The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-09-07
PROPOSED HONOR TO MR.. DAVIS.

1t is proposed in Mississippi that tn
Oranges shall contribute cotton enough t,
buy an estate for the Hon. JEFF Davis, and t,
provide fund for the support of him ant
his family. There are supposed to be 81, OO(
Changers in that State, who could contribute
5000, 600 by an individul subscription of LEST
than Sc each. This would be light burden
upon them individually and the result would
be competence to JEFF Davis and his
family. 1t would require but 1000 bales Of
cotton to secure this fund, which would be
but about one bale to eight members.
We should have no objection to any dona.
ton which the wealthy citizens of Mississippi
or any other State might see fit to make to
one who bore the banner of the Confederacy
with clean hands and brave heart. He is
worthy of any gift which his countrymen may
see fit to bestow, and if made in the form OF
voluntary and spontaneous loan or offering,
it would honor the givers more than the re-
cipient. But in the form Of contribution to
be raised by an assessment upon the farmers
and planters of Mississippi, we can not view
the proposed endowment as altogether in
good taste.
Mr.. Davis, so far as the loss Of his estate is
concerned. is only one in great many thou
sands of the adherents of the Coafederacy.
among whom are many huDdreds who, accord
lrg to their ability and position, served that
cause with as much zeal and fidelity. The
President of the short lived republic, by virtue
of his position, had an extra share of renown
and will fill larger chapter in the chronicles
of the South than some who lost as much,
risked as much and labored as diligently and
with as pure motives as he did.
Whatever merit there may be in the system
OF pensions and endo wments for meritorious
services to the public, it cannot be just unless
it Is made general in its application. Missis-
sippi is not able to provide by contribution
for the lifetime support Of the soldiers who
served in the Confederate army or of the fam
lilies of those who fell in the war. Other
Confederate States are in like condition. In
impoverished Louisiana such provision for
survivors and families of the deceased
would absorb a third part of the
results of agricultural industry in the
State year by year. If our State
government were in the hands OF our own
people. there would be very few of our citi-
sens willing to! provide a State pension or
und for the support of surviving officers and
soldiers of the fifty or more regiments
contributed by this State to the patriot army,
" of those who fell in battle or died in SER
ice.
The system Of pensions for meritorious and
'atriotic service, though liable to objections,
las become too much the usage of this Repub-
&c to be abandoned. The Federal govern
,ent may make provision by pensions for the
lsabled soldiers and sailors of the navy and
rmy of the late war, as we'll as for the fami.
es Of those who fell.
The surviving sufferers and the families of
le killed upon the Confederate side are
lually meritorious, but they have no govern
ent to look to for reward or recognition.
onsoled only by the memory of noble sacri-
ces, many thousands of these must finish
leir days in neglected poverty, while their {
ms and daughters grow up in ignorance for
ant of means to obtain education The war =
# hundred thousand Southern orphans to t
ruggle with poverty, under such advice as '
cir widowed mothers can give. There are .
sides great many survivors so crippled by
'unds, or SO broken down by exposure as to C
unable to earn a subsistence. If the i'm
verished people of the South have money
spare for the relief of those who suffered. n
d who still suffer, will they not begin with c
Oh as are in greatest distress? :,