempt to avoid the issue whic
is had been joined by the country, the present a.
~ ministration has complicated and precipitate
n the question. Even now, If the duty Ito preser,
y the public property was nationally regarded Il
IS probable collision at Charleston would be avoide
s. Security far better than any which the Feder
6 troops can give might be obtained in consider
s. ton of the little garrison Of Fort Sumter If I'll
a. disavowal of any purpose TO coerce South Car
81 lima be sincere, the possession of q work to cor
It mand the harbor is worse than useless.
s. When Lincoln comes in he viii have but to CO
"a tinue in the path of his predecessor to inaugura
81 civil war, and leave a soi-disant Democratic O.
IS ministration responsible for the fact. Gen. Gus
% ing here last week, and wher he parted
, ,& seemed like taking last leave of brother.
~ / leave Immediately for Mississippi. and kno
q not what may devolve upon me after my retur
81 Civil war has only horror for me, but whatev
r. duty, and trust be so discharged that you W
sE not be ashamed of our former connection or cea
6 to be my friend.
M Mrs. Davis joins IL kind remembrance
q Mrs Pierce, and the expression of the hope tn
s. we may yet have you both at our country HON
- Do me the favor to write to me often. Addre
81 hurricane p. O., Warren county, Miss
81 May God bless you. Is ever the prayer Of 70
ks friend, JEFF'N DAVIS.
S President F. Pierce.
Is In that fifteen months events had NOV,
@ rapidly towards the dread elimination.
81 the first Democratic convention of 1860, NJ
q Davis received some votes, Benjamin
= Butler voting for him 81 times. In t.
4; subsequent election the 1.-TWO northern cant
u dates" as MIR. Blaine styles them, received {
81 the votes Of the northern states save me
s. handful, less than 100000, while Brecki
81 ridge and Bell received tho almost solid vo
81 of the southern states. "In truth as well
e in appearance" adds Mr.. Blaine, sit was
s. sectional contest In which the north suppol
IS ed northern candidates and the south sout
3 ern candidates" "Disunion was alreaa
q completed in the hearts of the people" sa
e Tourgee, 'the sections simply fell apart