The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-12-07
AT THE WAR IMPAIRMENT,

wall Of the Chief Clerks room, which
Immediately adjoins the office OF the Sec
retary, ills surrounded by portraits Of
other ex'Secretaties, including Simon
Cauerou, General schoflsld, and Messrs.
Floyd and Conrad. II bears the follow
ing inscription: Jefferson Davis, SeCre-
taFy Of War ls53.57, Pierce's Admins
tration.
There was no crepe about the portrait
and the flag over the building which has
always been half masted on the death 0i
an ex.SecreIary to-day floats IN good
bre[ze from It's usual place at the top oi
the staff.
Secretary Proctor, was seen this morn
ing and asked what course the Depart
ment would pursue In regard TO Mr.,
Davis death: VI see no occasion for
any action whatever. 1t would sub.
serve no good purpose that eau see.
'Tis better 10 let the matter rest In obll'
Won, sleep, lit will, and to relegate to
the past, than 10 do anything that would
revive memories that should be forgot
ten.
Several army officers in talking about
the case, approved the Secretary deter.
mination TO ignore the matter and said
there was really no other course 10 take
in view Of the fact that the citizenship
Of Jefferson Davis has nsver been re-
stored.
DAVIS AS A SENATOR
Thsre are not many persons about the
capital now who were there when Jelier.
son Davis was in the Senate thirty
years ago. Mr.. E. v. Marphy, one Of
the official stenographers of the Senate
was boy, Just beginning shorthand
work, during the latter part Of Mr. Davis
political career under tho National
Government. He remembers MI.
Davis we'll and speaks Of bin very.
highly
"Ile was" said Mr. Murphy, "a ner.
vous, energetic speaker and very im.
pressiye. he spoke rapidly aud tOrCibly
and as II he were thoroughly in earnest.
This earnestness and force made him
highly effective. IlB was leading man
In the Senate aud gave every ono who
saw him the impression that he was a
born leader. He was not a demagogue
and would always take the unpopular
side Of any question when 10 believed
he was right. In his speeches in the
Senate he was not nearly 80 outspoken
q secessionist as his colleague, BruwD, OF
Mississippi, appeared to fear that Davis
would stand better With tip people OF
Mississippi tlan himself and iot that
reason took very radical toms In his
southern speeches. But when tho time
for accession came, he could not
make u farewell address. Brown burst
into tears in tue Office Of the SECRETARY oi
tne Senate and said he could not do 1t.
The galleries were crowded when Davis
made his farewell address, with young
southern ncn aud boys. Davis was the
leader OF the South and Judah 2. Denja ~
min was It's orator, There were tx.
citing times, but there was never such u
scene us when Benjamin. made his fare.
well speech, The galleries were packed,
and when Benz njAmin ended by. saying:
"The South will never EurrenderJ never,
never, never" handkerChieis were
waved aud thrown into the Senate
Chamber and there was an outbreak
such as | have never saen in the Senate" I"
his PERSONAL QUALITIES.
Speaking OF Mr.. Davis personal quail.
tics, Mr.. Murphy said that he was cour.
teous and kind to all. "Hegave stran.
gers" said Mr.. Murphy, "the impres.
sion that no was reserved and pnRp.
proaChnbe, hut this was not so. His
quick, nervous temperament made him
easily nettled, aud when he was disturb.
ed hG would sometimes make u sharp
Fetort, but would apologize for II the
next moment. He stood very high In
the estimation OF Senators on both sides
OF the chamber. Ills long aud varied
service, and his practice Of entertaining,
gave him a wide acquaintance. III those
days most Of the Senators aud members
lived in hotels aud boartliug.houses,
Money was not so abundant aud many
Of them lived In quarters which CIV
ernment clerk would DOT now occupy.
"DRvls, Slidell and few others Werp
the only Southern men who kept house
and they entertained in luxurious
manner for those days, although II would
not be thought 90 now. reCOlleut
particularly how kind Mr.. Davis was TO
all tho employees about the Senate. lle
knew them oil personally and would
ask after them and after their families
when they had any. He Conplimented
the Slenographic reports Oi the Senate
He was fayorlte with all the employees
for another reason, and that was because
he would always ondcavor to SECURE
extra compensation for them"
"several years ago, Mi. Murphy wrote
10 Mr., Davis In regard TO two pictures,
which friend had secured al d sale Of
tho collection Of Il picture dealer NAMED
I.amb. The history Of the piytuteI I'm de
Il probable Lh9t they bud belonged to
MI. Davis, A lOttOf ifinI liiia vas ~,
Ceiyed by MI Murphy 10 which hO said
that the pictures had been stolen from
him and that liz hal had too much OK.
perlenCs with plllagO dufldg tho war TO
LnY back hiB nfODefLV tWlcu"