The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-01

H.
- an x t \.
be reported q his Government, and fear or
ed that another opportunity 70 give my
opinion or a. johnson might not oe pre- e.
lsented, atid told HIN that there was one
t1ian iii the United states who Knew l ,1is
proclamation to be false. lie feln ltl.it
that my expression Indicated 1aIrt lltoai'ar
person. answered yea, and ira. per- PEI.
son was the one who signed 1t. fors ne NJ
least ltnew that preferred Lincoln 70 70
ilii1iselr,n he,
Now, what Mr.. Davis sold was simply,
that Ire regretted tho ASSASSINATION OF
1lncolng ana Thought that lie was bet
ter man than Andrew johnson, whom ne
regarded as d traitor to his section ana
his principles MS one who had sold ili nm
self md Ills State for office, ana whose
vlndlctive HATRED or the Confederacy pod-
ed no good Tor our people. But TINS is
very far from holding that Lincoln was
~ second Washington" or that ne ue-
served tile admiration Of Our people. On
tho contrary II, the intimate personal re-
lntlons which was privileged to have
with President Davis at Beanvolr, anu
tho freedom Of conversation which he
had with me about men and Things, y
heard him once and again say that ne
regarded Lincoln as tho prime mover IN
"the most ubiquitous war ever innde to
destroy the liberties Of free people
+ TINT lie had no2regard whatever FOR the
Constitution or laws OF the couiltry--thflaflt
llo did not hesitate to violate them when e.!
ever 1t suited his purposes; and that IN
his emancipation procla nation he clearly
violated his oath or office to support the
Constitution, as Inc himself had said In
his inaugural address that under the
Consultation, 'ho had no right to interfere
with slavery In tho state. md no dis
position to do SO If lie had the right.
I It will not d then, to quote Mr.. Davis
as clnssing Mr.. Idncoln among tho no
rQes Of America and tho special friend
OF tho South; but If Mr.. Louthnn wishes
to SEQ a correct portrait Of him, re-
spectfulIy refer hin to "rho Real Lin.
coln's by Dr. g. IL. c. Minor, edited by
Miss Kate gMason3Rowla md published
by Everett NVaddey Co., Richmond. IN
N AS for General Lee, he was indeed q
noble specimen Of oil that Christian
charity and forbenranco cnn produce in
Il man, and Mr.. Louthan might find
many illustrntlons Of this
But OH the other hand, no never ut
tered q word offregret for the course no
pursued 4. during tho war or Of praise OF
Lincoln or Of the conduct Of tho ruthless
invaders ofkour soil It was my proud
privilege to live In Lexington during tho
last five yonrs Of his noble life, to be one
Of the chaplnins or his college, to SEQ him
almost daily, and to have the most 1nti-
mate personal intercourse with him. and
tho freest conversation about men md
things, and swhile I several times heard
him quietly rebulko bitterness towards
our quondam enemies, I never heard him
express the slightest approval Of thclr
course during tho war, or any condemnn-
ton Of our great struggles for constitu-
tional freedom as he always called the
war # &4
III 1860 Tho said to General Wade Hamp-
ton, who was 4yiHiting him, and with
whom he was talking freely of the war
md Its fresults:&'' could have pursued
noHother course without dlshonor, and
IL It were all to be gone over again I
should act in precisely the same way"
Hos said to mo once, when wo were
talking about the condition Of the coun-
try and the destitution of our people:
THAT IS oil very sad, but rs we nro con-
scious OF having only done our duty wo
may calmly trust in God, and leave re-
suits with Him"
And when after his death had tho
privilege of examining his private letters
md papers, whilo Mound many in which
he urged an acceptance Of tho situation,
and an obedience to- even tho unjust laws
that were put upon us by tho bayonet, I
found no5letter or sentence in which no.
directly or indirectly. approved fof tho
usurpatons of MIR. Lincoln and his follows
ers. On thet contrary,iI might quote
from q number of his letters in which he
expressed his most emphatic disapproval
I take space to quote o single para
graph only In reply to distinguished
Confederate general, who wrote to urge
him to 60 with him into the Republican
party. He said: II have avoided all
discussion OF political questions since tho
cessation of hostlllties and have In my
own conduct, and in my recommendation
to others, endcavored to conform to OK
isting circumstances. I consider this tho
part Of wisdom, rs we'll as Of duty. But
while I think that wo should act under
upon us, i cannot think the course pur-
best for the interests Of the country, and,
my approval. This Is the reason why I
could not comply with the request in
your letter."
stand, then, on precisely the platform
that our President and our peerless chief
tain stood, and while ever ready to "seek
the things that make for peace and to
bury the bitter memories Of Il stormy
past" ann not ready to stand idly by
and soc our glorious history fnlsifed or
ignored, and did not learn from these
model men and am not prepared now
ITO bend the pregnant hinges of the knee
that thrift may follow fawning."
]. WILLIAM JONES.
Richmond, Va, Fob. 81, 1908, 5S4
- ------ ------------------