[From the Raleigh Morning Post, January, 1902.] OUR LAST CAPITAL. Danville's Part in the Closing Hours of the Confederacy. WHAT DAVIS DID WHILE THERE. Text of the Proclamation Issued by the President on April 5th, The Sutherlin Mansion. (See ante, p. 80.) Weep not that the world changes-did it keep A stable, changeless course, 'twere cause to weep.—Bryant. Since Homer first sang of the deeds of prowess performed by Hector, the godlike Achilles, and other Greek heroes before the walls of sacred Troy, and thus immortalized that place, in all nations the names of places at which notable events affecting the governments and institutions of those countries have occurred, have been carefully memorized and zealously guarded for their historical and patriotic value by the people of those countries. Runnymede has come down to us through the dim history of the Middle Ages to have a marked significance, since there it was that John, King of England, in the year 1215 A. D., signed that great instrument of human liberty guaranteeing some of the inalienable rights of man, the Magna Charta. The act of abdication, signed by the Emperor Napoleon, on April 6, 1814, at Fontainbleau, has made the name of that palace famous in French and European history. The surrender by Napoleon III of an army of 90,000 men in September, 1870, which event marked the retirement of the aforesaid Emperor as a factor in European politics, and by which event the empire founded by him of which he had been the head, ended tragically, made Sedan a name in history that will endure. Yorktown has justly become a memorable name in American history on account of its being the place, where, by the surrender of Lord Cornwallis' forces, American national liberty and independence were first definitely assured. MARKS THE LAST STEP. In the history of our country, then, Yorktown marks the first definite step in the progress of events upon which the foundation of our nation as an independent and self-governing country rests. Likewise, Danville should mark the final step in the solution of the greatest and most perilous national crisis which our nation has endured, and upon which our entire future welfare and wellbeing for all time depended, for it was there that the final scenes in the Civil war drama were by the Confederate government enacted. The end of the war, when the Confederate government left Richmond, its capital, and became a wanderer, having no place, seemingly, wherewithal it might become permanently established, was only partially assured. But during the occupation of, and subsequent retreat from, Danville, by the government, the end of the strife and bloodshed was definitely assured. I shall not here in any way enter into a discussion in regard to the relative merits of the legal and constitutional, or moral, questions involved in the conflict between the Northern and Southern States. To do so would be outside of the scope of the subject dealt with in this article. However, I must here digress to the extent of saying that it is now by impartial historians conceded to be a well-established fact that the Confederate States had, undoubtedly, a welldefined constitutional right to secede from the Union, but every one admits that for them to have exercised this right, as they did, was, to say the least, extremely impractical and injudicious. However much we may differ in our opinions in regard to these things, the fact remains that these events of which I have spoken constitute to all Americans a subject of supreme interest. And to our people it naturally follows that the end of the civil government in the Confederate States with the last wholly official act, a proclamation, by the highest executive authority, together with some of the particulars in regard to these things attendant upon those acts, is ever a subject of acute interest. Knowing these things, and also knowing that no definite and accurate detailed account of them, which is easily accessible to the public, has ever been prepared, and wishing to preserve for the benefit of posterity as well as of ourselves the actual facts, I have taken some pains to secure a recital of them at first hand from one who was intimately associated with Jefferson Davis and his cabinet during these closing scenes, which heralded and marked the fall of the Confederate government, and who is un doubtedly the best qualified living person to recount them. Any statement made by this person would require no corroborative proof, which, however, is not lacking, to substantiate it. THE LAST CAPITAL. Hon. Jefferson Davis, in his Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government, says: Though the occupation of Danville was not expected to be permanent, immediately after arriving there rooms were obtained, and the different departments resumed their routine labors." Since this was the last place at which the departments carried on their routine labors, and since, while they did this, the capital was located here, therefore this place is entitled clearly to the distinction of being called “The Last Capital of the Confederacy." When it became evident to General Lee that it would be impossible for him to longer hold the defences guarding the capital, his main line of defences at Petersburg having been broken, which necessitated a withdrawal of his other forces, he advised President Davis, in a telegram received by him while attending divine services, that Richmond should be evacuated by the government simultaneously with the withdrawal of his army. The situation left no alternative. So, with his cabinet, and attended by his staff, President Davis left at once for Danville. This was on the 2d of April. Upon arriving at Danville the Presidential party was met at the depot, taken to his residence, and entertained by Major W. T. Sutherlin, a wealthy and prominent citizen, who held the offices of commissionary and commandant at this place, and who had been a member of the Secession Convention of Virginia. Here the President and his cabinet remained until the 10th of April. Here also were the cabinet meetings held, the proclamation issued, and orders transmitted. During this time the Sutherlin mansion constituted de facto the capital of the Confederate States. A house on Wilson street was obtained by the government for the use of the President's staff and the offices of the various departments, and there all routine government business was transacted. LAST FULL CABINET MEETING. The last full cabinet meeting which was ever held by the President met with him in one of the sitting-rooms of the Sutherlin mansion. All of the members of the cabinet attended this meeting except the Secretary of War, General J. C. Breckinridge, of Kentucky. There were present: Judah P. Benjamin, Secretary of State; Trenholm, Secretary of Treasury; S. R. Mallory, Secretary of the Navy; Davis, the Attorney-General; J. H. Reagan, Postmaster-General, and Mr. Memminger, formerly Secretary of the Treasury; also Mr. Harrison, the President's private secretary. Mr. Davis, while in Danville, remained at his temporary home and capitol very little. He was very busily engaged in examining into the fortifications surrounding the place, which he reported as very faulty both in construction and design. He was also actively engaged in formulating plans relating to the design which he had formed of having Lee retreat to the Virginia State line, where he could be able to form a junction with Johnston, the army as thus combined making a final stand on the banks of and in the country contiguous to the Dan and Roanoke rivers. The execution of this design which he had in mind, had its accomplishment proved possible, would have enabled the leaders to have obtained much better terms than an unconditional surrender. However, as it happened, Grant was able to, and did by a flank movement, which his position aided him in making, prevent the contemplated move on Lee's part, forced the crippled army to retreat towards Lynchburg, where it was surrounded on all sides and compelled to capitulate. This surrender of Lee's army on April the 9th made the fall of the civil branch of the Confederate government inevitable. HOPEFUL AND CONFIDENT. Until the news of Lee's surrender reached him, President Davis was very hopeful and confident of the ultimate triumph of the Confederacy. In fact, the tone of the proclamation issued by him on the 5th, soon after his arrival in Danville, is, as he admits, "viewed by the light of subsequent events, it may be fairly said, was oversanguine." The following is a copy of the proclamation referred to: "The General-in-Chief found it necessary to make such movements of his troops as to uncover the capital. It would be unwise to conceal the moral and material injury to our cause resulting from its occupation by the enemy. It is equally unwise and unworthy of us to allow our energies to falter, and our efforts to become relaxed under reverses, however calamitous they may be. For many months the largest and finest army of the Confederacy, under a leader whose presence inspires equal confidence in the troops and the people, has been greatly trammelled by the necessity of keeping constant watch over the approaches to the capital, and has thus been forced to forego more than one opportunity for promising enterprise. It is for us, my countrymen, to show by our bearing under reverses, how wretched has been the self-deception of those who have believed us less able to endure misfortune with fortitude than to encounter danger with courage. "We have now entered upon a new phase of the struggle. Relieved from the necessity of guarding a particular point, our army will be free to move from point to point, to strike the enemy in detail far from his base. Let us but will it, and we are free. Determined TO THE LAST. "Animated by that confidence in your spirit and fortitude which never yet failed me, I announce to you, fellow-countrymen, that it is my purpose to maintain your cause with my whole heart and soul; that I will never consent to abandon to the enemy one foot of the soil of any of the States of the Confederacy; that Virginia, noble State, whose ancient renown has been eclipsed by her still more glorious recent history; whose bosom has been bared to receive the main shock of this war; whose sons and daughters have exhibited heroism so sublime as to render her illustrious in all time to comebut Virginia, with the help of the people and by the blessing of Providence, shall be held and defended, and no peace ever made with the infamous invaders of her territory. "If, by the stress of numbers, we should be compelled to a temporary withdrawal from her limits or those of any other border States, we will return until the baffled and exhausted enemy shall abandon in despair his endless and impossible task of making slaves of a people born to be free. "Let us, then, not despond, my countrymen, but, relying on God, meet the foe with fresh defiance and with unconquered and unconquerable hearts. "JEFFERSON DAVIS. " The forgoing, the last proclamation of the President of the Confederate States, is not often seen, therefore it is given in its entirety. The Table on which this proclamation was written is now in the possession of Mrs. W. T. Southerlin, relict of Major Southerlin. It is of unusual design, with curved legs, being made of heavy mahogany. It has upon it a beautiful slab about two and one-half feet by five in size, of mottled Egyptian marble. This table, I was informed, has been repeatedly sought for by those having control of |