The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-03-20
MRS. JEFFERSON DAVIS BOOK.
Interesting and Gossippy Account OF the
Confederate Chief and of Society In
Washington.
New York Suns Cri,icism.j


1885 aud 1858 that Mr. Davis may be said
to have acquired his political education,
and TO have formed the convictions, never
to be surrendered, respecting the nature
of the constitutional compact. he gave
his DAYS and nights to study of the cir
cumstances and conditions amid which
the Federal organic law was framed; to the
colonial history of the several States; to
The old Articles Of Confederation; to the
debates $50 far as they are reported) III
the Philadelphia Convention Of 1871, and
in the State Conventions which discussed
the wisdom or the expediency OF adopting
the proposed constitution. He arrived at
the conclusion that had single advocate
of the new compact dared to declare that,
once accepted, it would de ndestructIble,
and that by it the right of secession would
be annuled forever, not State would
have accepted it, Nor was he likely to
forget that, only about quarter OF cen
tury before, Josiah Quincy Of Massachu-
sets. standing forth in the House of
Representatives, had proclaimed a
State right CT secession to he inallen-
able, and. appealing from the decision OF
the Speaker who pronounced him out OF
order, had challenged and extorted the
assent Of majority to his defiant pro-
position.
Having once defined and grounded his
political opinions, Mr. Davis was ready to
deliver the faith that was in him. tic
made his entrance into political life in
1913, when ut the eleventh hour he was
invited to become the Democratic candl-
date for Governor He was defeated; but
the next wear, in the Polk and Dallas cam
paign. he was chosen one Of the Prcsiden-
tial electors at large, and soon aftcrward
he was elected to Congress, taking his
seat in the House of Representatives in
1873 1t was ut this time that MIR. Davis
married the LADY who survives him-Miss
Varina Howell the daughter of Mr.. W.
B. Howell Of The Briers," near Natchcz,
and the descendant Of q family distin-
guished in American history. She was at
least twenty years younger than her hus-
band and il is with singular interest that
one marks her first Impressions of him
chronicled in letter to her mother. ~
know not" she wrote, whether this Mr.
Jefferson Davis is young or old. He looks
both at times but believe lie is old. for
from what | hear he is only two years
Younger than YOU are. He impresscs me
As = remarkable kind of man, but of UNI
certain temper, and he has way of TAX
inc for granted that everybody agrees
with him when lie expresses an opinion,
which offcnds me; yet he is most agreeable,
and has peculiarly sweet voice and a
winning manner Of assertng himself. The
fact is, he is the kind Of person | should
expect to rescue one from mad dog at
am risk. but to insist upon stolcal in
difference TO the fight atterward. | do
not think 7 shall ever like him as do his
brother Joe" One iuagincs that the
wise mother drew different conclusion
from the premises.
Mr.. Davis took his girl with him to
Washington, and most illumnative and
delightful arc her "reminiscences of the
society of the time. In those days also,
there were great ladies in America, though
their habits and surroundings may have
been less artistic and luxurious than are
those Of their Successors. Mrs. Davis
tells us that Mrs Bachc and Mrs. Alex
ander Campbcll of Philadelphia, tboth
sisters OF Mr, George u. Dallas) were
rare women of the stamp of Lady Pal
merston. Age did not seem 10 dull their
sympathics nor impair their mental
and moral qualities. Their wit and charm
of manner placed them at 60 years Of age
only few minutes behind the very pref
test girl in that very literary and delight
full society" There were nice men, .too;
indeed, much nicer if We may trust this
chroniclcr, than are met with in these
latter DAYS. '''rhc most delightful even
ing of my carly youth" says Mrs. Davis,
was spent ut Mr.. Robert j. Walkers,
when he was Secretary of the Treasury,
talking with Mr. Charles Jared Ingcrsoll
and MIR. George NJ. Dallas. No young
men Of this or any other day that | have
seen ever equalcd them. These two
splendid creatures, finding themselves in
charge of Il very inexperienced young
person, commenced to angle in the shallow
stream for such sport as the green re-
ccsses might afford. They talked to each
other and to me OF Byron and Words
worth of Dante and Virgil, and | rcmcm
Der the key they gave me to their tastes
and temperamental divergence. Nr. Dali
las said Wordsworth was the poet Of ma
tulC, anu Sil, III SUI fCtf"iN oH 'H"t nv
bore the same relation TO cultivated poetic
manhood that Adam did to Goethe. and
who, he said, would hesitate moment
which to choose, if granted day with
either Mr. Dallas Immediately announced
preference for Adam on the ground that
his mind was fresh from the storchouse oil
the Source Of knowledge. | yentured,"
continues Mrs. Davis, "to say that whether
bv sin or sorrow or observation of natural
forces, felt that, as man progressed, he
became more interesting, whereupon Dir.
Ingersoll laughingly said: You see, Mrs.
Davis agrees with ne that Cain was more
aggressive and, therefore, more attractive
than Abel, and the ladies in the land of
Nod clearly were more agreeable than
those of Eden This was very good
talk indeed, and Mrs. Davis is quite right
in thinking that the degenerate grand
sons of Respondent grandfathers would
be quite dstanced if they we're to try to
vie with it,
Big Consolidation.
philadelphia TiInes.)
II il stated ut the general Offices Of the