Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-13

frontier camp to find new beauty In life.
for Col. Taylor had a fair daughter who
set the young lieutenant dreaming OF a
home of his own. Davis resigned from
the Army, married Miss Taylor and
went South on account OF Ill health and
took up plantation life. Three months
after the marriage the season of chill
and fever came on, and both were swept
into its merciless current. Within a
very brief time young Davis lost his
bride.
This single incident was perhaps the
most weighty in his formative years, for
he withdrew into strict seclusion On his
plantation estate in Mississippi for al
most 10 years. Through exacting at
tention to his plantation he amassed
a fortune from cotton and at the same
time read widely in his brothers ex-
cellent library. There he found h
best English magazines, the leading
American newspapers and the English
classics. He read. too. political philos-
ophy, political economy and public law.
This unlimited range in reading made
him later q remarkably able public
speaker.
It wa during this period that Davis
determined upon his political course.
He was q Democrat. q States rights man
and q follower of Calhoun in preference
to Jackson.
It is not the purpose OF this paper
to follow his life closely. Rather is 1t
to show the influences that shaped him
to his event and to dwell upon some
of his statesmanlike efforts while he
was serving the Government of the
United States, for he was drawn into
that service and performed his work
| we'll.
During Davis first session as a men,
Der of the House of Representatives he
teerS from Mississippi into Mexico. His
old West Point training came into play,
and. he drilled his men to the degree
that made him unpopular with them.
He was ever the martinez. He served
CALAMITY in Mexico. especially at Nom
terey and Buena Vista. In the latter
engagement his father-in-law, Gen.
Taylor, advised him to leave the field,
SO badly wounded was he, but he re-
manned all that day with his men.
In 1S47 Davis was appointed to fill
out a term in the Senate. This was
followed by an elected term in the same
body, but he resigned In 1851, only to
be reelected In 1857. serving until his
State seeded from the Union, in 1851.
AS Senator. he was the leader OF the
Southern Democrats, taking the place
made vacant by Calhoun.
When Pierce ran for the presidency.
so active was Davis in his Il in
Mississippi and other Southern States
that Pierce carried the vote there.
Davis was rewarded by being made
Secretary of War. There was little OF
no objection to this appointment, for 1t
was openly conceded that Davis. by
training and through experience, was
excellent material for this office. 1t
should be added that. the President
was under the influence of this Secre-
tary of War to the extent that 1t was
MD that anything that Davis desired
~.crce would grant. Like all exaggera-
ems, the statement contained Its
'rleus of truth.
In the activities of this man as War
rotary lies much of his unques-
I'D claim to craftsmanship. II
,qn, 1t is scarcely remembered thai
= was given direction Of extend
the Capitol of the United States
end his architects planned and
~r,,d the execution of the Senate
!. end House wings of the present home
of the national Government. 1t Is Of
:. ! interest to remember that when Lin
/ coin was inauAerated the now uagnih'