The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-07-05
A PORTRAYAL OF JEFFER'
SON DAVIS
CONTINUED From Page TWelve-)

his holy keeping, and grant that be
fore it is too late peaceful n
may PREVAIL"
In this open, manly, but painful
way, the Southern States withdrew,
with never a suggestion of conspiracy
against anything or anybody. me men
OF the South wore no DISCUSSES, hello
no secret councils, concealed no plans,
concocted no sinister schemes, organ
led no conclaveS, and adopted no
da~rk-lantern methods; they spoke
out their honest convictions, made
their pathetic pleas for justice, AND
openly announced their final, lament-
ed purpos if all efforts at a peaceful
adjustment should fail. And at length
whether wisely or ~unwisely, feeling
that nothing else would ava they
determined to tax the final step and
fling defiance IN the face of they
considered an aggressive, o~verbearlng,
tyrannOuS majority.
AS Alexander II. Stephens admira-
bly, aud correctly says, the real object
of those h resorted to secession
was not to overthrow the government
CT the United States, but to pe~rpetuate
the principles upon which it was
founded. The object of quitting the
Union was not to destroy, but to save
the principles of the Constitution"
And it is a significant fact that the
historic instrument, in almost it's exact
q I1@ AaAS S>1AA Xix oA Jaw "
the Confederate government. h
Southern States withdrew from the
Union for the very reason that
them at first to enter 1t; that is. for
their own better protection and Sc
curity.
Secession was not a war measure;
it was intended to be a peace
1t was d deeply regretted effort on
the part Of the South to flee from con-
tinued strife, feeling that peace with
two governments was better than a
Union Of discordant States Horace
Greeley himself said: If the cotton
States shall decide that they can do
better out Of the Union than in it, we
insist on letting them go in peace"
And while fearing the direful posi-
bility, the Southern States eceded
Without the slightest preparation for
a AS DR., J. l. NJ. Curry said:
Not a gun. not an establishment for
nor a vessel had been provided as a prep
~aration for war, offensive or defensive, On
the contrary, they desired to live in peace
and friendship with their late Confetlef-
ates, and took all the necessary steps to
secure that desired result. There was no
appeal to the aroitrament Of arms, nor
and earnestly sought to make a fair and
equitable settlement of common intel-
ests and disputed questions"
And the very first act of the Con-
federate government was to appoint
commissioners to Warrington to make
terms of peace, and establish relations
of amity between the sections
Some days after his farewell to the
Senate, Mr.. Davis returned to his
home in Mississippi to await results
and render any service to which his
country might call him. He did not,
however, desire the headship Of the
Confederacy that was in process of
Oro2 niY3fjOU Rnt the nnnnla Ubn
knew his pre-eminent abilities and
trusted his leadership, declined to
release him. By a unanimous and
enthusiastic vote he was elected to the
presidency of the young republic, and
felt compelled to accept responsibility
ties from which he hoped to escape.
1t was the thought of his countrymen,
voiced by the eloquent William L.
Yancey, that the man and the hour
have met" He could well say, there
fore, in his inaugural address, deliver
ed a few days after, that 1T is Joyous
in the midst of perilous times to look
around upon a people united in heart,
when one purpos of high resolve ami
mates and actuates the whole; when
h sacrifices to be made are not
weighed in the balance against honor
and right and liberty and equality
His address was conservative and dis
passionate, but strong and resolute.
not unequal to the luminous and lofty
utterances of Thomas Jefferson. If
others failed o measure the awful i'm
port of that epochal hour, not go the
serious and far-seeing man about to
assume high office, who was at once
an educated and trained soldier and
a great statesman of long experience
and extraordinary genius.
To rehearse, in detail, the we'll
known story Oc the four years of ear
mage and struggle it is not within the
of this paper.
Nor is it necessary to consider at
length the mary perplexing problems
which signalied the administration of
the young nations first and only Pres
ident. 1t is sufficient to say that he
conducted the affairs OF the stormy
government with wisdom,
meeting the sternest responsibilities.
aWed by no reveTses, discouraged by
TO disaster, and c~heriShing an I'M