Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-10-01

the changes of time ever make him q
suppliant, for this benificence. ~
And now he is before me prisoner
good God How changed The last
time saw him his brow seemed decked,
not only with a crown of intelligent
glory, but with a sort'of primus inter.
pares-halo of all the kingly chivalries
of the past ages. Now he was bent
broken, reeling But oh that voice
its timbre, cadence, tone i am glad to
see you, Mr.. Kelley, your hair is winter
than it was that beautiful autumn morn
ing that you prayed by my bedside in
Richmond, Your heart, too, has been
scared. Well, thank God, amidst it all,
aud by it all, we are ripening for the
skies. Mr.. Davis, has it never occurred
to you that, not victorious, but defeated
causes, when founded on truth and honor,
are finally victorious in the flow of ages =?
Who was the greatest man, Tiberius at
Capra, sunk in the infamies of sensual
ism, or the Nazarine, crowned with
thorns, and uttering those words of
power amid the agonies Of the cross:
Father, forgive them, they know not
what they doY True, said Mr.. Davis,
no good cause ever dies. Whatever was
true in our theory of State rights will
live, and be yet adopted entirely by our
Northern brethren. The American peo-
pie are eminently thoughtful and practi-
cal, assimilating to themselves truth from
every point; witness their wonderful i'm.
provements in the practical arts. You
know how the Normans conquered the
Saxons at Hastings - how they op-
pressed and wronged them; yet in the
course of three centuries the ideas of the
conquered subdued their conquerors and
led the United Kingdom to the conquest
of that very France whence the conquer
ors came Centuries In the past were no
more than decades in the present. ]
have no fear as to the ultimate triumph
of our principle, purified from whatever
was wrong or selfish in them, as you and
have been purified by sorrow.
90 Do you remember, Mr.. Davis, that
couplet of Lady Guion's translated by
Cowper? 4oVH
1.-The path of sorrow. and that path alone,
Leads to the place. where sorrow is unknown." "
"' Yes, remember it we'll 1t is the
compend of christianity. The world has
never yet fully appreciated that aspect,
the ecce homo of Christ" / have read
more in the old books, probably, than you
have, Mr.. Davis; let me recite to you
an instance in the life of Julian. He had
oppressed and thwarted Cyril, of Jerusa-
lem, in various ways; at last, on going
to the Parthian war; he met the good
Bishop in great distress, on account of
the miseries of his flock. He then said
to him, Cyril, where is your carpenter
God, nowY The Bishop answered,
Perhaps, making coffin for the Roman
Emperor / have never heard that be-
fore, but it is full of significance and
terrible rebuke to unholy pride and self
confidence. ta
After prayers we proceeded to break
fast which had three covers, one each
for Mr. and Mrs. Davis, and one for me.
The breakfast consisted of some nice
rolls and toast, good tea, butter and a
few oysters. Mr. Davis eat very spa
ringly.
Il omitted to mention in its proper
place that Mrs. Davis met him at the
door, put her arms around his neck and
kissed him. After he was seated she
brought him their little child, which he
kissed, seated on his knee, and as |
thought by the motion of his beautiful
chiseled lips, prayed secretly for
After breakfast, Bishop Green, of
Mississi ppi was introduced The greet
ing was cordial and afTectionate, Mr..
Davis alluded with great delicacy to
some family Affections Of the Bishops,
to which the latter responded with a
quivering lip aud fearful eye. Here
after Il will give you pen and ink pic
ture of these two men as they limned
themselves on the canvas of memory.
Here propose to give part Of the con
yersation that occurred the whole morn
ing. Our people all love and revere
our late excellent president. To meet
their craving to know something about
him from the heart, or inner life side OF
him, | will write some two or three
papers more on this subject ought
not to close without saying that he
evinees the most thorough spirit of for
giveness toward his enemies. Like
every sensible man, he separates the
wheat fromthe chat, and does not con-
demn the Northern people in mass
neither Democrats, Republicans or Rad
icals, are fends or angels. They and
we are poor living mortals, following
the best light we have, and should be
charitable to one anothers faults.
JnuN ID KELLEY