knife on the overseer, he roared out laughing, and pulled an immense knife-handle out of his pocket, without a single blade. He said, “I skeered him good-I jes' showed him the handle. Now does you speck us ter b'lieve in them poor white trash when we people has master that fit and whipped everybody?"

We did the best we could in the matter of a care-taker for our negroes and of our interests, but every year marked a decrease in our income. Mr. Davis insisted on one point, and always carried it, viz., that the negroes should not be whipped, and that they should be kept healthy and satisfied, even if they made little crops. They took advantage of his care, and not being stimulated by affection made no exertion; but they were very affectionate to us, and felt proud of a good crop, if their industry proved strong enough to

make one.

When our first child was born every negro on the plantation, great and small, came up with little gifts of eggs and chickens and a speech of thanks for the birth of a "little massa to take care of we, and be good to we," from the year-old, open-mouthed, glossy little tot, with an egg in his fist, to the old women with a squawking hen, or a dozen large yam potatoes in their aprons. The men looked lovingly on, at a distance, b

One lifted up

De Lord,

the women each took a kiss. the little rosy fingers, and said, honey, you ain't never gwine work-your negroes gwine do all dat for you." And her words in part came true, for in infancy our boy received his inheritance and needs nothing now.

The truly generous temper of my husband was best exhibited toward his inferiors. Generally patient, he was always just. He literally suffered "long and was kind" to all who depended on him. To the last hour of his life the soldiers who had served under him in the regular army, as well as those who were with him in Mexico, wrote to him letters of affectionate remembrance that gave him a world of comfort.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

FIRST YEAR IN THE CABINET.

MR. DAVIS's first report as Secretary of War was transmitted to Congress on December 1, 1853. Like all his public documents, it was marked by a lucidity and dignity of style which not only invested the dead facts with living interest, but added an irresistible force to his arguments and recommendations.

The report showed that, during the preceding year, the War Department, with an army the actual strength of which was only a little over 10,000 men, actively and constantly employed, had been unusually successful in protecting the inhabitants of the frontier; that Indian depredations had been infrequent; that new posts were being established, west of the Mississippi, for the protection of emigration across the plains; that in Texas, Indian hostilities had diminished both in frequency and importance; that permanent positions on the Rio Grande, the boundary between Mexico and the United States, had been strengthened, especially a strong post opposite El Paso; that it was in

contemplation to establish a large post at the point where the great trail of the Comanches crossed the Rio Grande; that other dispositions for the control of the Indian in Northern Texas were in progress, so as to entirely prevent Indian depredations. As small posts had been proven to be injurious to discipline, instruction, and efficiency, and to invite aggression, it was the intention of the Department to post troops, in large bodies, at commanding positions among the Indians, and to restrain aggression by the exhibition of a power adequate to punish. "The Indians will not be likely to engage in hostilities if their families are in the power of the troops in their absence."

He urged that armament for the most im portant points in Texas and the Pacific coast should be forwarded at the earliest practicable period, and that there should also be sent to the Pacific coast, and stored at suitable points, the ordnance and ordnance stores needed for its defence, and to the arsenals on the Columbia River, and on the Bay of San Francisco, the machinery and other means needed for the construction, equipment, and repair of the materiel of war. He recommended that depots should be formed of such other supplies as are not per ishable in their character. With a water

66

transportation of sixteen thousand miles, and land routes impracticable for the transportation of heavy supplies, it will be too late to adopt these measures when the communication by sea is liable to interruption; and no prudent nation should trust, in matters of such vital importance, to the chances of a future that no human sagacity can foresee."

The Secretary next recommended a reform suggested by the statistics of the recruiting service. Recruiting had been unsuccessful during the preceding year, owing to the great demand for labor. Four thousand six hundred recruits were required for the next year, and at the current rates of pay it was not expected to obtain them. He showed that from 1826 to the opening of the war with Mexico, the average excess of the legal over the actual strength of the army was eighteen per cent. of the latter; that the average actual loss by desertions had been twelve and three-fourths per cent.; by discharges from disabilities and other causes, seven per cent.; by death, only four per cent., so that the actual loss, independent of discharges by expiration of service, had been twenty-three and three-fourths per cent. of the actual strength of the army. Since the close of the war with Mexico the excess of the legal over the actual strength of the army