Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-05-09
THE JEFFERSON DAVIS MEMOIR
The Story of His Life Written by His
Wife.

"The Memoir of Jefferson Davis"
by His Wife, published in . volumes,
by Bedford Company, New York, is
more than the mere story Of mans
life, even though that man was per-
haps the most prominent figure of
the remarkable period in which he
lived. Jefferson Davis was the heart
and head Of the C0nfederacy, the rep
resentative of those principles to up
hold which the South fought for four
years in one of the bitterest struggles
of modern times, and these volumes,
which tell the story of his career,
form also the most perfect history of
the Southern States, the most COM
plete exposition of their political and
social status which has ever been
published. Before his death Jeffer-
son Davis contemplated an autObiog-
raphy which should place his career,
his character, and his public acts be-
fore the world in their true light. He
prepared many notes and memOran-
dh, collected many letters and docu-
ments, and had made some progress
in the work when it was cut short by
his death. He left it, however, in
such shape that Mrs. Davis was en-
abled to proceed with and complete
an undertaking on the lines laid
down by her husband. The work may
therefore be said to be largely autObi-
ographical, and Mrs. Davis has wise
~ made use of Mr.. Davis's own let
ters or memoranda wherever the
scope and aim Of the work would
best be furthered thereby. But her
own part of the two large volumes is
a splendid performance, proving the
possession of rare historic genius, dis
elimination, and literary and editUri-
al powers, not only altogether excep-
tional among women, but remarkable
even among trained biographies. The
extracts given below will illustrate
the character of the work.
Volume 1. includes the period Of
Mr.. Davis's life up to his retirement
from the Senate. A comprehensive
sketch Of his ancestry and boyhoOd is
given. Volume l., PIP. 3-5.
"Shortly before his last journey t.
Briarfield he dictated to a friend an
account of his ancestry and early boy
hood. Three brothers came to Ameri
ca from Wales in the early part o.
the eighteenth century. They settled
in Philadelphia. The youngest o
the brothers, Evan Davis, removed
to Georgia, then colony of Grea
Britain. He was the grandfather o
Jefferson Davis. He married ;
widow, whose family name wa
Emory. By her he had one son
Samuel Davis, the father Of Jefferson
Davis"
In reference to his marriage will
the daughter of General, afterwarC
President Taylor, Mr.. Davis wrote
Vol. l., p. 1862:
"In 1885 l resigned from the army
and Miss Taylor being then in Ken
lucky with her aunt-the oldest sis
ter of General Taylor went thithe
and we were married in the hOus
of her aunt, in the presenceof Genera
Taylor's two sisters, Of his oIdes
brother, his son-in-law, and man,
others of the Taylor family"
Speaking of Mr.. Davis entry int
political life, Mrs. Davis says, Vol. l.
p. 1913:
1.-THE sud denness with which M,
husband sprang at once into tn
political arena, and found his ad
herents ready armed to co-Operat
with or follow him, has often been
matter of surprise. Perhaps it wa
the years Of continuous study an
calm comparisons of opinion with
wise and prudent man like his eide
brother, which gave him the certain
ty of thought that led to the tluenc
that flows from it,"
Mr.. Davis's brilliant career in Cor
gress was interrupted by the call
q arms. Vol. l., p. 246:
Y "Finally the war long threatened
e had been in due form declared bt
4 tween the United States and Mex
y co. AS the summer advanced tn
2 dreadful CALI came from Mississippi
@ for Mr.. Davis to command the Fir.
= Mississippi Regiment, which was o
s ganized at Vicksburg, and had elec
= ed him the colonel. He eagerly an
r gladly accepted"
s In summing I'D the many service