Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-08-27
ONLY A GRAVEL IN THE WAY

ONLY A GRAVEL IN THE WAY
The country had just begun to take
more conciliatory view of the results of the
war, and the people on both sides were be-
ginning to come together, satisfied that
enmity continued in the family can pos
sibly accomplish no good to the household.
All around you hear of centennials and
the great differentiation OF the men of the
North and the South, the East and the
West, who meet there. Boston highly
honored our own FitZ. Lee, and all through
the South have men been welcomed who
were on the other side Of the bloody chasm.
All seemed moving merry as a, marriage
bell, when suddenly Rockford, Illinois,
endeavors to throw bomb-shell into the
would-be loving family. The Secretary of
her Agricultural Fair invited President
Davis to deliver the Annual Address for
the reason that, keeping step to the music
of the age, Rockford might excel Boston,
and even Philadelphia in her great coming
centennial, by holding out. as he says,
with Christian magnanimity, its well
coming hand to the alien South, and ten
dering its generous hospitality to the
President Of the fallen Confederacy." A
few, probably bomb-proofs, Of the "Grand
Army of the Republic" were terribly ex-
cited at once and raised the hue and cry
Of Rebel. A few Northern papers, not
yet reconstructed, took up the cry. Mr.
Davis hears this as it flashes across the
wires and Immediately telegraphs the Sec
rotary withdrawing his acceptance of the
invitation, and follows it with Il letter
characteristic of the man. A letter which
has met with universal commentator
from every part of the Union, in which
he gives his reasons for the acceptance, the
main one of which, as he states it, was:
ssThe hope that personal intercourse
might remove some of the prejudices which
had been generated by partizan factions
and nurtured by individual and sectional
hate. Anxious as in former years to pro-
mote the interests of our great valley of
the Mississippi. and believing that with
mutual confidence and cO-intelligence
much good could be done for their advance
ment, [ only delayed my acceptance of
your invitation until it became reasonably
probable that it could be net. The pro-
ductive capacity of the northwest needs
for it's development cheaper and safer trans
portatiOn to the markets of the Southwest,
and also to those foreign countries. In
England, especially, earnest attention has
been directed for several years past to moi e
direct and economical trade with the
Mississippi valley. In this connects ion
there was a desire to confer with the Pa-
irons of HuSbandry in your rich and pros
porous section, to discuss with them ques-
tions involved in securing better means of
transporting your farm produce to more
favorable markets and providing against
which should insure larger returns to the
freemen, and by such conference to learn
the views of one member of the family Of
the Mississippi valley-a family, the chief
interest of al! members Of which is agri-
culture, but cultivators of such various
crops as to make trade among themselves
extensive and lucrative, while it stamps
on each and all the same interests and tine
same policy as to their foreign trade. To
render such a conference effectual there
must needs be a disposition to attend to
the subject under consideration; surely not
a purpose to smother it by the interposition
of matters having no just relation with
IT'D
He concludes with the remark that his
''only regret is the loss of opportunity t.
promote the public interest, and which the
welfare of your community is identified
Though annoying as thu treatment he re-
ceived would be to some, yet Mr.. Davis is
equal to such emergencies, and treats it az
it deserves, in his calm and dignified way
which rebounds to his and the credit OIL
the South, while tn whole country regrets
aye, condemns the action of the over
jealous partizans of Rockford.
On the heels of this follows the invita-
tion of the Knox CO., Illinois Agricultural
Society to Mr.. Davis to address them
doubtless suggested by the mean treatment
of Rockford, and most fitting rebuke to
that people.
Mr.. Davis, instead of frettlng. as some
would have done, and without the slight
est exhibition Of displeasure even, ut his
treatment, gracefully accepts the latter
invitation, which was as grand rs his calm
ment. The people of the South can but
feel proud that her representative man ha
acted in both cases as he did.
We venture the ASSERTION that the Kno (
County, Illinois, Fair is the largest attend
ed one in that State this year, and. wi |
have the ablest address delivered before ii
Knox county will be the gainer--Rock-
ford can only be the loser She will b..
hoisted on her own petard. After all it is
better that it happened in this way. In
stead of abarrier, Rockford only put ii
very small gravel in the path OF recon
struction, which was blown away by the
first passing breeze.