The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-03-19


were disproportionately long, and his
beardless, wrinkled face gave him the
I look of one born out of season. His
leyes were clear hazel, and had a fine,
critical and deliberate expression that
commanded attention. His voice was
thin and piercing like woman's, but
there the resemblance ended. His was
| a virile mind sustained by an. infexi-
| BILE will. I was quite near
Mr.. Calhoun, and saw him come in
supported on each side by Senator,
breathing in short gasps, emaciated to
the last degree, his eyes shining with
fever; but his eagle glance swept the
Senate in the old lordly way. Seeing
me, he gave me one burning hand as
he passed, whispering, sMy child, am
too weak to stop he passed on and
dropped into his seat"
| In the midst Of all this action and
turmoil of his public career we get
charming glimpses of domestic life.
Vol. L., p. 474:
"My husband was very fond of cul-
tivating trees and of seeing roses and
ornamental shrubs blooming about us.
We worked together in the garden the
greater part of the day, and whenever
he thought of it he laughed over one
of our two gardeners sending an order
for seeds to New Orleans, with the en-
dorsement on the outside Of the letter,
please send these seeds Immediately,
if not sooner. John O'Connor, Gar
dener.''
How firmly Mr.. Davis maintained
his sense of right, the following Incl
dent of his Cabinet career will illus
trate. Vol. l., p. 544:
"Mr. Davis expressed his inability
to agree with the President, and after
Cabinet meeting re came home and
told me the circumstance, and that he
could not recede, as he looked upon
the act as subversive of justice. He
added: i will not insist upon my
view of the matter, but l will resign
rather than embarrass the President,
or do what l consider an injustice
Late in the evening the President sent
an explanatory note, Offering to an
nounce himself responsible for the OBJ
jectionable course, and so it was set
tied"
Mr.. Davis's withdrawal from the
Senate after the secession of bis State
is given in his own words. Vol. l.,
PIP. 6S6-6s7:
Photographic intelligence of the Sc
cession of Mississippi had reached
Washington some considerable time
before the fact was officially commu-
nicated to me. This official knowl-
edge l considered it proper to await
before taking formal leave of the Sen
ate. My associates from Alabama and
Florida concurred in this view. Ac-
cordingly, having received notification
of the secession OF these three States
about the same time, on January 21st,
Messrs. Yulee and Mallory, of Florida,
Fitzpatrick and Clay, of Alabama, and
myself, announced the withdrawal of
the States from which we were re-
spectively accredited, and took leave
of the Senate at the same time"
Volume II. takes up Mr.. Davis's life
at the period of his retirement from
the United States Senate in obedience
to what he regarded as his imperative
duty to his State. There had been
rumors current that the retiring mem.
bers of Congress would be arrested.
Mr.. Davis remained a week in the
capital, but (Vol. H., p. 81
"No attempt was made, however, to
arrest any of the retiring members;
and, after delay of few days spent
in necessary preparations left Wash
ington for Mississippi, passing through
Southwestern Virginia, East Tennessee.
small part of Georgia, and North AL
ALBANIA. A deep interest in the events
which had recently occurred was exhib-
tied by the people of these States, and
much anxiety was indicated as to the
future.
cat Jackson, Mr.. Davis found his COM
mission from Gov. l. l. Pettus, as Major
General of the forces of Mississippi,
dated January IS, 1861. Then be-
gan the business of making provisions
for arms, and for the organization and
discipline of the forces of Mississippi.
Governor Pettus came to Mr.. Davis to
consult about the purchase of arms.
He thought $1,000 stand would be
sufficient. Again Mr.. Davis was very
emphatic, saying, The limit of our
purchases should be our power to pay.
We shall need all and many more than
we can get, fear Governor Pettus,
once or more during the conference,
remarked, General, you overrate the
| risk"
Of his election as President Mr..
Davis himself says, Vol. H., p. IT:
"On the next day February 9TH
an election was held for the chief ex-
ecutive officers, resulting, as l after
ward learned, in my election to the
Presidency, with the Hon. Alexander
H. Stephens, Of Georgia, as VicePres-
ident. Mr.. Stephens was a delegate
from Georgia to the Congress.
Mr.. Davis wrote of the formation of
his Cabinet, Vol. H., p. 50:
"Unencumbered by any other con-
sideration than the public welfare,
having no friends to reward or enc
mics to punish, it resulted that not one
of those who formed my first Cabinet
had borne to me the relation of close