The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-20
A NEW LITE OF srR. DAVIS.


 MT. Walter L. Fleming. of this State. now Professor of History in the Uni versity of West Virginia, Is engaged in preparing new and complete life of Ex-President Davis. To this end he is making request for the names and present addresses of relations, neigh bors. friends. and former servants of MT. Davis. who can give any informa- ton about him. He appeals. too. for letters. scrap books, diaries or any other documentary material likely to statesman's career: also any privately printed books or pamphlets bearing on the subject; pictures of MT. Davis or of his relations his homes or any other places connected in any way with his career: any souvenirs or relics of which photographs might be made; to- gether with "reminiscences. authenic anecdotes of MT. Davis and finally any obtainable information about him and his relatives in Wales. Pennsylvan- ia- Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama. Mississippi. and Louisiana MT. Fleming's address is Morgantown. W. Va.
 We cheerfuily give place and em- phasis to the request of our distin- guished young historian and for two reasons. The first is that no very sat- isfactory life of MT. Davis has ever been written. We do not wish and do not mean to ignore Mir. Davis's own writings or the biography of him by his widow; nor the lesser books of controversial kind that have appeared at intervals. Quite possibly a definite biography cannot yet be written. but a sufficient time has elapsed, we think. since the mighty events in which MT. Davis participated and was great and conspicuous part. for a broader and more philosophical treatment of those events to be now possible. We believe this is so and we believe. Wall ter |. Fleming Is the scholar who can accomplish the design.
 MT. Fleming was born in Pike coun- ty, this State. He was educated there, at the A. and M College. Auburn. com- pleting his studies at Columbia Univer- sity. N. Y. He was graduated with distinction at Columbia and became an assistant in the faculty of that insti- tuition. A few years since he was call- ed to the chair he now holds. at Mor- gantown. All students of Southern history know how memorable are the contributions he has already made to the history of the Civil War. period and in particular to that period, so preg- nant of evil for the South the Recon struction Epoch It is not an exag- geration to say that for the first time the world is able to look on Recon struction" in its entirety and in all its enormity. That darkly malignant time was remembered episodicalIy by participants, or was episodically pre- served in some chronicle. Prof. Elem ing with a patience and an industry rneriting the highest commendation has arranged such a vast mass of material, the world can never deceived as to the events of that horrid time. The South is under a deep and will remain under a lasting obligation to the Pike County scholar for his profound and patriotic devotion. His. Civil War and Reconstruction in Alabama" treat ing a limited field as it does. We say deliberately is the best historical pro- duct not of the State, simply, not of the South, merely but of this country during the last half century. It lacks ;p charm of style, stin facts are there in profusion. It is monumental work.
 The Southern people ought with one accord join in helping Prof. Fleming in the directions he begs for helps. He will be writing their history and hav- ing seen the genius of his labor. we cas- fly and confidently predict he will pro- vide us a noble. if not the final biog- raphy of the President of the South Ayr, Nnpfadaraov