The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-09-08
Spirit of the Press.
Roosevelt and jefferson Davis.
remphis Commercial Appeal.

Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Harper's Weekly, in the current is
sue, comments briefly on an extensive
article appearing in the Brooklyn
Eagle, which escaped our notice, ana
which can hardly fail to prove of in
terest to the people of the South.
The article in question relates 10
Theodore RoOSeVelt'S attitude towards
Jefferson Davis
During the passionate days of the
Civil War and for a few years after
wards it was not to be wondered that
Southern leaders should have been re-
garded as Williams in the North, or that
the Northern leaders should have been
eXecrated in the South. But fatlondI
and fair minded people were not long
in coming to the conclusion that the
war was an inevitable conflict, renect-
ing no discredit on either side. There
was never anything immoral in seces-
sion. Especially where number OF
independent States form confedera-
ton is there nothing discred1table IN
the contemplated withdrawal OF one
or moro of them. Jefferson Davis
was chosen the chief of the Southern
Confederacy, whose purpose was 10
secede from the United States and es-
tablish an independent government.
If there was anything infamous In Sc
secession, Inen lfle AllleIICdll lNN'Oio
tionists were all Infamous.
In Theodore ROoSeVelt'S Life OF
Benton" he compares Jefferson Davis
with Benedict Arnold. A more lnfa-
nous Derversion of the truth it would
be hard to conceive. Logically II
would place George Washington IN
the same category as Arnold, for he,
too, like Davis. headed secession
movement, and had he failed he could
JTsslIt II
if to Theodore Roosevelt there is
something inherently abhorrent in Sc
cession, then he ought really to APP
prove of the course of Arnold. If a
SeceSSioniSt is a traitor. then Arnold
was traitor while he fought against
the King. and he only did what he
could to repair his treason when he
betrayed the cause of the colonies.
TO such absurdities of logic are we led
when we lend an ear to the ratiOcina-
ton of Mr.. Roosevelt.
But Harpers Weekly says that Mr..
Roosevelt, not content with denounc
ing Jefferson Davis as a Benedict Ar
mold also accused Mr.. Davis nf abet-
ting MississipDi's reputation of ner
State debt When this false charge
was called to Mr.. Davis attention the
old chieftain said: ooh! They are
not true, but Mr.. Roosevelt made them
in the hot impulse of prejudiced
faith
subsequently, because Mr.. Davis
had not publicly denied the truth of
RooSeveltS charge, the latter taunt-
ingly reiterated it in II magazine ar
ticle and insinuated that Mr.. Davis
did not pay his debtss Thereupon, &C
cording to the Brooklyn Eagle, Mr..
Davis wrote to Mr.. Roosevelt n kind
letter, pointing out his error and Of
fering evidence to the contrary" To
this communication came the follow
ing reply in Roosevelts handwriting:
mfr. Theodore Roosevelt desires no
communication with Jefferson DAVIS.
Yet this same Mr. Roosevelt who
treated an old man with such ungen
erous discourtesy, because that man
had believed in the right of secession,
has within the last year actively and
directly assisted in the secession of
Panama from the United States of Co
lombia, because there had been
hitch in the negotiations of the canal
treaty and Panama was inspired by
the plain patriotic purpose of getting
$10,000,000 from the United States
If the people of the United States
have had any doubt as to the utter
instability and unmanliness of Then-
dore Roosevelt, his treatment OF JEFF
ferson Davis ought to remove it.