As some Northern reporters telegraphed the "inflammatory" paragraph to their papers, friends advised Davis to correct the impression. Davis knew how the North hated to be confronted with the parallel of the two wars: one that made Washington a hero, and the other that tried to make Lee and himself traitors. So he determined to make amends that evening at Governor McDaniel's banquet in his honor. "There are some," he said, "who take it for granted that when I allude to State Sovereignty I want to bring on another war. I am too old to fight again, and God knows I do not want you to have the necessity of fighting again." He paused as the reporters jotted down his statement. But then, looking into the faces before him, after a moment's reflection, he declared: "However, if that necessity should arise, I know you will meet it as you always have discharged every duty you felt called upon to perform."

His triumphal tour ended on a note of unvanquished belief in the right of the South's cause. But he had no doubt said too much. Now, hostile papers attacked him, as if he had blown the roof off the house. Some of them made up preposterous slanders. One went so far as to claim that he had said that now that Lincoln and Grant were dead and in hell, he himself was ready to die. A few Northern papers, however, expressed admiration for the consistency of Davis's stand and were impressed by the tremendous enthusiasm of the Southern people for their defeated leader. The Lowell (Mass.) Sun wrote:

Jefferson Davis suddenly emerges from his long retirement, journeys among his people and everywhere receives the most overwhelming manifestation of heartfelt affection, devotion, and reverence.
Such homage is significant, startling. And it is useless to attempt to deny, disguise, or evade the conclusion that there must be something great and noble and true in him and in the cause to evoke this homage.

Exerpts from Jefferson Davis: Tragic Hero by Hudson Strode (ChapterXLVII)