The Modern Library Classics: Jefferson Davis

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Jefferson Davis is a complex and controversial figure in American political history, having served as the president of the Confederacy and facing accusations related to Abraham Lincoln's assassination. This volume presents a selected collection of his writings, primarily drawn from the authoritative Papers of Jefferson Davis, along with thirteen previously unpublished documents. It encompasses a range of pieces, from letters to his sister during his college years to significant speeches on the Constitution, slavery, and sectional issues, including his farewell address in the U.S. Senate and his inaugural address as Confederate president, as well as correspondence from prison to his wife. These selections reveal the multifaceted nature of Davis. As William J. Cooper, Jr. notes in his Introduction, Davis’s significance extends beyond his Civil War role. Born in early nineteenth-century Kentucky, he witnessed the transformation of the U.S. from a fledgling nation to a continental power. His early life included moving to Mississippi and serving as an army officer tasked with protecting westward settlers. He also fought in the Mexican War as colonel of the First Mississippi Regiment, contributing to the U.S. expansion through the Mexican Cession. In the 1850s, as secretary of war and U.S. senator, he promoted a transcontinental railroad to unite the nation.