The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1889-07-06
VOL. XXXV.
,rs9DEsr JEFFERSON DAVIS.
,,e.cc Tourgee, n south Hater
",a n glitter Republican Has to
Say of Him.

say VI AAi"'
4, il many years since TIE Bystander
o,e-he has much belabored by many
y % people for writing it, too-"What
osbipgton would have been to the peo-
of The American colonies had the
rolution failed, Jefferson Davis will
be to the people Of the late Confeder>
states while he lives and to their
;ldren after he shall die" When he
ne to see it in cold type he could but
m;t that it seemed extravagant Per-
lbs it was. ro
That N newspaper which perhaps more more
lam anyother journal claims to soeah
ith omniscient infallibility, said IN re-
rd IN the matter that"in less than twen>
vaars the name of Jefferson Davis VIII
anathsmatized throughout the South
|lv less yirul,ntly than that of Bene-
ot Arnold has hitherto been by the
merican people," The twenty years
up and more, but the anatneha
nh was to become so universal at the
nth has materialized only on the lips
few ouerulous soreheads whom his
ministration of Confederate aifaifS
anced to displcase.
~
instead of bsing ansthematized Or de
ed by them, the octogenarian Presi,
# W Of the late Southern Coutederacy oc-
ninv a place in the esteem of tho South,
noonle which is peculialy tender and
Ferentia. The Bystander has never
en- an admirer of Jefferson DAVIS: ne
never regarded him as great man,
n he has sometimes been moved to
press contempt for his ability as
tesman ard leader, and no! seiaom
II his conduct as man. He has long
3 en- of the opinion that if q man OF
Etonewall Jackson's nerve had COM
anded the Confederate armies, and one
oual ability had administered the
vii affairs of the Confederacy, its brll>
hnt struggles for existence would not
Ave been a failure. AS the administra'
We head of the Confederate Govern
lent. MI Davis was u failure and must
so adiudged by the impartial histo-
an It is, of course, hard test to ap-
" to any mans career, but success is
he only measure of public mans value
The circumstances attending the down
hi of the Confederacy added nothing
his fame, while they detracted some
THAT from the artistic quality OF his ca
her. TiIvro 10 sonaothins striking ana
Fanatic in the surrender of Lee, clad
4 his hest uniform, booted, spurred and
kantleted with the utmost care; IN the
destruction of his papers, and his lone'
silent ride to the home to which the
! kerms OF his parole required him at once
10 repair But of Jefferson Davis part
! n the string events of those last days,
little can be said that is creditable to
the position he had occupied or the
fame he had won.
-"
i So, too, his life since tina time, though
m has not merited much OF lhe criticism
which has been bestowed upon it, has
hot been of sufficiently notable charac"
@er to add to his renoun at the one
Up esident of that nation whose quad
|Aenniate of life. must ALWAYS remain one
IN the most important epochs in the
Eworlds history. His alterations with
various civil and military subordinates
nave been at least undignifed: the tone
bt his literary work has been even un'
6worthy of the distinguished position he
held: his words to his conquered people
not been of such breadth, wisdom
#and sagacious foresight as to commend
Ehim to the appreciation OF impartial cFit'
Hes and his occasional utterances to adj
|mirers have very frequently been OF
|character to obscure rather than to ciou(
/ his fame.
Yet with all this, some things must il
fairness be said for the aged chief OF thu
Confederacy. He has been consisten
and resolute in the maintenance OF hi
4 views OF government. Some years ago tn
gBystander took the pains to collect ant
Il collate all the votes and speeches OF MI
Il Davis as a member Of both houses OF tn
National Congress, It was a useless Ia
bor ezsept from the fact that he desire
to fill out aud complete his own menta
picture of one of the most notable me
of his time-a man who has occupied q
anomalous position in the worlds hlsto'
ry. As a result he does not hesitate t
say that one making such study an
at the same time revivifving in his men
ory the sentiments of that time whe
the tempest brooded over our land, ca
not help feeling of respect for the eVl
dent sincerity and ability of the ma
who was afterwards to stand on 6
strange pinnacle. From his belief in IL
constitutionality of secession, the right
eousness of slavery, and the justice
the Confederate cause, he has never II
an instant wavered, from his earlie'
speech in the House of Representativ
to his latest letter, in which he conf
IDENTIFY appeals to the future fore Wind
cation of his views and conduct. Whf
he then believed he still believes: Ol
cannot question his sincerity.
-.
It mus. also be admitted that, con
paratively speaking. justice has hard
been done, Mr.. Davis either by I!
Government of the United States or Il
people Of the North. As promoter
secession he was no more notable
blamewor,hy than Toombs. Vance
Rhett, and hundred Others, AZ ret
he was no more guilty than Lee and
thousand Others. His position as t
administrative head of the Confedera
was mere accident resulting from co
ditions over which he had no contr
rather than the result of his own cxt