The Washington herald., 1908-05-31

the Southern Confederacy was about TO
be organized. his single ambition was the
command of the Confederate army. This
! had from his own lips at his residence,
Beauvoir, Miss. some fifteen years after
the war. He told me that when he start
ed for Montgomery, Ala, when the move
ment began for the organization Of the
Confederacy, he hoped 10 be called to
the command Of the army: but before he
reached Montgomery he was advised OF
his election as provisionary president.
When he reached the new capital Of the
Confederacy. he found IT impossible to
change conditions. and he was compelled
TO accept the presidency, and he entered
upon that duty as conscientiously as any
public man ever entered upon an official
career. He had been schooled in the doc
trine OF State rights; and when his
State seeded, he retired from the United
States Senate in obedience 10 what he
regarded as the highest call that could
be made upon him. His unexpected cleo
ton 20 the provisional presidency Of The
republic compelled him to accept the
fearful responsibility OF assuming the di-
rection Of the civil department Of the gov
eminent
Jefferson Davis was thus called to thu
provisional presidency and later to the
constitutional presidency OF the Southern
Confederacy. a position that, while ap-
parently masterful, was subordinated by
the corner stone Of the Confederacy, the
sovereignty Of the States: but as the
cause of the South became more and
more less hopeful toward the close Of
the war, It is only natural that violent
] Oh. H.
disappointments Of ambition and the fear
full sacrifices of life and property IN the
war should array against him earnest and
violent opposition That he discharg-
ed his exceptionally responsible duties
with conscientious and tireless fidelity,
none who have studied his career can
reasonably question.
HE was schooled In the belief of the
sovereignty OF the State; he was school,
ed IN the belief that the right OF seces-
sion could not be questioned. and when
the South began the secession in 1861, he
simply followed his own thoroughly hon
est convictions by doing what he accept
ed as an imperious duty to Join the seceS-
sion movement in obedience to the COM
mands of his State. He was one of the
ablest Of our statesmen. a stranger to all
demagogic art, and conscientious In the
sought popular applause, but he was
universally respected and even widely
beloved by his Southern people; and
while a man trained in the severe envir-
onments which come with West Point
education. he might at times have been
more conciliatory when the dark clouds
gathered upon the Southern cause. II
is not now doubted that he maintained
his position as President Of the Confed-
eracy with mastery ability and failed
simply because success was beyond the
range OF possibility.
1T was only natural. then. In the fear
full and hopeless desolation OF the closing
days Of the Confederacy that it's presi.
dent should be severely and violently &C.
cused. and many were ready in their fac
tional disappointments TO charge the dis.
aster largely or wholly upon the Confed.
crate president. II the supreme folly oi
arresting Davis as implicated in the as
sassination OF President Lincoln had not
been committed. ne would have been un.
Justly blamed by many az-larGeiv1reannn,