The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-09


EAacjly half century ago to-day.
Icfcrson LAWS was elected Provision
VI President OF lie Confederate states
81 America By The Provisional Con
;ggess III session al MONTGOMERY. Ala
lama Al tie same time. Alexander
III, Stcnhens, 81 Georgia. was elected
Nice- President Each received ali the
Notes east THEY were elected to hold
oilicc for one Year. OF unit the mas
cen, soyernmcnt should be succeeded
iy one more stable
Dr ] /. NJ curry in his valuable
'Giyn history Of the Govornment Of
1hc Confederate states says:
THESE officers We're elected by bal
lot. each state cfs,ing ono Vote. There
llal hce,I no cleG,iouoorne 10 manage
liient no bargaining, no promises.
Mhc should he President engaged car
nest attcntion#und there was naturally
somc dncrcncc OF opinion as 10 the
ATTEST person for tho high Office I'hc
manifestations Of Davis, TGomhs ana
Cobb were quietly oanvasscd. but the
dsfcroncoS were not SO pressed as TO
cause delay OF action or any ll-fcciinG
Some deputies favored Comb. some
'roomhs but Davis received unanimous
ana cordial support, Besides large
ciVil experience ms Secretary OF War
:nd member Of Congress. in which po-
sitions he had won meritca distinction
Tor scholarship ABILITY and integrity,
Davis had lad military experience in
thc Mcxican War. where he had dis
jnguishca himself for courage and tao
iiral skill. and it was known thpt his
tastes and preferences were for mil
j,ary station
'rhat Mr. Davis was by no means a
'ilcccp,ivc' candidate for tho pres-
sloncy Of the new nation is shown by
Ills declaration IN his hook ''rhc Rise
ana Fall OF the Confederate Govern
,ncnt'':
AS this election to the Presidency
had beer suggested as q proba bic
event, and what appeared 10 ne ade-
Quate precautions had been taken to
prevent iii was surprised. and still
more, disappointed. For reasons which
), Is now not necessary 10 state, ! had
not believed myself rs We'll suited 10
The Office as some others. Thought
myself 10 be better adapted to COM
,nand III the field and Mississippi had
given me the position which preferred
10 any othcr-thc highest rank in lici
army II was, therefore, that ] after
ward said, in an address delivered in
7he Capitol before the Legislature of
he state, with reference to my clcc-
tion 10 The Presidency OF the Confcd-
crazy. that the duty to which | was
! thus called was temporary, and that J
expected soon to lie with The Army Of
mississippi again"
Turing the election Of the Confcd-
u. II. I
crate Provisional Prcsidcn, and Vice
President an immense crowd gathered
on The noors OF Congress and in Tie
galleries TO behold the choice OF The
ilrst executive heads OF Ills new re-
public The announcement OF the cleo
ZION was loudly chcercd ind arplauded
~ all present 1t is Il fact often iost
sight OF that when these officers were
Te-electcd president Davis was elected
under e..prpNsioiis or ihe pcrmancn,
Constitution Of the C'onfcdcracy for siA
Hfhrs, and was ,hcn 10 be ineligible
Tor Reelection Ills term, therefore
Noald have ended III 1865 bit tire.
Hears before tina. time his ofiicc. along
7Hththc ration d within lit belonged
''' ''H iOiii"'h o. 'hc thihGS
me ihisli' hays hecn and We're moi.
L was one 81 ,nemos, distinguished
lo6ies q men that ever mot il III,
3 'on'h Wish elecicd Davis and Sue
3hens f iha highest positions in ii,
\ ioniederaaey Presiding over Tho dciib
fS1onz OF ti'e Provisional congrcs,
Mas Its most popular member lIowcl
'oho q G""rgia who had been Gov-
crnor of MS state. Sneaker Of The ga
'pnal lIouse and Secretary Of th'
TroaSuiy From Aiabama came !. j
1toopfr scqtet1fy q the Congress !
= " cnrrN ana iohn Gil shorter, ar
'efWaIns waf '5oYernor Of ihe Stn'c
ltofiaa sfnt tnA gallant J potion IN
+ nffSoh and 'hc<soh A'ortoni Amoni
a