Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-31

he regarded as the highest call that
could be made upon him. his un
q expected election to the provisional
presidency of the public compelled
him to accept the fearful RESPONSE
bility Of assuming the direction OF the
civil department OF the government.
Jeffe rson DAVIS was thus called to
the provisional presidency and later
to the constitutional presidency of
the Southern COnfederacy. q position
that. while apparently maSterful, was
sui'GrdnatPd by the cCrnrr stone OF
the Conf, deracy. the sovereignty OF
the state; but as the cause Of tn"
South became more and more less
hopeful toward the close CT the war,
it is only natural that violent resent
ments should arise and that the dis
appointments of ambition and the
fearful sacrifices Cf life and property
in the war should array against him
earnest and violent opposition. That
he discharged his exceptionally re
SponSiblc duties with conscientious
and tir, less fidelity, none who have
studied his career can reasonably
question. He was SchOOlcd in the
belief of the sovereignty of the state;
he was schoolcd in the belief that til"
right OF secession could not be queS.
toned: and when the South began
tho secession in 1851 he simply fol
lowed his own thoroughly honest con.
victious by doing what he accepted
as an impcrious duty to join the Sc
ccsson movement in obedience to the
commands of his state. He was one
of the ablest of our statesmen. d
stranger to all dcmagogic art. and
cOnsciC ntnMs in the DISCHARGE of
every public duty. He never sought
popular applause. Int he was univcr-
sally respected and even widely be
loved by his Southern people: and
while a man trained in the severe fn-
vircnmens which come with West
Point education, he might at times
have been more conciliatory when
the dark clouds gathered upon the
Southern cause. It is not now doubt
cd that he maintained his position as
President Of the Confedrracy with
mastery ability and failed simply he
cause success was beyond the range
of possibility.
1t was only natural. then. in the
fearful and hopeless desola:ion Of the
closing days of the COnf*deraCy that
It's President should be severely and
violently accused, and many were
ready in their fractional disappoint
me nts to charge the disaster largely
or wholly upon the Confederate Pres
ident. II the supreme folly of arrest
ing Davis as implicated in the assas-
sination Of President Lincoln had not
been committed. he would have been
unjustly blamed by many as largely
responsible for the failure OF the Con
federate cause; but when he was ar
rested as murderer. imprisoned.
and even subjected to the indignity
of being manaclcd and confined to
prison cell for some two years. the
people of the South saw him only as
the one chosen to suffer for the re-
bellion of the Southern people. They
speedily forgot his real or imaginary
errors and learned to appreciate JEFF
ferson Davis as one who had been
honest and faithful in the discharge
of his responsible duties as he hon
estly believed and accepted them.
There was not a 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 confront him on trial. not
only aroused the keenest sympathy
for him throughout the entire South.
but taught the North to respect him
even in the yet existing violent sec
tiOnal passion. He was finally dis
charged on a bail bond for the sum
of 100000 for his appearance when
called for in court. that was made
specially notable by the fact that
Horace Greeley was one Of his bonds
men OF course the case was never
called, as there was not the pretensc
of case against him.
My first meeting with jefferson Da-
Wis after the war was in 1850. While
on a tour Of r, st In the South | re-
ceived at Nozzle cordial invitation
to visit him at his home at Beauvoir,
in Mississippi. The railway station
was at Mississippi City. four miles
ItSIhsEtt.
early in the morning. and was driven
from there TO the home of Davis. |
arrived there about nine O'Clock in,
the morning: and when about TO en-
ter the gate t0 the beautiful lawn
that extended from his modest resi-.
dcnce To the gulf shore. saw him sit
ting in a chair in the shade Ct the
orange trees trying TO read a news
paper. with two small boys, probably
eight or ten years Of age. playing tag
over him with the utmost freedom. u
expected to meet a broken. disappoint.
cd. and chcrrIcSs old man: man
who had siakcd his all in the cstab-
Iishmcnt Of a new republic aud hay
Ing failed. was then a man without:
q country. When saw the boys play
ing with perfect freedom my FIRST I'M
rrr -.r;nN ma sk., 4 I,fs nfsfat .sE