, 1889-12-12

while we expected the federal army
any day, there was no bitterness
manifested, but special prayers were
offered for the enemy and for the
protection of the homes and people
Of the South.
asked Mr.. Davis If he remem-
bcred our conversation about a plan
! for the
GRADUAL EMANCIPATION OF THE
NEGROES.
Yes, he recollected every detail.
He cordially approved of II, and
showed the difference between his
plan and mine this was in the
autumn of 1864 and requested me
to ride down to Drury's bluff and
confer with General Lee. l did so,
and found that General Lee heartily
approved of the plans. Owing to
the danger of riding fourteen miles
back to Richmond in the dark
General Lee compelled me TO sleep
III bis tent-a very embarrassing
position for me--because he would
make me sleep on his cot, while he
slept In his blankets on the ground.
The matter was submitted to con-
gress I'm n special message, and the
scheme was defeated chiefly
through Hon. X. Nj. r., Hunter of
Virginia, on the ground that the
withdrawal of 80 many able-bodied
slaves (40,OOO at tirstl who were to
he freed upon joining the army
would proba bly, leave the men In
the field without provisions. II will
be remembered that Captain Harry
Jackson offered to raise regiment
of negroes In Georgia to fight for
their freedom. | spoke of my em-
barrassment in accepting General
Lees hospitality. He said Lee was
right, as 1t would have been haz-
ardous to return to Richmond after
dark, and mentioned two amusing
instances of his being arrested while
inspecting the lines near Richmond.
The ex-president remembered my
GOING THROUGH THE BLOCKADE
to England and France, partly at
his instance--to meet the confed-
crate commissioners, recalled our
conversation I'm his library Just be-
fore | left, and was very much in
terested In my account Of long in
terview with the late Lord Derby
and other members of parliament,
I'm which Lord Derby assured me
that If he had been in power the
confederacy would have been recog-
nized soon after the seven days bat
ties before Richmond. Palmerton
was then prime minister. After
parliament opened 1 went with Mr..
Mason to Paris and met Mr.. Slidell
and Mr.. Mason, and explained the
plan for gradual emancipation. The
three commissioners agreed that If
our plan could have been carried
out the confederacy would have at
once been recognized. / mention
this simply to show the forethought
of Mr.. Davis
All this seemed to interest Mr..
Davis, because / never reported
after my return In 1865. The con-
federacy was in ruins, the president
n casemate at Fortress Monroe and
nearly all my property. destroyed
Our conversation lasted until IL Il.
NJ, when Mr.. Davis insisted on es-
corting me to the cottage where was
to sleep. a fierce storm swept over
the gulf that night, and the thunder
of the waves on the beach recalled
to my excited imagination the bonn
bardment of Atlanta in 'B4, with a
confused idea of Long Branch and
Biaritz on the bay of Biscay.
By fortunate chance the
DAUGHTER OF THE coNFED-
ERACYn
(Varina Anna Davis--"Miss Win
nie'O returned from her triumphal
visit to the North during the night,
bringing two of her friends with
her. | had seen Miss Davis but
once, when she was an infant, In
the autumn of 1854, and found 1t
difficult to realize that this tall,
handsome, highly accomplished
young woman was the little child l
had seen i'm Richmond. l do not
remember having met finer or
more charming young woman than
Narina a. Davis (named for her
mother).
During my stay at Beauvoir |
could but notice that among all
classes Mr.. and Mrs. and Miss
Davis were universally beloved and
respected, which, of course, was
only natural, as IA more gentle, high
bred and benevolent family i never
knew. brought away Mexican
cactus which, at this writing, prom
ises to develop into a fine plant In
our l.. =. Grant park.
THE BEAUTIES OF BEAUvoIR.
think Beauvoir Is one of the
most charming and restful places in
the world-tO visitors. can, how
ever, easily imagine that it may be-
come monotonous to the household
during the winter months, when
the friends and families from the
city who have cottages on the gulf
return home in the autumn, and
only casual friends, and an endless
procession of strangers-curiosity
people-call at the place and over
run the grounds and the residence,
occasionally claiming hospitality
which the slender resources of
Beauvoir can hardly meet.
Beauvoir house Is an interesting
historical locality. Ship island is
directly to the south, about five
miles from the shore. 1t was on the
landward side that de Bienville as
sembled his feet when he took COM
mand of the French possessions and
founded Biloxie--once the branch
seat of government, five miles east
of Beauvoir! At this island Pack
ingham gathered his ships before
his disastro campaign against
New Orleans. Again, II was at this
point that the fleet of General But
Ter rendezvouzed before he occu-
pied New Orleans. II Ia now
quarantine station for Mobile and