The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1870-11-10
Speech OF Ex-President Davis.

As Mr.. Davis arose 10 Walk W 'he
stand every person in the house rose 10
his feet, and there followed such
storm of applause as seemed to, shake
the very foundation of the building,
Will, cheer upon cheer was echoed
from the throats of veterans saluting
one whom they delighted to honor:
Mr.. Davis spoke atfength antwith
his. ac,us.e e thrilling, moving elo-
Jouence. He addressed his hearers as
<sSoldiers and sailors of the Confeee'acy,
comrades and friends !" Assembled on
this.sad occasion, with the grief that
> follows the loss of him who was our
leaders on many bloody battlefield, a
pleasing though melancholy spectacle
represented. Hitherto, and in all times,
men have been honored when success
ful, 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
memory. 1t is as much an honor to
YOU who give, as to him who receives,
for above the vulgar test of merit you
show yourselves competent TO discrimi-
nate him who cpjnys and he who de-
served success.
Robert E.. Lee was my associate and
friend in the military academy, and VIC
were associates and friends when he was
q soldier and T a Congressman; and
associates and friends when he led the
armies of the Confedracy and l presi-
ded in its Cabine.. We passed through
many sad scenes together, but cannot
remember that there was ever aught
but perfect harmony between us. IT
ever there was difference Of opinion it
was dissipatcd by discussion, and har'
mony was the result. l repeat, acc
nercr disagreed, and may add that |
ncyerin my life saw in him the slight
est tendency to self seeking. 1t was
not, his to make record, it was not
his to shift blame to others; 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 braved every Difficult
ty; his was the mind that wrought
victory out, defeat. %.'.
He has been charged with "want Of
dish" I wish to say that never knew
Lee to faltcr to attempt anything ever
man could dare. An attempt has also
been made to throw cloud upon his
character, because he left the army Of
the United States to join in the strug
gle for the liberty of lis State. With
out trenchiag at all upon politics, !
deem it my duty to say one word in
reference to this charge. Yirginian
born, descended from a family illus
trious in Virginia's annals, given by
Virginia to the service of the United
States, he represented her in the Mill
tary Academy at West Point. lie was
not educated by the Federal Govern,
meut, but by Virginia; for she paid her
full share for the support of that insti
tuition, aud -entit:Ut 10 uUuIuuu IN
return the services of her sons. Enter.
ing the army ofthe United States, he
represented Virginia there also, and
nobly. On many hard-fought field
Lee was conspicuous, battling for his
native State as much as for the Union.
He came from Mexico crowned with
ho1ors, covered by brcvets, and recog-
nized. young as he was, as one of the
ablest of his countrys soldiers. And
to prove that he was estimated then as
such let me tell you that when Lee
was q Captain of Engineers, stationed
in Baltimore, the Cuban Junta in New
York selected him to be their leader in
the struggle for the independence Of
their native country. They were anx-
ious to secure his services and offered
him every temptation that ambition
could desire. He thought the matter
over, and, 1 remember, clme to Was'r-
ington to consult Inc as to what he
should do, and whenI began to discuss
the complications which might arise
from his acceptance of the trust, lie
gently rebuked me, saying this was not
the line upon which he wished my ad-
vice, the simple question was " Whether
IL uas right or not" lie had been
educated in the United States, and felt
wrong to accept place-in the army of
q foreign power. Such was his extreme
delicacy, such was his nice sense of no.
nCr of the gallant gentleman whose
death VIC deplore. But when Virginia
withdrew-thc State to whom he,oWed
his first and last allegiancc-the same
nice sense OF honor led him to draw his
sword and throw it in the scale for
good or for evil. Pardon me for this
brief defence of my illustrious friend.
When Virginia joined the Confedra-
cy Robert e. Lee, the highest officer
in the 1ittle-arpy-off s ". 1II:;.ss,i-:-,-vvn.v-se 10
Richmond, and notpausiug to inquire
what would be his rank in the service
of the Confederacy, went to Western
Virginia under the belief that he was
still an officer of fthc State. He came
back, carrying the heavy weight of de-
feat and uaappreciated by the people
whom he served, for they could not
know, as knew, that if his plans and
orders had been carried out, the result
would have been victory rather than re-
treat: You did not know, nor would I
have knownit had he not breathed it