Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-01-15
In INV inaugural address | asserted that

free commerce with all the world; that the
constituent parts, not the system of govern
| ment, had been changed.
The removal Of the troops from Fortress
| Moultrie to Fort Sumter, the guns of which
| threatened the harbor Of Charleston, and
the attempt to throw reinforcements into
that fort-thus doubly breaking the pledge
that matters should be kept in statu quo
constituted the occasion as we'll as the jus
tification of the opening of fire upon Fort
Sumter. Speedily following this even
came the call for large army by Mr.. Lin
coin and the secession of other southern
States as the consequence of this unmistak-
able purpose of coercion.
| Virginia, which had led in the effort, by
peace conference, to avert national ruin,
when she saw the Constitution disregardsd
and the purpose to compel free States By
military force to submit to arbitrary p, rg-
passed an ordinance Of secession and joined
the Confederate States.
l. Shortly after this, as authorized by the
Provisional Congress, l removed the Con-
federate capital from Montgomery to Rich
mond.
| Among the many indications Of goodwill
shown when on my way to and after my ar
rival at Richmond was the purchase of a
very fine residence in Richmond by leading
citizens. 1t was offered as a present, but,
following rule that had governed my ac-
tion ic all such cases, 1 declined to accept it.
l continued to live in Richmond until the
Confederate forces were compelled to with
draw from the defences of the capital.
That event was not quite unexpected, but
it occurred before the conditions were full
I filled under which Gen. Lee contemplated
to retreat. After Gen. Lee was forced to
surrender, and Gen. Johnston consented to
do Sc. started, with very few of the men
who volunteered to accompany me, for the
| trans Mississippi, but, hearing on the road
that marauders were pursuing my family,
whom had not seen since they left Rich
mond, but knew to be en- route to the Florida
coast, changed my direction, and after
| long and hard ride, found them encamped
and threatened by a robbing party. To
give them the needed protection travelled
with them for several days. until in the
neighborhood of Irvinville, Ga, when 1
supposed could safely leave them. But
hearing about nightfall that party of ma.
rauders were to attack the camp that night,
and suppesing them to be pillaging desert
ers from both armies, and that thu Confed-
crates would listen to me, awaited their
coming, lay down in my travelling clothes,
and fell asleep. Late in the night my
colored coachman aroused me with the in
telligence that the camp was attacked, and
stepped out of the tent where my wife
and children were sleeping, and saw at once
that the assailants were troops deploying
around the encampment. SO informed my
wife, who urged me to escape. After some
hesitation consented, and servant wo-
mau started with me. carrying b4cket as
if going to the spring for water. One of the
| LII
demanded my surrender. l advanced to-
ward the trooper, throwing off shawl
which my wife had put over my shoulders.
The trooper aimed his carbine, when my
wife, who witnessed the act, rushed forward
and threw her arms around me, thus de-
feating my intention, which was, if the
trooper missed his aim, to try to unhorse
him and escape with his horse. Then, with
everv species of petty pillage and offensive
exhibition, was taken from point to point
until ipcarcersted in Fortress Monroe.
There was imprisoned for two years be-
fore being allowed the privilege Of the writ
of hobeas csrpus.*
st length, when the writ vas to be issu-
ed, the condition was Imposed by the Fed
eral Executive that there should be bonds
mon influential in the Republican party
of the North, Mr.. Greeley being specially
named Entirely as matter of Justice and
legal rigt t, not from motives of personal
regard, Mr.. Greeley, Mr. Gerrit Smith, and
other eminent northern citizens went on my
bond.
To May, 1867, after being released from
Fortress Monroe, l went to Canada, where
my older children were with their grand
mother; my wife, as soon as permitted ,hav-
ing shared my imprisonment, and brought
our iofant daughter with her. From time
to time obeyed summonses to go before
the Federal Court at Richmond. until final
| ly the case was heard by Chief Justice
Chase and District-J Judge Underwood, who
were divided in opinion, which sent the
case to the Supreme Court of the United
States, and the proceedings we're quashed,
| leaving me without; the opportunity to vim
dictate myself before the highest Federal
court.
After about years residence in Canada
1 went to England with my family under
an arrangement that was to have sixty
days notice whenever the United States
Court required my presence. After beiLg
abroad in England and on the Continent
about year l received an offer of appoint
pointment as president of life insurance
company. Thereupon l returned to this
country and went to Memphis aud took
charge of the company. Subsequently |
came to the Gulf coast of Mississippi as a
quiet plaza where could prepare my work
on sThe Rise and Fall of the Confederate
Government" A friend from her infancy,
Mrs Dorsey shared her home with me, and
subsequently sold to me her property at
Beauvoir, an estate of five or six hundred
acres, about mid way between Mobile aud
New Orleans. Before had fully paid for
this estate Mrs. Dorsey died, leaving me
her sole legatee. From the spring of 1876
to the autumn of 1879 devoted myself to
the production of the historical work just
mentioned. 1t is an octave book, in two
volumes Of about 700 pages each. have
also from time to time contributed essays
to the North american Rsviep and Bel
ford's MagGzine, and have Just completed
the manuscript of "a Short History of the
Confederate States of America" which is
expected to appear early in 1890.
Since settling at Beauvor have persist
emily refused to take any active part in pol
itics not merely because of my disfranchise-
meut, but from belief that such labors
could not be made to couduce to the public
good, owing to the sectional hostilities man
ifested against me since the war. For the
same reason hsve also refused to be a
candidate for public Office, although it is
we'll known that l could at any time have
been re elected a senator of the United
States.
have been twice married, the second
time being in 1874. to a daughter of Will
liam B. Howell, of Natchez, son Of Gov.
Howell of New Jersey. She has borne me
six children-four sons and two daughters.
My sons are all dead; my daughters survive.
The elder is Mrs. Hayes, of Colorado
Springs, COL, and the mother of four chill
dren. My youngest daughter lives with Us
at Beauvoir, Miss. Born in the last year
of the war, she became familiarly known
as THE daughter of the Confederacy."
JEFFERsoN DAVIS.
Beauroir, Miss, Nov, 1889.
sFor fuller account of my arrest see state.
merits of United states Senator Reagan, w. r.
Johnston, President Tulane University; F. Il.
Lubbock. Treasurer of Texas; B N. Harrison,
of Nau oft