Wichita eagle., 1889-12-08
A PERSONAL DEPRESSION.
Faults of Administration Urged Against
President Davis.

President Davis.
And here the biographer Of Jefferson Da-
Wis is compelled to take notice of contro-
versy which went on in a quiet way during
the war and more openly afterwards, till it
reached furious climax, and is still waged
with much bitterness. Without indorsing
the harsh philippines of Edwin Pollard aud
Gen. Thomas Jordan, or even the milder
criticisms of Gems. Johnston and Beauregard,
Federal and Confederate may now agree
that President Davis made two serious
should one say fatala-rnistakes: the one was
common to him and nearly all the leaders on
both sides, the other peculiarly his own. 1t
was a manifestation of that spirit which is
often praised as the quality of always
sticking to ones friends"-a very amiable
quality indeed in a private man, but one
which in a ommander-in-chief in time of
war may be criminal folly. A most IN
happy instance is thus set forth by Gen.
Thomas Jordan, chief Of staff to Gen. Beau
regard:
"Mr. Davis had been at West Point, and
subsequently, served for several years in the
dragons at a frontier post with a Lieut. Nor
throp, to whom be became attached. The
latter was disabled by an accident, went to
his homo and turned parish doctor. Mr..
Davis became in time politician. Lieut..
Northrop grew so eccentric and full OF mental
crotchets as to be generally regarded in
Charleston as of unsound intellect and unfit
for the management of bis own small affairs.
He had not served long enough IN the army
to acquire familiarity with military admins
tration; neither had his avocation in Charles
ton brought him in relation with men engaged
in large commercial affairs This man, with
whom Davis had no personal association since
they were cavalry lieutenants together on the
Indian frontier, he did not hesitate to make
his chief Of subsistence, nor scrupie 10 intrust
with the organization and administration OF
a bureau upon which The very existence or
the Confederate armies must depend, and for
the labors Of which it is apparent the sound
est practical order Of intellect was essential"
1t would be easy to find Confederates of
high rank aud approved judgment in mill
tary affairs who still look upon this appoint
ment and two others as the main causes Of
the downfall Of the Confederacy.
WHO FoREsAw A LONG WAR;
As to the other charge 80 psrsistently urged,
that Mr.. Davis YVES mot able to compre-
bend the proportions OF the struggle impend-
ing" the obvious answer is, Who wasl A
few, a very few, thoughtful men in the north,
who drew their conclusions largely from his
tory, predicted long and bitter struggle; in
the south it is exceedingly doubtful il there
were fifty men who believed the contest
would outlast year. L there was one who,
from the beginning, anticipated four years
war, he succeeded admirably in concealing
his views That President Davis, his cabinet
and all his advisers shared the current delu-
sion that the war would be short and It's thea
tire confined principally to the coast and the
border between the two sections, is certain
Such belief was the parent Of many errors
In the first place. it was estimated that the
south had almost arms enough, and the first or
der sent 70 Europe was for but 10 go Enfield
rifesl Before the blockade could be made
effective it was urged that the Confederate
government should take the cotton and to-
bacco, Of which a large stock was still On
hand, issue bonds to pay tie owners, export
the stuff to Europe and make it the bass Of
a fund TO draw upon The owners generally
were willing. and the effect would have been
tremendous. At the same time considers
BILE amount Of foreign exchange in the banks
was offered 10 the government On favorable
terms Both propositions were rejected or
ignored. and the golden opportunity soon
passed. never TO return Il should be noted
also that the legislation o. the provisional
congress, and of the first session Of the rega-
lar congress ss Richmond, shows the same
lack OF perception as 10 the greatness Of tie
impending struggle.
On the Federal side Of tbs line much Of the
fro;h and nonsense about "a sao-. war" was
swept away BY the battle q Ball Run: tie
rest was done for q. Shiloh After tee latter
thoughtful men both north and south made
up their minds that the issue was 70 be tens-
ciously fought 10 close Tue north erred
often IN expecting great and decisive victo-
ries: tics south quite - q:.sS.ic expecting