The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-07-16
HIS PUBLIC SERVICES.

lTOil d SUCK ulslluS uisucu lOE IT'S EU-
triotism. His father and uncles fought
through the Revolutionary War. Three
of his brothers were in the war Of 1912.
AS a cadet at West Point he en-
entered the service of his country, and
for twelve years he bore its arms. He
rendered CONSPICUOUS service in the
Black Hawk war against the Indians.
In the Mexican war his gallantry at
the storming of Monterrey was most
conspicuous, while at Bnena Vista,
the most brilliant victory ever won by
United States troops onforeign soil, he
is generally believed to have saved the
day.
We love and respect him, for he
truly represented us in his political life.
He became member Of Congress in
1885, resigning the next year to serve
in Mexico. Upon his return from the
war he became United States Sen:-
tor. He was eight years member of
the Senate, during the most brilliant
epoch of its history, where he sustain
ed himself as an equal III debate with
the most illustrious statesman in
American history. He held his own
with Chase and Douglas, Benton and
Clay, Webster and Calhoun.
AS Secretary of War he never had
his superior. During his administra-
tion the routes of Pacific railroad were
surveyed. The Capitol was extended
iron gun carriages ere introduced the
system Of casting heavy guns changed
and the use Of coarser grains of pow
der for artillery was begun. The
army was enlarged by four regiments.
The dictates Of politics were disregard
cd in his official appointments.
Mr.. Davis was opposed to disunion,
and did his utmost to prevent the step.
At the conference called by Governor
Pettus, of Mississippi, of the represen-
| tatiyes in Congress from that State in
1860, Mr.. Davis declared himself as
| opposed to secession as long as the
hope of peaceful remedy remained.
He said he did not believe we ought to
precipitate the issue, as he felt certain
that from his knowledge of the people
of the United States, that if there was
a clash of arms the contest would be
the most sanguinary the world ever
witnessed. AS member of the Sen
ate Committee to whom the comprom-
Use proposals were submitted at the
outbreak Of secession, he expressed
his willingness to accept any plan Of
settlement that promised a reasona BILE
hope Of success. But the Republican
members Of that committee rejected
every proposition made.
On December 10, 1860, Mr.. Davis
spoke these words in the Senate. "This
Union is dear to me as union Of fra
ternal States. It would lose its value
if had to regard it as a union held to
gether by physical force. 1 would be
happy 70 know that every State felt the
fraternity which made this union pos
sible, and if that evidence satisfactory
to the people of the South could be
given, that that feeling existed i'll
the hearts of the Northern people,
you might burn your statute books, and
we would cling TO the Union still.''
lie PLEADED FOR UNION.
To the very hour that Mississippi Sc
ceded, and after it, he was pleading
for union without dishonor. When
Mississippi seeded he resigned his seat
in the Senate and cast his lot with his
people. Many another officer of the
United States bent before the allegi-
ance he acknowledged to his mother
State and followed him with bleeding
heart. In spite of his we'll known
preference for service in the field the
Confederate government called him to
its head. Mr.. Davis shared with Wash
ington the extraordinary distinction
of being elected President of repub :
lie unanimously, but Mr.. Davis was
chosen by more numerous people and
at period Of more critical response
bility.
We love and cherish Mr.. Davis, most
Of all, because he suffered with us aud
for US, and was our President. Because
in the language of the eloquent Peyton
Wise, of Virginia, ''He was the type
of that ineftable manhood which made
the armies of the South.' Time would
fail me to picture the iron will, the per-
sistency and loyalty of Mr.. Davis dur
ing those four terrible years, Of the
travail of his soul-his people pitted
against a people outnumbering them
four to one in armsbearing population
and incomparably better prepared for
an organized army and navy, with
arsenals with drydocks and machine
shops. aud having free intercourse with
the world from which to get supplies
and men while every port was sealed
against help from the outside world tC
the Confederacy, which had to organ
ize its government and improvlse every
thing for the unequal struggle from an
agricultural population.
With an army cf 100000 men and nc
navy, except few river steamers anC
privateers, opposed by an army out
numbering it by 1900, 900 of soldiers
by navy of 100 vessels of war man
ned by 105. 900 men, with a fleet o
transports, steamers, barges and Goa
floats almost innumerable. which ii
1863 on the Mississippi river and it:
tributaries alone numbered over 2,2OC
vessels. Ut is not known what wa!
the number of vessels chartered on the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts in movin!
, their large armies). The navy in its hell
. was as decisive in results as the grea
: ,armies in the field in blockading ports
i'll cutting up the Confederacy by he
: rivers. in establishing many depots anl
. points Of departure from the the river
/, and along the coasts for armies to IN
= wade and overrun new territory the
could not cross, and in saving armies
when defeated, as at Shiloh on th
, Tennessee, and on the James river nea
Richmond.
5 When we look back now at the Nigh
| ty contest we wonder how we ever hel
= out SO long-how we could have sue
, ceeded in driving the American mel
I chantmen from the seas-and how W
4 won SO many signal victories, as man
alnost aS wera wop hy our enemies