The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-15
HISTORIC PICTURE
GOES TO ARCHIVES
Justice WeakIey Presents it TO.
the State
BUT TWO IN EXISTENCE
Picture Shows jefferson Davis Sur.
rounded by the Confederate Cabinet,
with General Lee In the Rich
mond Council Chamber.

Montgomery, March IL special)-A
picture of historic interest has been pre-
scented to the state department of arch
ives and history by Samuel D. Weakley,
chief justice of.the supreme court. 1t is
called Jefferson Davis and His Cabinet,
with General Lee in the Council Chamber
at Richmond" It has been in the poses
sion of Judge Weakley since the early
eighties, and was secured in Memphis
1t is supposed to be one of the only two
in existence, the other being the proper
ty of Mrs. James r. Halsey of Philadel-
phia, president of one of the chapters of
the Daughters of the Confederacy. It is
a Autograph of large size and well pre-
served
The picture shows Mr.. Davis in confer
ence with his associates. with Gen. Lee in
the center. standing at table and look
ing at some maps, evidently showing the
others something of the movements of the
army. In the assembly are shown Steph-
en- r. Mallory, secretary of the navy;
Judah P Benjamin. attorney general;
Leroy p Walker. secretary of war; Mr.
Davis, General Lee. John II. Reagan,
postmaster general; Christopher G. Mem
minger, secretary of the treasury; Alex
ander H. stephens. vice president, Rob-
! ert Toombs, secretary of state.
Every member of this cabinet was con
hrmed in Montgomery in the senate
chamber of the capitol, Walker, Mem
minger and Toombs by the first message
of President Davis.
Secured In Memphis.
The picture was secured by Judge
Weakley in Memphis. from the armory
of the Porter guards of that city. At the
time he was First lieutenant of the COM
pany with Capt. John d. Waldron in
command. In the year 1889 Judge Weak
ley went with his company to Debuque,
Ia. and they took, under the command
of Captain Waldron, several prizes 1t
was that year that the judge was leav-
ing Memphis and brought the picture
away with him.
LII transmitting the picture to the dc
partment Of archives and history Judge
Weakley wrote the following letter.
Weakley Writes Letter.
Dr. r. NJ. owen, Montgomery
Dear Sir-The picture of Jefferson
Davis and His Cabinet, with General Lee
In the Council Chamber at Richmond
p,lblished in 1866 by Thomas Kelly OF
| New York, was first seen by me III 1871,
where it hung in the parlor of the afmory
of the Porter guards of Memphis, Tenn,
in which company | was an officer. Nheu
the company dsbanded several years later
| purchased the picture and it has ever
since been in my possession Recently l
/ discovered that it was a rare picture,
and more valuable than | had supposed.
! This information came from the book OF
/ DR. Wharton entitled war Songs of the
I Confedcratcyn wherein the picture Is re-
/ produced in miniature, from copy be-
longing to Mrs. James T. Halsey of Phil
adelpha. the president of the Daughters
of the Confederacy of that city Mrs
! Halsev. writing to DR.. Wharton upon the
| subject states that the plates from winch
1 the picture was made were con1scated
/ by the federal government, and that she
supposed her copy to be the only one IN
existence. She further stated circum-
stances tending to show that the copy haa
/ 6nce belonged to President Davis From
never having seen anywhere in the south
any copy of this, picture except my own,
and Mrs. Halsevs statement l am con-
vineed that the picture is not only rare,
but possess an historical and artistic
value. Under the circumstances, 1t has
occurred to me that the copy possessed
by me should not only be permanently
preserved. hut that Ii should be placed
under the control of the department of
archives and history of the state of Ala
nama I'm the historic capitol of this state.
I therefore donate it Internationally to
/ that Departments Yours very truly.
SAMUEL D. WEAkLEY.