THE LIFE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS
THE LIFE
OF
Jefferson Davis.
By FRANK H. ALFRIEND,
Late Editor of The Southern Literary Messenger.
CINCINNATI AND CHICAGO:
CAXTON PUBLISHING HOUSE.
PHILADELPHIA, RICHMOND, ATLANTA AND ST. LOUIS:
NATIONAL PUBLISHING CO.
BALDWYN, MISS.: P. M. SAVERY & COMPANY.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.: J. LAWS & CO.
1868.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, by
FRANK H. ALFRIEND,
In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States, for the
District of Virginia.
PREFACE.
In offering this volume to the public, the occasion is embraced to avow,with unfeigned candor, a painful sense of the inadequate manner in whichthe design has been executed. Emboldened rather by his own earnestconvictions, than by confidence in his capacity, the author has undertakento contribute to American History, an extended narration of the moreprominent incidents in the life of Jefferson Davis. Whatever may be thedecision of the reader upon the merits of the performance, the author hasthe satisfaction arising from a conscientious endeavor to subserve theends of truth. In pursuit of the purpose to write facts only, to the aidof familiar acquaintance with many of the topics discussed, and toinformation derived from the most accurate sources, has been broughtlaborious investigation of numerous interesting papers, which hisavocation made accessible. It is therefore claimed that no statement is tobe found in this volume, which is not generally conceded to be true, orwhich is not a conclusion amply justified by indisputable evidence.
Nor is it to be fairly alleged that the work exhibits undue sectionalbias. As a Southern man, who, in common with his countrymen of the South,was taught to believe the principles underlying the movement for Southernindependence, the only possible basis of Republicanism, the author hasregarded, as a worthy incentive, the desire to vindicate, as best hemight, the motives and conduct of the South and its late leader.
Disclaiming the purpose of promoting sectional bitterness, or of awholesale indictment of the Northern people, he deems it needless to dwellupon the obvious propriety of discrimination. Holding in utter abhorrence[Pg iv]the authors of those outrages, wanton barbarities and petty persecutions,of which her people were the victims, the South yet feels the respect ofan honorable enemy for those distinguished soldiers, Buell, Hancock,McClellan and others, who served efficiently the cause in which they wereemployed, and still illustrated the practices of Christian warfare. Tofitly characterize the remorseless faction in antagonism to the sentimentsof these honorable men, it is only necessary to recall the malice whichassails a “lost cause” with every form of detraction, and aspires to crowna triumph of arm