The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-03-19
ty from torture and death. Vol. /

p. 60:
"They would have been captured
had not Lieutenant Davis thought OF
rigging up a sail with one of their
blankets. Fortunately, the wind was
i'll their favor, but it was very bolster
Gus. AS it was choice between Ger
tain death by the hands ofthe Indians,
or possible death by drowning, they
availed themselves of the slender
chance left and escaped. This was
one among many instances of Mr.. Da-
vis's fertility of resources when sudden
exigency arose.
"When Lieutenant Davis was on an
expedition in the neighborhood Of
Fort Gibson once, he met Washington
Irving and also Eleazur Williams, the
person who believed himself to be the
Dauphin of France. His impression
of Washington Irving was that he was
most amiable and charming man,
lamentably out of place on that from
tier, and he suspected Mr.. Irving of
secretly coinciding with him. Of Mr..
Williams he had only one memory,
and that was that he looked like a
preacher and had a measured cadence
in his speech like one."
Mr.. Davis's rose to prominence as a
statesman at once. His eloquence
was singularly impressive. Vol. l.,
PIP. 214-2I4:
"Mr. Davis speeches never read as
they were delivered; he spoke fast, and
thoughts crowded each other closely;
certain magnetism of manner and
the exceeding beauty and charm of
his voice moved the multitude, and
there we're apparently no inattentlve
or Indifferent listeners. He had one
power that l have never seen excelled:
while speaking, he took in the indi-
viduality of the crowd, and seeing
doubt or lack of coincidence with
him in their faces, he answered the
mental dissonance with arguments ad-
dressed to the case in their minds.'
On the breaking out of the Mexican
War, Mr.. Davis at once offered his
services. At the storm on Monterey
his figure was one of the most con-
spicuous. Vol. l., p. 2o4:
anticipating General Quitman,
Col. Davis, about the same time, gave
the order to charge. With wild des-
peration his men followed him. The
escalade was made upon the guns of
the enemy. Sword in hand, McClung
has sprung the ditch. After him
dashes Davis, cheering on the Missis-
sippians, and then Campbell with his
Tenneseeans and Others, brothers in
the fight and rivals for its honors.
Then was wild work. The assault
was irresistible"
1t was Mr.. Davis skill and courage
that saved the day at Beuna Vista.
Vol. l., PIP. 345-352:
"Here Colonel Davis formed the
celebrated V, which in reality was no
V, but re-entering angle. The for
nation was ordered by Colonel Davis
without the counsel or cooperation of
any officer, for indeed there was none
to advise with"
jefferson Davis twice saved the
day during the great battle which con-
quered one-half of Mexico, and made
General Taylor President of these
United States
Vol. l., P. 261:
"Mr. Davis had not long to wait
for the most signal expressions of graf
itude and homage which his State
could offer him. Gov A. G.. Brown,
within less than two months after his
return home, appointed him to fill the
vacancy in the United States Senate
occasioned by the death of Senator
Jesse Speight. His appointment was
unanimously ratified by the Legisla-
ture."
Much space is appropriately given
to Mr.. Davis's Congressional services.
The following is quoted from his
speech on the Amendment in the Or
egon Question. Vol. l., p. $50:
He said: GAS to the introduction
of slavery into Oregon, no Southern
Senator has ever asked it. The fact
that the slave is property which his
owner may carry away with him into
any part of the Union was that which
they we're desirous to see recognized.
The clause in the Constitution relative
to the regulation of commerce was a
constitutional admission that the slave
is property. 1t is because slaves are
considered property that the importa-
ton of slaves from Africa has been
carried on under the sanction of this
clause in the Constitution. The words
slaves or any other property in the
Constitution, are conclusive on this
point. If the existence of the slave as
property be admitted, what power has
Congress to interfere with it?"
Many portraits Of celebrated men
are given in these volumes. Those of
Stephens and Toombs are character
istic. Vol. l., PIP. $40, 311-357:
"He loved Alexander H. Stephens
with a tenderness that was almost pa
thetic, and was as much beloved by
him.
"They were very sharply contrasted
personally. Mr.. Toombs was over six
feet tall, with broad shoulders; his fine
head set we'll on his shoulders, and
was covered with long, glossy black
hair, which, when speaking, he man
aged to toss about so as to recall the
memory of Danton.