The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-03-25

| - -uzzu-11a.'-u--rl"z->1s .
definite. and solemn proposal OF the VA
tion to the States and people most inter
este1 in the subject matter And Presi
dent Lincoln was 10 perfectly satisfied
that this'was the attitude of the United
States. that he afterwards sent draft
of bill fixing the terms on which bond'
of the 'nited States, bearing & per cent
interest. should be issued 10 holders o
slaves either Immediately or gradually
emancipated by their States; and pro
posed that. if deemed neediu, an amend
ment 10 the Constitution should be ap
proved by Congress and sent down IL
the States to accomplish this act OF justice
and good faith "Presidential Messages,
vol. VI, pp SI-l3G. In truth, the Con
gress and all the people most int rested
and whose sentiments could be ascer
tained mt all, adopted and approved this
resolution for giving money compensa
tion TO slave holders in case OF eman-
cipation. Immediate or gradual The
only members of Congress who opposed
il were the 20 senators and representa-
tiyes from Maryland West Virginia, Ken
tucky. and Missouri whose namesappear
in the annual Cycloprdia for 1862, page
724. And it il n fact worthy oi notice
that even from those border slave States
eight men of good sense approved OF the
| Presidents resolution-pages i2i-f21.
| Therefore Judge AshtOn's statement IL
proved To be uniounded The resolution
for paving money compensation torslayes
emancipated was presented by President
Lincoln. was adopted 10y the 'nited States
Congress, was held forth as adeiiniteand
continuous proposal. aud in its spirit
and purpose Lincoln acted and continued
to act down To and through the whole
course OF the Hampton Roads conference.
Having thus established by conclusive
evidence all that have asserted as his
toric truth in this discussion, would not
add "A word, but for the unfounded and
unjust accusations which our friend OF
King George has brought against me.
He charges me with asserting that Presi-
dent Jefferson Davis was "a murderer.
have made no such assertion. ! view
Jefferson Davis simply in the light in
which history discloses him. History
views and Judges him precisely in the
same manner and upon the same prin-
ciples as those which she applies to all
eminent public men to such az Alexander
of Macedon, or Crsar, or Mark Anthony,
or King Louis XIV of France, or George
Washington, or the First Napoleon En-
peror, or the paryenu emperor Louis
Napoleon Does any well informed stu
dent OF history doubt that the first Nap
oleon is chargeable with the deaths OF
| 45O 900 men out OF the 46J 900 whom, by
his conscription and to crafty his bound
less ambition, he led out from France,
and Germany, and Austria, and Italy,
and Hungary in his Russian campaign,
undertaken to compel Russia to adopt his
continental system for the ruin OF Great
| Britain When President Jefferson Davis
came To reside in Richmond, though /
was never intimate with him, | met him
several times. and admired his cultured
intellect. his eloquence, and his manifest
alton of the traits of a sincere Christian
gentleman. But az statesman, and
leader in the tremendous strain OF the
war between the States" ! soon heard
and saw enough to cause serious doubts
as to his wisdom and ability. History
does not declare that Jefferson Davis was
a murderer, but she does declare dis
tinctly and definitely that he was fai
ure. He was failure in every element
of life. and character, and disposition
and career. and conduct needful for sue
cess in the exalted position he held. QI
Jefferson Davis was a failure in his creed
and exposition of the right OF secession
the very right on the safe exercise o
which the constitutional and legal life
the Confederate States depended. Hi
address Of April "a. 1861, showed tha
he had adopted an erroneous and unten
able view OF the right OF secession:
view in conflict with the ground oil
which Virginia and New York had botl
reserved the right OF secession when the,
adopted the Constitution; a view in con
hict with the principles OF internationa
law as to cOmpacts and treaties OF unlol
made by sovereign States; view in con
hict with the essential laws gov
erning partnerships; and especial.
a view in conflict with the opin
ions OF Calhoun, Legare, Memminge
and many Others of the most thoughtful
statesmen OF the South, who knew tha
secession for any alleged cause not he'll
as sufficient by a strong majority OF tn
States necessarily meant war, bloodshed
desolation C2) Jefferson Davis was
failure in this-that instead OF making
George Washington his model he mad
Louis XIV, OF France, his model and eA
ponent of principle. Louis, the grea
Bourbon King said: 81 Etat, c'est moi!
-"The State, it is y And Presiden
Davis acted upon the principle that hi
in his sole personality and right, wa
"The Confederate States, and that thei
life depended on the maintenance OF hi
views and policy. t3) Jefferson Davl
was a failure because he never wa
strong enough and great enough to ris
above his own prepossessions and prejt
dices-his own personal liking and dii
likinvs. He showed this all through tn
war. He drove George Wythe Rar
dolph from his place as Secretary