The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-11-12

As is vel known. ne was captured
on the 10Th day Of Mag DE Federal
cavalry. was carried To Hampton
Roads ana Imprisoned II + gratifying
10 know tina the story that al thF
time or has capture ne was uised
in a part ~ his aife's apparel issnoW
accepted D- all fair-uIndea men a an
exploded SANDER Whatever else may
be thought and said Of jefferson DAVIS
in other respects. he was known 70 Dc
a man % lofts courage and utterly
T destitute Of fear He couIi SldilN
four square to any wind that bleW
He was confined in prison about
/ two Years. and on MAJ ., 1866. was
indicted for treason ~ the hlt+u
+ states court for the Eastern District
n Virginia. Notwithstanding he in
sisted upon a prompt and speedy tFldit
he was heId without ball unut May
1867. when, upon a VIII Of habeas COT
puS. he was admitted 70 ball IN the
sum Of 500. 900. Afterwards. when
he was arraigned in court, GhafleS
OtConnor. Of New York, moved TO
Quash the Indictment against him., and
when the matter was submitted 10 the
court. consisting Of Chief Justice chase
and Judge Underwood. they differed
in opinion. the Chief Justice voting to
sustain the motion and Judge onoer-
wood against 1t
Under the law, q certificate Of divis-
ion was filed December 5, 1868. The
I Inen Oh the oHIteO
! States appeared for the Government
and Charles O'ConnOr for Mr.. Davis.
The case was dismissed February 1S,
1869, on motion of the Attorney-Gen-
eral. and on motion of :.
Beach, United States district attorney,
a n0lle prOsequi was entered In the
United States Court for the Eastern
District Of Virginia.
Thus no opportunity was ever af-
forded the distinguished prisoner -
test in the highest judicial tribunal IN
the land, the question of the right OF
his State to secede from the Union or
his allegiance as a citizen
in that event. After Mr. Davis went
into retirement, the people Of the
South omitted no opportunity to mani
fest their unalterable ana
their deep sympathy for him in his
miSfOrtuneS.
His Pure PUrpoSe and Self Character
He was a states rights mar from
conviction and, by some, was conslo-
cred to be a man of strong prejudices,
but nobody ever doubted the purity of
his or the loftinesS of his
Christian character. In his book en-
titled The Rise and Fall Of the Con-
federate Government" published in
1881, he sets forth briefly his purpose
, in the preparation and publication of
his book: In his preface says: Inc
object OF this work has ~ from his
tOrical data to show that the southern
| Sta ties had, ri~ghtfully, the power to
withdraw from the Union into which
/ they had as sovereign communities,
voluntarily entered. that the denial of
that right was a violation of the letter
/ and spirit of the compact between the
States; and hat the war Waged by the
present government against the seced-
ing States was in disregard Of the linn
itations of the Constitution and de-
structive of the principles Of the Dec
laratiop of Independence
Mr.. Davis died at New orleans Dec.
s, 1899. He was buried temporarily
in that city. but his remains We're sub
s%equently conveyed to the city of Rich
mond, the Capital of the C~onfederacy,
where they were buried in beautiful
Hollywood, neal the James River,
whose waters will sing his requiem
forever as they roll on to the sea.
Towards the close of the incumben-
cy of Nj. Davis as President, q very
important question arose as to the en-
ployment of negro troops as soldiers
in the military service of the Confed-
crate States. This question gave rise
to much discussion and difference of
opiriOn. The senators of Virginia
opposed the measure SO strongly, that
only an Instruction of the General AS
sembly could secure their support.
Mr.. DAVIS. himself, advocated the pro-
position most earnestly n in con-
Nt1SdllpD Will d lllSiIIDti Vi Tic SVIl
ate. who called to confer on the sub
ject, is reported to have said: IF the
C~Onfederacy falls. there should be
written on its tomb stone. died of ii
theory"
1t is said that General Lee also,
when brought before a committee and
requested to give his opinion as to the
probable expedienCy of employing ne
groes as soldiers, gave the proposed
measure his unqualified support After
much discussion, the bill authorizing
the President to ask for and accept
from their owners, such a numbe of
able-bodied negro men as he might
deem eXpedient, passed the House but
failed in the Senate by one vote. Fin
ally, the bill passed with an amend
ment. providing that no more than
twenty-five per cent of the male slaves
between Is and As should be called
out. But the passage of the Act nae
been so long delayed, that the oppor-
tunity of trying the experiment was
lost. There was not time left during
the existence of the COnfeGeracv to
ascertain what the practical result
would have been.
The Hampton Roads Conference.
On the 18th Of March, 1865. an or
der was issued by the Adjutant Gen.
erals office, authorizing the raising of
a company or companies Of negro SOL
diers under the provisions of an Act
OIL approved MdFcn i0Il,
1865. One or two companies were re-
cruited under this act. but it was too
late. The die was cast and it was not
written in he stars that the Southern
C~Onfedergcy shoul constitute a mem
Der of tbs family of nations.
After the return of the commits
SionerS from Fortress Monroe, and
their report that their mission had
BEEN unsuccessful, a great meeting
was held at the African Church in the
City of Richmond to consider the Sit
uatiOn. 1t was addressed by M.
Davis, Judah p. Benjamin and Gusta-
Vus A. Henry, all noted orators. The
speech o. Mr.. avis was unsurpassed.
He spoke as one inspired. Rfeazi
himself in his addresses to the Ro-
mans. was not more lofty or defiant.
Mr.. Davis had, a few days before,
communicated for the information Of
Congress, de report Of the commits
Sio1ers showing that the enemy re-
fused 10 enter into negotiations with
the Confederate States or any one of
them separately or to give to our peo-
pie any other terms or guar
arteeS than those which the con-
gueror may grant or to permit us t.
1n 70 80