Posted on 04/12/2007 9:34:54 AM PDT by TexConfederate1861
P.S. — President Abraham Lincoln ROCKED. Jefferson Davis? Not so much.
“In her Charleston hotel room, diarist Mary Chesnet heard the opening shot. “I sprang out of bed.” she wrote. “And on my knees—prostrate—I prayed as I never prayed before.””
Mary Chestnut would have been sent to the Betty Ford clinic had she been around in current times.
True indeed! :)
True indeed! :)
I have a copy of her ‘diary’. The amount of opium she used on a regular basis is pretty stunning. The fact she didn’t kill herself via it is also surprising. By the time I finished reading it, I felt sorry for her husband....(chuckle)
Many women up until the 1950’s used “paragoric” for the “Vapors” on a regular basis. It’s primary ingredient is opium. A funny story that is in my family, is that one of my great-great grandmothers was addicted to it. My Great-Grandfather started one of the first and most original drug treatment programs. He went to every druggist in the County, and threatened to open up a “can ofd Whup*ss” on the next one that sold her any. :)
It worked. :)
Perhaps you could provide a citation for this estrangement. You certainly couldn't tell that from their correspondence when he traveled on business over those years. See Jefferson Davis, Private Letters 1823-1889 by Hudson Strode. The letters are full of affection for each other and occasional comments about Varina's feeble health.
Something I need not worry about happening from one of your posts.
My Great-Grandfather started one of the first and most original drug treatment programs. He went to every druggist in the County, and threatened to open up a “can ofd Whup*ss” on the next one that sold her any. :)
It worked. :)
Could use a bit of that today.
Second, if you do your novel about Davis and his wife be sure to include the estrangement between the two that dated from the mid-1860s and lasted until his death.
Perhaps you could provide a citation for this estrangement. You certainly couldn’t tell that from their correspondence when he traveled on business over those years. See Jefferson Davis, Private Letters 1823-1889 by Hudson Strode. The letters are full of affection for each other and occasional comments about Varina’s feeble health.
Not to mention they are all interned at the Hollywood cemetary in Richmond.
Like you, I never once heard of any ‘estrangement’, quite the contrary actually.
lincoln's motives were POWER, MONEY & EGOMANIA, none of which made his invasion of dixie JUST or necessary.
pity that they didn't teach you anything but the myth in school daze.
dixie,sw
dixie,sw
Noni:
I think everyone concerned is well aware of your dislike for Jefferson Davis. You might want to consider the fact that even though he didn’t make a great President, he was still a very good, and kind man, was a great Sec. of War, and is still loved throughout the South. You can dislike his Presidency without slandering the man.
Davis did have his kindly, sentimental side, but "warm" isn't a word I'd use to describe him. It may have been a side he showed to friends, but how much of that did the public see? For that matter, how much of a politician's emotional life should the public see?
One of the things I like most about him was the fact he was not a politician, he would not log roll.
Of course Jefferson Davis was very much a political man, if politics is defined as ambition for power and public office. He just didn't like to compromise much.
If you do your novel about Davis and his wife be sure to include the estrangement between the two that dated from the mid-1860s and lasted until his death.
It would be interesting to find out more about that.
In any event it looks to me like Varina's first impression of Jeff was right:
The first encounter did, however, make a memorable impression on her. She wrote her mother soon after their meeting: "I do not know whether this Mr. Jefferson Davis is young or old. He looks both at times; but I believe he is old, for from what I hear he is only two years younger than you are [the rumor was correct]. He impresses me as a remarkable kind of man, but of uncertain temper, and has a way of taking for granted that everybody agrees with him when he expresses an opinion, which offends me; yet he is most agreeable and has a peculiarly sweet voice and a winning manner of asserting himself. The fact is, he is the kind of person I should expect to rescue one from a mad dog at any risk, but to insist upon a stoical indifference to the fright afterward."
How come that doesn't work with y'all and Abraham Lincoln?
ROTFLMAO! I suppose Lincoln snuck ashore in the dead of night and fired off the first cannon at Sumter, huh?
Are you quoting Orwell? President Lincoln was our 2nd best, next to George Washington. Sorry you’ll never see the light.
‘president’ Davis? Ahhh hahahahahahahah . . . LMAO . . . HA HAHAHAHAHA . . . ahhh . . . I forgot, southerners are still good for a laugh. There’s a rather critical highway not far from where I live named ‘Jefferson Davis Highway’, presumably named after your boy. They too seemed to have forgotten the ‘president’ portion of his name. Hee hee hee.
Let ME second Watie’s opinion.
Lincoln may be a hero to Yankees, but he isn’t in the South.
And Lincoln won’t ever come close to Washington.
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