The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-03
RESIDENT DAVIS INOSTENTAMOUSE HOME LIFE

| question. He was schooled in the be-
! lief OF the sovereignty OF the state;
he was schooled in the belief that the
| right of secession could not be ques-
i toned: and when the South began tho
secession In 1861. he simply followed
his own thoroughly honest convictions
/ by doing what he accepted as an i'm
| perious duty to Join the secession
| movement In obedience to tho conf
mands OF his State. He was one IF
the ablest Of our statesmen, n stranger
to all demagogic art, and conscientious
III the discharge of every public duty.
re never sought popular applause, but
he was universally respected aud even
widely beloved by his Southern peo-
| pie; and while n man trained in tho
severe environments which come with
west Point education. he might at
, tit'les have been more conciliatory when
the dark clouds gathered upon the
southern cause. 1t is not now doubted
mat he maintained his position as
president of the Confederacy with
mastery ability and failed simply be-
cause success was beyond the range
OF possibility
|
ful and hopeless dcsolatlon of the clos.
ihs days of the Confedcracy, that its
PRESIDENT should be severely and vio-
iehtiy accused, and many were ready
III thelr fractional disappointtncnts to
churse The disaster largely or wholly
upon Tie Confederate President. If the
supreme folly of arrcsting Davis as
implicated In the assassination of Pres
ident Lincoln had not been committed.
he would have been unjustly blamed
by many as largely responsible for the
lallure of the Confederate cause: but
When ne was arrested as murderer,
imprlsoned. and even subjected to the
indi entity of being mnnacled and con-
liheo to a prison cell for some two
years, the people of the South saw him
ohlS as the one chosen to suffer for
tne rebellion of the Southern people.
They speedily forgot his real or mag
mary errors and learned to appreciate
Jefferson Davis as one who had been
honest and faithful IN the discharge of
MS responsible duties as he honestly
pelleved and accepted them. There was
not Shadow of evidence even OF his
knowledge OF the purpose of any one
to assassinate President Lincoln. and
his Imprisonment for years, when the
government had no evidence to con-
front him on trial. not only aroused
the keenest sympathy for him through
OUT the entire South. but taught the
North to respect him even in the yet
existing violent sectional passion. He
was finally discharged on bail bond
for the sum of 100000 for his APP
pearance when called for In court, that
was made specially notable by the fact
that Horace Greeley was one of his
bondsmen or course. the case was
never called, as there was not the pre-
tense of case against him.
When He Met Dnvis After War.
MY first meeting with Jefferson Davis
after the war was in 1850. While on a
tour of rest in the South I received at
Mobile cordial invitation to visit him
at ms home at Beauvoir, in Mississippi.
me railway station was at Mississippi
City, four miles from his residence.
where l arrived early in the morning.
ahd was driven from there to the home
of Davis. 1 arrived there about
o clock in the morning. and when about
TO enter the gate to the beautiful lawn
that extended from his modest resi-
dence to the gulf shore. l saw him
sitting in chair in the shade of the
orange trees trying to read a news
paper. with two small boys, probably
over him with the utmost freedom. I
expected to meet broken. disappointed
and cherries old man: man who had
staked his all in the establishment of
new republic. and. having failed,
was then man without country.
When saw the boys playing with per-
feet freedom, my first impression was
that | must be mistaken In the man,
as boys never err in the estimate of
those who love them and enjoy their
pranks.
He received me with generous cour-
tesy, and l sat down by his side, under
the orange trees that were golden with
ripened fruit, to chat with the man
who had maintained for four years
the most heroic struggle Of the nine
tecnth century. Very soon after l
joined him breakfast was called and
he invited me to join him. When we
entered the house. with Its Southern
wide hall running clear through the
building, on a divan in the centre Of
the hall was reposing large New
foundland dog: and when wa entered
the dog Jumped up with every express
sion of affection and put his paws on
his shoulders. I then knew that had
erred In the estimate of Davis. for
children and dogs never mistake the
GENIAL qualities Of those about then,
we were joined at breakfast by his es-
unable Wife and daughter, Miss Win.
ME, who was later known as the
daughter OF the Confederacy, having
neen born in the presidential home at
Richmond -
Careful About Interview.
after breakfast we retired tn tht
pur'or' leaving the ladies' alone. and
! SAD TO him that desired very much
20 confer with him on some matters
relating to the war about which NO.
~, !ol tully advised. He answered IN ~.
k sI manner that as his guest > ~
would be very happy to converse v,. ~
,ne on any subject relating to the wa
1 out that he could not converse viii ~
.rie on that subject as a Journalist a :
{ 'r, was then editor OF the Phlladelnbis
) !, assured him that appreciated ~,
oortcacy OF his position, and that ~
7 Ioulu rely upon it that not a line won -
ns published as coming from him ou -
| apout him that did not have his an
plu,al before It's publications. He the,
$ soiu he was perfectly rree IN discus