The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1904-09-01
ROOSEVELT AND DAVIS.
Presidents Outrageous Slander 0
Great Confederate Chieftain.

Great Confederate Chieftain.
Last Sunday, in response to the
request Of subscriber, the Houston,
Texas, Post published all it could
find, SO it says, IN one Of Mr.. Roose-
vclts books relstlve to Jefferson
Davis. 1t will be recalled by all
who read the article that Mr.. Roose-
welt in his work entitled "Thomas
Fl. Benton" alluded to Mr.. Davis
as follows:
During Van Buren's administra-
tion - many states, in the rage
for public improvements had con-
tracted debts which they now refused
to pay; in many cases they were un-
able, or at least so proiessed them
selves, even to pay the annual inter-
est. The debts Of the states were
largely held abroad; they had been
converted into stock and held in
shares, which had gone into a great
number Of hands, and now, OF
course, became greatly deprecated
in value. It is a painful and shame
full page in our history; and every
man connected with the repudiation
of the states debt ought, il remem-
bered at all, to be remembered with
scorn and contempt. However,
time has gradually shrouded from
our sight, both the names Of the
leaders in the repudiatlon and the
names of the victims whom they
swindled. Two alone, one in each
class, will always be kept in mind.
Before Jefferson Davis took his
place among the arch-traitors in our
annals he had already been known
as one OF the chief regulators; it
was not unnatural that to dishonesty
toward the creditors OF the public he
should afterward add treachery to
the public itself.
The Post looked carefully to find
where Mr.. Davis had ever been con-
nected with any movement looking
to the repudiation Of state debt,
and ascertained that he had never
held office under the Mississippi
state government. 1t assumed, there
fore, that Mr.. Roosevelt's statement
was false.
Judge John H. Reagan, however,
has referred US to what Mr.. Davis
himself had said about the matter
in his "Rise and Fall Of the Con-
federate Government" Speaking
of the efforts of the Confederate
government to obtain money, Mr..
Davis uses this language:
Great efforts had previously been
made by the agents OF the United
States government to reflect upon
the credit Of the Confederate States,
by resuscitating an almost forgotten
accusation OF reputation against the
state of Mississippi, and especially
by an emissary sent to Great Britain,
than one whom no one knew better
how false were the attempts to i'm
plicate my name in that charge.
The slanderous tongues Of Northern
hatred even went so far as to style
me "the father of repudiation."
Then, in a footnote, Mr.. Davis
gives a brief history Of the charter
ing Of the Union Bank by the legis-
lature Of Mississippi and the states
connection Herewith. The state
issued bonds for which it received
stock. The bonds were used as COL
lateral for loan to the bank, and
we're finally sold below par, contrary |
10 the provisions Of the law under
which they we're issued. The bank |
lailed and the state never received
any consideration for the bonds and
never handled q dollar Of the pro-
,eeds. The governor declared the
ponds null and void and they were
never paid. Mr.. Davis was a private
citizen at the time and had nothing
whatever to do with the issue OF the
,onds or their repudiation. He
'ays:
While these events were occur
ing and until a period Of several
,ears, subsequent TO their consum-
l, who had just resigned
ny commission in the army, was q
private citizen and had never held
my civil Office and took no part in