The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1878-07-12
OUR Ex.CHIEFTAIN.
Late to Go In, Last to Give Up-Trus to
Constitutional Government.
Noble Deeds Of Southern Soldiers-States-
manship Esempliied.

!" hundred and a Thousand people n
i" sembled at Mississippi City to wi
u ness the presentation by the Louis
4 ana division of the Association {
u the Army of Tennessee of d ceTtif
cate of membership and q gOl
badge to eX-P President Davis and I
: hear the reply of this gentlemaI
. upon that occasion.
Il The speaker now weir advance,
in years, looks WE'LL Though appa
. ren'ly quite feeble, but tfs voice il
still strong and clear, and as b,
. warmed up in his subject he becam,
, very eloquent, and held the fxet
! attention of his hearers for an ho6.
> and a half. .
The exercises were opened with
prayer from the gallery OF the
Barnes hotel by Rev. A. j. Wither.
spoon, of New Orleans, Col. James
Lingan then presented the badge
and certificate to Mr.. Davis in a few
appropriate remarks, alter which
Mr.. Davis arose and spoke as fol.
lows:
Mr.. Prcsidont-NIost gratefully do / ac-
knowledge the kind terms in which you
have communicated the honor conferred
upon me by the Louisiana Division of the
Army of Tennessee. 1t is with pleasure-I
feel it and l mean it when | say it il with
pleasuIe-that | see this badge bears upon
1t the sacred cross IF the battle-fag of the
Confectionery. Applause. Carried by
your Army of Tennessee and baptized in
hre-l am four times happy to be one of
your members, and l am dOubly grateful
To you for the kindness which is expressed
to one who has no power, and who never
will have power TO recognize it save in his
own heart.
Again, l Am thankful because it is an
exponent of that high virtue which renders
men superior to following the tide of for
tune, and makes him recognize those whom
he believes to be true, whether they were
successful or fallen. [~Applause.1
The world contains many examples of
honors bestowed upon the successful, and
pablo appreciation has waited upon the
successful. But to You belongs the dis
t~inction of departing from this rule and
comforting honor upon Que who was sacri-
feed by the misfUrtunes he underwent in
connection with his administration. Then,
my friend, ! am grateful, not merely for |
myself, but | feel the proud gratitude that |
belongs TO all in knowing that my fellow
cOuntrymen, for whom | suffered aud whom
| served, were more thau worthy of all
man could do for them. TApplause.1
Your association was certainly proper, if
not n%eedful, to preserve those friendships
and memories that belong to your military
servicej and no one could object to the
policy or purpose of your association, IN
less 1t De one who thinks yOu served an
unworthy ea'se and that Your condact
deserved repentance and forgiveness :" If
there ever was a cause sanctified TO high
comiiaud of patriotism and c%itizon's duty
1t was yours. [Applause. "
Y ever there was conduct, through long
and severe trial, which left heroes u~lIstaitl-
ed by crime, II was yours. You came backd
after long service in war, like burns SOL
diers, unstained with plumber, with hearts
that lifted yop toward heaven, and you
stood erect rs frcemen. +
Pride in the cause, pride in the country,
Is necessary to preserve an association
which belongs to Il contest ike yours. The
soldier who shows hrw fields were won
need not be ashamed of tho battles that
You lost. You have re cause to lie aslia med. II,
The provocations Of your dcsolated honas.
wives and children often left desti-
tnte, might hayg urged yoh to deeds of re-
but there never came n voice of
complaint against you, The peaceful {
homes OF your enemies, never Uttered by {
approach, and your coming never inspired 4
terror in anybody. {
There were somc-they were not, how
ever with the marching army-who occa-
'lonally proposed to raise the black flag, {
10 show no mercy and to ask, none. But I
he men who were in the front, such as I
tour large and gallant soldier, Gen. Peck, /
'aid be did not like 70 fight with a halter n
Ironnd bis neck; that he was Wiliiug to p
" wounded again, and expected TO be a
ilIled in battle, but he wanted to 20 al
Ways according to the rules and usages
# war. Aud even when | heard frOm the T.
irmy itself language inspiring cruelty, it p
vas only among those who were not aud
ever intended to be under fire. Zap p
'lause To you there was a higher and a @
Iobler sensation. 1t was yours to share a
orr canteen with the wounded enemy Il
nd your ration with the hungry prisoner. i
n the heat of the conflict l commended Il
exhibition of magnanimity on the "
of orr soldiers in a general order, and "
epember With pride the chivslry which a
allied it forth. 1t were needless to recall 81
he instances of cruel and unlnanly con- T
Of the enemy toward the aged men G;
nd helpless women and children of our y,
md. If it were possible to forget these
lings, ! would say forget them; if impos- pl
Bile to forget, ! would say, forgive. Zap vi
M a.~ Ii:
noblest have most power to forgive, III
nd the meanest are most revellgeful. The by
rst Is best able. to return good for evil. ca
hat IS your part, and your past conduct dc
now well sou were abb to meet the tn
'quircTnent. co
As an original Question the propriety of tn
iereising the State right of secession in ia
'6l was at least debatable. But the tn
,nrse pursued by the Federal government co
ter the war had ceased Yindieates the of
segment of those who held separation to tn
necessary for the safety and Freedom of bn
re Southern States. Tive unsuccessful I'll
to separate left those in power to no
ork their will asst bad been mamif. sted 10,
hen they first got control Of the govern in
emit. The events are too recent to require en
capitulation,. and the rain they have col
the depravity they have devel- mo
ed, require no other memorial than the da,
and morafwreGk which the eoun- De;
y presents. Permit me TO say Of the con CIV,
'verted question of secession of a State pas
IN the Union, of which it was Il member yoi
compact voluntarily made, that NY Of
th IN that right, as an inherent sttri- est
te of State sovereignty, was adopted afs,
rly in life, was confirmed by the study hy
Il observation of latter years, and has I'm.
sse4 unchanged aud mistaken through the
severe ordeal to which it has been sub Thu
ted. nro