The National tribune., 1909-04-01
MISSISSIPPI AND JEFFERSON
DAVIS.

ually lamenting sectionalism and its Ill
| jury to the South. and are as continual
| ly doing things like this to provoke the
worst form of sectionalism. Jefferson
| Davis, with all his prominence, was
| lamentably deficient in any act or as
piration for the good of Mississippi and
the country. From first to last he was
destructive. not creative. No one can
pci'It to a single act or single speech
of his that contributed to the general
benefit. His life is a dreary desert OF
absolute selffshness and of absolute un-
IscrupuIoushess in crushing out whatever
did not minister to his selfish agsran-
dizament. Where every hour of Lin
coins life was marked by some act of
kindness and consideration for those
around him, with some aspiration for
the benefit of humanity and his coun-
try, the admirers of jefferson Davis can
be safely challenged to point out a sim
gle redeeming feature of this kind. 1t
is rare in all history to find q man so
absolutely devoted to his own advance
ment and so barren of anythin; for the
benefit of others.
If Mississippi wanted to honor one of
her really great men, she might have
chosen Senator H. S. Foote, who was
Governor of the State, represented Mis-
sissippi splendidly in the Senate, and
for many years led the Union Party ir
Mississippi and defeated jefferson Da-
Wis in an exciting contest, in which
Foote advocated the Union and Davis
secession. He maintained his struggle
for the Union until he had to bow to
overwhelming force. and even after that
continued his bitter antagonism to JEFF
the Southern Confederacy. After the
war he was a strong supporter of
Grants reconstruction policy. Senator
Foote was jefferson Bsvis's superior in
oratory. craftsmanship and all that goes
to make up a brilliantly useful public
man. Before a popular audience Davis
was clearly outmatched in eloquence,
general knowledge and soundness of
ideas. Davis only succeeded by being
the representative of the extreme type
of Calhoun Pro-Slaveryites, who were
determined to break up the Union and
establish Southern Confederacy which
would take in Cuba. Mexico and Central
America.
Or if Foote's strong Unionism makes
him Unacceptable to the Mississippians.
they might select the greatest of all
Mississippi orators and public men,
Seargent Smith Prentiss, the Maine
Yankee, who settled in Natchez, Miss,
where he speedily became the leading
lawyer in the Southern Mississippi VAL
ley, and was repeatedly elected to the
Legislature and 20 Congress. He was an
ardent Wing, and did his utmost to save
Mississippi from her crownine shame of
reputation of her State debt. Premises
speeches were the highest type of Amer
lean oratory. and received much ad-
from such distinguished judges
and critics as Edward Everett and Dan
iel Webster.
One of the arguments put forth in
support of Jefferson Davis is that he
was a gallant American soldier and
fought bravely for the Flag in the Mex
lean War. This is, after all, a slender
foundation. Davis commanded a vol
unteer regiment in two battles. and be-
haved well, as American Colonels are in
the habit of doing. There have been
several thousand American Colonel5
who have borne themselves with great
credit in more battles than Davis ever
saw. If we are going to erect monu-
ments and other memorials to American
who have fought well in two
we should have the land pretty
full of these memorials. Benedict Ar
mold did the country q thousand times
more service in the field than ever
Davis did. Arnold's achievements in
Of American troops make one
Of the most brilliant chapters in our
the unbroken forests of Maine against
Quebec is something that has been rare
ly paralleled in war, and his magnifi-
cent fighting against Burgoyne's inya-
sion. which eliminated in his brilliant
of the battle by which the
British Generals fate was scaled, were
achievements of the very high
est oiosi. -NolillhS III Jcu bdNlS y Iulil-
tary history approaches the smaller of
achievements.
The unbounded love and admiration
which the civilized world is now be-
slowing upon Abraham Lincoln stirs
the worshipers of the Lost Cause to an
effort to place Davis on the same plane |
The effort is as hopeless as ii is repug-
nant. While the Southern people have |
reason and justification for their admir-
alton of Robert E. Lee, who only went |
into secession when he mistakenly |
thought himself forced to do so and |
fought with great skill and courage, |
there is absolutely no foundation upon |
which to build up any idealization of |
Jefferson Davis. Lee erroneously be- |
lieved he was doing his duty by his peo- !
pie, and his admirers can point to num- |
,erless acts of personal generosity kind |
ness and consideration. Davis's career |
Is absolutely barren Of any redeeming |
features of this kind. He lived for him |
self alone, was cold-hearted and selfish |
10 a startling degree, helped no one. |
was merciful to no one, and his career
Of relentless ambition was unrelieved by |
4 single CLINT of the sweeter qualities |
which adorn the highest manhood.
The baneful, irritating and main fea- |
ture of the proposition is that without |