The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-07-22
LAST CABINET MEETING.

Aud Now Comes Gentlemen from
Sparta Who COntrOverts Mr.. Cal
houn and EndeavOrs to Prove, Be
yond Question, that Meeting Wa.
at Washing 4On, Ga.
Augusta Chronicle.
Washington, Ga, July 4, 1908.
Editor Chronicle:
Sir: Like Banquos ghost. the discussion
as to the last cabinet meeting of the Con fed
eracy seems unwilling 10 down. l refer to ar
ticles under dates of Juue l9, and 26, over the
Signature OF MIR. William +. Calhoun. OF Col
um bia, 5. c.. and appearing in your paper.
At most, the articles are rather amusing
than serious, and In many instan ces the au'
thor has made many ludicrous statements.
The author feeling himself "again called on
to put history straight, and to correct Il state
ment that is totally wrong only succeeds In
establishing fact which We 40 not DENY
does not show that II was the last. He hoots
at the idea that there could have been meet.
ing here. for he says that "history shows mat
but one or two members OF the cabinet were
with Mr.. Davis when he went 20 Washing.
ton" His History" is evidently wrong from
all records and statements that am aole 10
find. Some years ago when this discussion
was rife, wrote 10 General Reagan in regard
to the matter, and May l, 1899, be wrote me as
follows: "AlI the members of the cabinet
were not together after We lett Charlotte, NC.
Secretary OF the Treasury Trenholm became
unable to travel soon after we left Charlotte,
and we saw him no more. Attorney General
Davis found his motherless children near
Charlotte, and the President and members OF
the cabinet advised him to remain with them,
and we saw no more Of him after leaving
there. All the meInbers oil tue ca0lnet were
with the President at Aobevilie, and were also
with him at Washington. (He subsequently
wrote me that Mr.. Benjamin was not Mercy
At Washington. Secretary OF the Navy, NAL
lory left us TO go TO his family AT LaGrange,
Ga. Secretary OF the War Breckenridge with
q remnant Of cavalry. went west from Wash
ington, and followed President Davis south,
overlook him the next day, and remained
with hi m until we were captured near the VII
lsge Of Irwinvllle, Ga" In papers left by Mr..
Mallory, and as published by his daughter In
(abouD December 1900 McClure's, he states
that he gave IN bis resignation to Mr.. Davis
AT Washington. Many OF the orders given
here in the disbursement OF the treasury have
the signature Of John G. Breckenridge signed
or coun ntersigned on them.
AS 70 myklng 'slight Investigation" as TO
finding out II the last cabinet meeting could
have been held here, the above statements oil
the members are sufficient TO show the last
was not held at Abbeville, for does not Mr..
Mallory say that he resigned here! Does not
General Reagan say that with the exception
OF Mr.. Benjamin, all the members Of the cab
met who were at Aboeviile were likewise
is found in Mrs. DAVIS Life OF Jefferson Da'
Wis" show that even after leaving Washing
ton that II was his intention To go on towards
the trans Mississippi department where ne
and Magruder, who would upholn him in the
cause? Doesn't this prove beyond doubt
that be had no idea OF giving up at Ao6eVille?
Wasn't 1t at Abbeville that General Reagan
was appointed acting secretary OF the treas
ury, and wasn't assistant paymaster, j.
Wheeless, G. s. N, ordered TO proceed to
Washington, Ga, and there present TO Gener-
al Reagan such estimates OF the amount re,
quircd 10, pay off the officers OF the Naval
school for one or more months? Does this
look reasonable TO suppose that II the cabinet
had been formally dlsbanded at Abbevllt.
and the members OF the cabinet and body
guard of the president scattered 10 the four
winds OF the earth, 80 TO speak, that MIR. Rea-
gan would have been appointed an ofhcia'
whose duties we're to be discharged at WASH
ington, Ga, and orders given to proceed to
that point 10 have the M passed upon? Wasn't
1t mere that Mr., Davis gave his last official or
der in appointing Col Mlcaiah Henry Clark
acting treasurer7 In private letters 10 parties
ways believed that the last meeting was held
in Washington, Ga"
AS to the great seal having been last seen al
Abbeyille, Mr.. Burton n. Harrison, private
secretary TO Mr.. Davis. has stated that the
statements that the great seal was last seen Al
Aboeville and that II was destroyed Is evi.
IDENTIFY mistake as the great seal was never
used In cabinet meetings, but In the secretar!
or states office. and tnat upon the "retreat"
from Richmond all the papers, etc., OF this Of
flee we're entrusted In the care OF private
person, q Mr.. Bromwel, who sold them TO the
~
'70s, and that The great seal will more than
likely be found in one Of the departments al
Washington city.
The assertion that the bodyguard wss dis
banded and the members Of the cabine scat
tered In all directions while at AbbevileI all
q myth, Mr.. Davis says that "after the e. 2i-
ration Of the armistice be rode out of Char
lotte, attended by all but two member Of his
cabinet. his personal staff and escort-tht
whole number being about two thousand"
He then proceeds, saying he crossed the Sa
vannah river "with company which had
been detailed as his escort" Mr.. Mallory
states that they left Abbeville with the presl
Dental party, consisting OF some twenty wag
ons, several amoulances and about l5O mount
ed men. / have above stated " ho were with
the president at Washington.
In his article under date OF the 10th instant,
the author says this: ~ have been In the
home OF General Tootnbs in Washington IN
any such claim as Is now being made in talk.
Ing OF war matters. II Is true that that mat.
ter was not specifically mentioned" What
argument the author wishes to deduce from
such an assertion am al u loss 10 see. He
surely does not mean TO assert that because
General Toombs did not voluntarily mention
the fact that the last cabinet me'ting wat
held here In Washington that there could not
possibly have been one. There might have
been a dozen, but because General Toombs
did not happen 10 think OF 1t. especially when
IL was not specifically mentioned" is ridicu.
lous tc say that none happened.
M. H CIark'S letter 10 me, makes one OF the
most iudicrous and absurd statements have
ever seen IN print BY y, man VINO has =, been en-
says: Then he (Col. Cark) dsshes the claims
OF Washington, Ga. to pieces by stating that
the last cabinet meeting al that place was
held In the Robertson house, when the people
OF Washington are trying TO save the Heard
house as the historic residencen' To one In
any wise familiar with Washington at all,
thing OF the place II he has been here. he
would know that the Robertson house, and
the "Heard house" is one and the same.
But 70 enlighlen the author and and any one 7s
house. The old building was built about 1924
as q branch Office OF the Bank OF the State OF
Georgia, and Dr. J. j. Robertson was It's cash
Ter at the time OF President Davis stay here.
In the vaults OF this bank the Coniederacy's s
bullion and coin were stored. Soon after the
close OF the war DR.. Robertson removed from
the building. which was then used as post
Office, a milllner's shop; 9nd boarding house,
when In 1870. Gen. B. w. Henrd purchased IT
and made IT his residence.
In the letter Of Hon. VIM. II. Parker, OF Alb
beville, find several statements which shall
comment upon One Is that Mr.. Burt stai ed
- to him that at one time duri ng the meeting at
his house. Mr. Davis displayed great emotion
and was led from the room, and the members
OF the cabinet agreed on final disposition.
This may have been true In SO far as the mem.
bers were concerned, but their subsequent ac-
tions do not bear out the assertion. for Cen
eral Reagan says that all save Mr.. Ben jamtn
were with the president at both places, Mr..
Mallory states that he resigned bere in Wash
ingtop, and 1t is shown that Mr. Benjamin left
With the presidential party from Abbeville,
but parted from them before reaching the Sa-
vannah. Doubtless Mr.. Davis was very m uch
distressed upon hearing that some of his men
who bad sworn allegiance TO the cause were
deserting but being assured of the hearty CO.
operation of others and the members OF his
cabinet that they would undergo anything
for bis persona. safety, and being ever ready
TO defer his own personal safety TO that of his
country, he still believed that he could reor-
ganize and give life 10 an almost dead cause u