The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-12-12
DEATH OF JEFFERsoN.pAv

DEATH or JEFFERsoN.n DAVIS.
The Leader of tho Southern ceassaer.ey
Passes Away ut New Orleans-Last Hours
Of the Dying Mana Sketch. Of Hls Loag
and Eventfdl Career.
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. Jefferson
Davis, ex-President of the Confederate
States, died at the residence Of his life
long friend, J. q. Payne, ut 1916 O'Clock
this morning.
Shortly before 6 o'clock in the even
ing Mr.. Davis was attacked by severe
oongestive chill, followed by high fever.
The attack was sudden, and up to that
moment Mr.. Davis was no worse than he
had been at any time during the last week
or ten days. .-... :.
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 1880 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 as
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 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 int 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 3, 1903, in
that part of Christian County, Ky., which
now forms Todd County. His father was
Samuel Davis, and he had served in tho
Georgia cavalry during the revolution. When
Jefferson was but an infant the family
moved to q place near Woodville, Miss,
where young Davis began his education
later entering the Pennsylvania College, Ken.
lucky. In 1924 he was appointed by President
Monroe to the United States Military Acade-
my, from which be graduated in 1928, and was
assigned to the First Infantry. He served IN
the Black Hawk war OF 1881 sc, and March 1.
1888, was promoted to be First Lieutenant Of
Dragons.
June 30, 1885, after more service against the
Indians, he resigned, eloped with the daughter
OF Zachary Taylor, then Colonel in the army,
and settled near Vicl5sburg, Miss, as
cotton planter. He remained here
quietly until 1s4s, when he entered
politics and made a 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, 1885, he resigned
his seat in the House to accept the
Colonelcy OF the First Mississippi Volunteers,
on the Rio Grande. His record in this war vas
an excellent one He charged fort at Mon.
terey without bayonets and led the command
through the streets nearly to the Grand Plaza
May q, 1e47 his regiment was ordered home
and he was made Brigadier- General by Presi
dent Polk, but declined the honor In August hs
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. A year later he supported Franklin
Pierce for the Presidency, and as Q reward for
his labo1s was made Secretary OF War. He in.
creased the standing army improved the
equipment and made many changes in the tao
TICS
At the close Of President Pierce's term he
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, 1850, he made q
speech in which he carefully distinguished be.
tween 1.-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 rights posi-,
tion. January 10. 1851, 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-
slssippi had seeded January 9, he withdrew
from the Senate and went to his home, He
was at once appointed COMMANDMENTS Chief of
the army of Mississippi, but February ls, 1861,
ne resigned that office to accept the Presi
dency Of the Confederate States. In his
cessity, not choice" had led to Sc.
cession. November 10, 1861, he was formally
elected President for six years and was duly
lnaugurated February 22, 1862 Before that he
had held the office by virtue Of appointment by
the Provisional Congress.
:: December %, 1862, he issued q procla.
nation in retaliation for the emancipation
proclamation Of President Lincoln In
this he declared that General r. F..
Butlef a fo10n hot
missioned officers serving under him, as we'll az
all serving with slaves, should be treated az
robbers and criminals deserving DEATH
In January, 1866, he sent three commissioners
to treat 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
10, ls65-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 Irwinsviile, Ca, Nav
10, and taken to Fort Monroe. Nav 4
1865, he was indicted for treason by grand
Jury IN the United States District Court for
Virginia, sitting at Norfolk under Judge Un.
derwood May 10. 1857, he was admitted
to bail in the sum Of 100000. He was
never brought to trial. nolle proseoui
being entered by the Government December,
1858 After being given an enthusiastic recep.
tlon In the South, his Imprisonment having
silenced all opponents, he went to Canada
and then to England. Returning he became
president of life-insurance company in
Memphis. In 1870 Mrs. Dorsey, of Beau.
vofr, Miss, bequeathed him her estate.
and there he has since resided, occasionally an.
pearing to make a speech in some Southern
CITY. he was excepted from bill restoring DO
ltlcal rights to those who took part in the re-
bellion and excepted from bill pensfonino
veterans Of the Mexican war, it being charged
that he was responsible for the horrors of An,
Jacksonville.