Arizona silver belt., 1889-12-14
JEFFERSON DAyEs.


 cabinet of President Pierce, and as Commissioner to the Crimea, under instructions to report upon the science of war and the condition Of European armies, and who was dfsfranchised by act of Congress and never restored b citizenship, died n New Orleans, December 9th, at the advanced age of 61 years.
 MT. Davls. on the 21st of January 1861, while a representative of the State of Mississippi in the Senate of the United States, severed his political connection with the federal govern ment and upon taking leave of that august body declared he "acknowl- edged loyalty to no other power than the sovereignty of the State of Mis- sisslppi."
 The reason that impelled Mr. Davis to take that step was because of political disappointment. He sup ported Douglass Kansas-Nebraska bill, which had for it's object the re- striction of the introduction of slavery in the TerrtsrieS9And its perpetuation in those States where it then obtained. He not only spoke in favor of the measure in the Senate but also in Faneuil Hall, Boston, when he raph- sodlcalIy referred to the Union flag, the supremacy of the federal power, the right of Congress to make new State under the constitution with such local restrictions as might seem best, and hoped the flag then over his head would forever fly as free as the breeze which unfolds it."
 That was in 1858, but his political change of base is accounted for by the presidential bee in hls bonnet, and Tn order to captlvate Northern votes he deemed it necessary to utter Union sentiments.
 He was a candidate before the Charleston convention which met in that city, April 23d, 1880. From the fact that he received only II votes, it IS evident he was not favorite with the representative Democracy, and consequently his name, after the first ballot, was dropped. By reason of the two-thlrds rule it required POP votes to elect, and after becoming manifest that no one of the numerous candi- dates could be nominated, the rumD convention adjourned to meet in Bal timofe. June 18th, 1860.
 MT. Davis was elected President of the Confederate States February 4th, 1851, and inaugurated as such four teen days thereafter. The attack on Fort Sumpter was regarded as an act of war. The succeeding acts of the respective parties of the war IS a mat ter of history, but the following from Pollard, the writer of "The Lost Cause" will he new to most men, as showing the imperious tenacity of Davis. The day of his downfall en- phasized thls.
 "The unhappy President had not yet perceived that he had lost the faculty of encouraging others, that the Southern people were in despair, and that wherever he might go he would find their countenances averted, their hopes abandoned, and their thoughts already committed to submission. But he was to reallze very shortly how morally deserted and how practically helpless he was. His first discovery ot it was at Abbeville, s. C., where oc- cured one of the most pathetic scenes in history, over which the tenderness of charity of some of the actors have been disposed to draw the curtain, committing its sorrows to secrecy.
 "Mr. Davis reached Abbeville on the 1st of May. So far he had been ac- companied by fragments of five brig ades, amounting in number to less than 1000 men, and reorganized into two battaIlons at the front and in rear of the long train, which signalsd his flight and foolishly obstructed hIs ef- fort to escape. There were already painful evidences of the demoraliza- ton of the escort, and the story told at almost every mile by stragglers from Johnston's command was not calculated to inspire them. At Abbe- vile Mr. Davis resolved upon coun- cil of war. It was composed of the five Brigade Commanders, and Gener- al Bragg (fer the year past the Mill tary Adviser of the PresidenO was admitted to the last scene of the delib- erations of the lost cause.
 ''In the council Mir. Davis spoke with more than his accustomed facility and earnestne8s, inspired by hope but without volubllity or garulousness. The commanders sad little at first, but finally combating his idea of con +;nr,,, IL 4,,o,r-lo raDoarEad that