The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-05-09

THERMOMETER YESTERDAY: 6 A. M, 90;
, a. NJ, 7S; noon. 81; P. Nj. 80; P.
81, SS; midnight, 81.
Jeff. Dayls's Letter Read at the Lay
Ing Of the Cornerstone of the Com
federate Monument in Macon, Ga.
From The Macon Telegraph, April 27lh.J
Colonel j. P. Fort introduced Mr..
j. L. Salisbury, Jr., the gentleman Sc
lected to read the letter OF eX-Presi-
dent Jefferson Davis. Mr.. Salisbury
rose, and in an eloquent manner read
one Of the grandest letters ever penned
by human hand. The selection of the
reader was peculiarly ielicitous. In voice
modulated to great perfection, and in a
manner that showed how deeply the reader
| the great eX-President OF the Confederacy,
Mr. Salisbury executed the trust assigned !:
MISSISSIPPI CITY, MISS, April IL, 1878.
Gentiemen,-1 sincerely regret my ina
biity to be present at the laying Of the cor
ner-stone Of g monument to be erected in
Macon, Ga, in honor OF our dead Confede-
rate soldiers"
The event possesses every attraction TO
me; it is inspired by the Ladies' Memorial
| Association; the monument is to be located
| in the keystone State Of the Confederate
arch, and to commemorate the sacrifices Of
those who died in the defence OF our inher-
tied and "inaienable rights.
What though we were overborne by num-
bers, and accessories not less efficient, truth
is not to be measured by success in main
tanning it against force; nor is the glory
less of him who upholdS it in the face OF
unequal odds, but is it not rather more to
his credit that he counted all else rs dust
| in the balance when weighed with honor
and duty? On many stricken field our
soldiers stood few and faint, but fearless
still, for they wore the panoplY Of unques-
tioning confidence in the rectitude OF their
cause, and knew how to die but not to sur
render. Let not any OF their survivors i'm
pugn their faith by offering the peniten-
tial plea that "they believed they were
right"
| It is meet that this monument should have
originated with the ladies of the land, whose
self-denial was conspicuous through all the
| trials and suf1erings Of war, whose gentle
ministratons in the hospitals and at the
wayside refectories so largely contributed
| to relieve the sick and the wounded, and
whose unfaltering devotion to their coun-
try's cause in the darkest hours of our strug-
Gle illustrated the fidelity Of the sex which
| was last at the cross and first at the sepul-
chre.
| am profoundly thankful to them for in
yiting me to represent them as their orator
on the approaching occasion. Had it been
practicable to accept, their request would
| have been to me a command, obeyed with
no other reluctance than the consciousness
OF inability to do justice to the theme.
Thanks to the merits Of our Confederate
| dead, they need neither orator nor bard to
commend their deeds to the present genera
fnIi for
| from home and kindred, and sleep in un-
marked graves, but all are gathered in the
| love OF those for whom they died, and their
memories are hallowed in the hearts Of ay
| true Confederates. *
By the pious efforts Of our people many
| humble cemeteries-such as. in their I'M
poyeriShment, were possible-have been
prepared, and the Confederate dead have
| been collected in them from neighborlng
battle-felds. There annually, with reveren-
tial affection, the graves alike Of the known
and unknown are decked with vernal flow
ers, expressive of gratitude renewable for
ever, and typical Of the hope OF resurrec-
ion and retinion "where the wicked cease
from troubling and the weary are at rest"
To be remembered, honored, beloved by
their people, is the reward. bestowed on our
Confederate dead. 1t is the highest which
good and purely patriotic man could de-
sire. Should it be asked, Why, then, build
this monument? the answer is, They do not
need it, but pos!erity may. 1t is not their
reward, but our debt. II the greatest gift
hero gives his race is to have been hero
in order that this git may be utilized to
coming generations, its appreciation by CO.
temporaries should be rendered as visible
and enduring as possible. Let the monu-
ment, rising from earth toward heaven,
lift the minds OF those who come after
us to a higher standard than the common
test Of success. Let 1t teach that
man is born for duty, not for ex-
pediency; that when an attack is made
on the community to which he belongs, by
which he is protected, and to which his
allegiance is due, his first obligation is to
defend that community and that under
| such conditions it is better to have "fought
and lost than never to have fought at all"
Let posteIty learn by this monument that
you commemorate men who died in de-
! fensive war; that they did not, as has been
| idly stated, submit to the arbitrament OF
arms the questions at atissue-questions which
involved the inalienable rights inherited
| from their ancestors, and held in trust for
their posterity; but that they strove to
maintain the State sovereignty which their
| fathers left them, and which it was their
duty, if possible, to transmit to their chill
| dren.
Away, then, with such feeble excuse for
| the abandonment OF principles, which may
| be crushed for awhile, but which, possess
| ing the eternal vitality OF truth, must in its
own good time prevail over perishable
error.
Let this monument teach that heroism de-
rives its lustre from the justice OF the cause
in which it is displayed, and let 1t mark
the difference between.a war waged for the
robber-hke purpose OF conquest and one to
repeI invasion Ito defend peoples hearths
and affairs, and to maintain their laws and
liberties. Such was the war. in which our
heroes fell, and theirs is the crown which
sparkles with the gems OF patriotism and
| Righteousness, with glory undimmed by
any motive of.aggFandiZe or intent to
! infiict ruin on others. We present them to
pesterity as examples to be followed, and
wait securely for the verdict OF mankind
when knowledge shall have dfspelled mis-
representation and delusion. Is it unrea-
sonableto to hope that mature reflection and
closer study OF the political history OF the
Union may yet restore the rights prostrated
| by the passions developed In our long and
| bloody war? II, however, it should be
otherwise, then from our beroes' graves
shall come in m0nrnful tones the rsN9.
ANSWER ct: !.
1 And IL our children must obey,
They must, but thinking on our day,
| twill less debase them 10 submit. p lts
Yours faithfully, JEFFERSON DAVIS. "
When married men complain OF being In