The union Democrat. [volume] (Sonora, Calif.) 1854-1946, 1870-11-26
ADDRESS OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.

OF veterans saluting one whom they delight to
honor.
ADDRESS OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Soldiers and Sailors of the Coniederccy,
! Comrades and Friends :--Assembled on this
occasion, with hearts oppressed with grief
that follows the loss of him who was our lead
err Oh many bloody battlefield, q pleasing
| though melancholy spectacle is presented
Hitherto. and in all times, men have been
honnred when successful, but here is the case
of one who. amid disaster. went down to his
grave. and those who were his companions in
misfortune have assembled to honor his MEM
ory. 1t is az much an honor to you who give
az to him who receives, for above the vulgar
test of merit, you show yourselves compe-
tent to discriminate between him who enjoys
and he who deserves success. Robert f. Lee
was my associat and friend in the military
academy, and we were friends until the hour
of his death. We were associates and friends
when he MAS a soldier and | a Congressman
and associates and friends when he led the
armies of the Confederacy AMI presided in
it's Cabinet. We passed through many sad
scenes together. hut cannot remember that
there was ever aught but perfect harmony be-
tween us. If ever there was difference Of
opinion it was dissipated by discussion. and
/
disagreed, and may ED that never in nv
| life saw in him the slightest tendency to self
seeking. 1t was not his to make record, it
was not his to shift blame to other shoulders
but it was his, with an eye fixed upon the
welfare of his country, never faltering, to fol-
| low the line of duty to the end His was the
heart that bra7cd every difficulty; his was
the mind that wrought victory out of defeat.
| lie has been charged with want of dash -
| wish to say that never knew Lee to falter
n attempt any thing ever man could dare.
! An attempt has also been made to throw a
cloud upon his character because he left the
army Of the United Suites to Join in the strug-
Gle for the liberty of his State Without
trenching at all upon politics. deem it my
! duty to saw ore word in reference to this
charge. Virginia horn, descended from n fanl-
| ilv illustrious in Virgiuia's annals, given by
! Virginia to the service of the United States,
he represented her in the Military Academy
at West Point. He was not educated by the
| Federal Government. Int by Virginia, for she
paid her full share for the support of that in
sttuton. and was entitled to demand in re-
turn the services of her sons. Entering the
srmv of the United States, he represented
| Virginia there also. and nohly. On many g
! hard fought battle field Lee was consnicuous,
/
the Union. He came from Mexico crowned
with honors, covered by breycts. and recog-
niEed. young as he was, as one Of the ahlest
Of his country's soldiers And to prove that
he was estimated then as such. let me tell you
that when lee was Captain of Engineers
stationed in Baltimore, the Cuban Junta in
! New York selected him 10 be their leader in
the struggle for the Independence of their
native country. fhev were anxious to Sc
cnre his services. and offered him eyerv temp
tation that ambition could desire. IIethought
the matter over, and. | remember, came to
| Washington tn consult me as to what he
should do, and when began to discuss the
complications which might arise from his ac-
ceptance Of the trust he gently rehuked me.
saving that this was not the line unon which
he asked nv advice. the simple question was.
"Hhetber II rGs right or not He had been
! educated nv the United Sta es, and felt it
wrong to accent place in the army of for
eign power. Such was his extreme delieaev.
snch was the nice sense of honor of the gal
liant gentleman whose death wedeplore. But
when Virginia withdrew-the State 70 whom
he owed his frstand last allegiance-the same
nice sense of honor led him 10 draw his sword
| and throw IL in the scale for good or for evil
Pardon me for this hr;ef defence of nv illustri-
Gus friend. Wien Virginia Joined the Confad-
eracy, Robert Lee. the highest officer in the lit
tie army Of Virginia. came to Richmond. and
not parsing to enquire Vt bat would be his rank
in the service Of the Confederacy went TO
West Virginia under the belief that he was
still an officer of the State. He came back.
carrying the heavy weight of defeat, and ua-
appreciated by the people whom he served.
| for he could not know as | knew, that if his
plans and orders had been carried cut the re-
suit would have been victory rather than re-
treat. You did not know, for | would not
have known it had he not breathed it in nv
ear only nj nv earnest request, and begging
that nothing be said about it. The clamcr