The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-05-31
'rhe 0fatcry OF Ex'rresidenS
Davis.


Hon Jefferson Davis speech IN the
Opera House at New Orleans recently,
in aid Of the Southern Historical Socie-
ty, is evidence that he has lost none of
the oratory that distinguished him in
his prime. We give few paragraphs
from his speech;
"The other side has written and is
writing its history Of the cause. We
want to preserve ours also that the tn-
ture historian by comparison Of both,
may evolve that fair statement which
probably no contemporary could make
| would frankly acknowledge that
would mistrust the man who served the
Confederate cause and was capable Of
giving disintercstcd account Of 1t. LII
lie had any heart, he must be on his
own side. want our side Of the histo-
ry. 1t may be like the other, but we
don't take exactly an equal view OF it.
But the two will be compared by some
one who comes after US who will do JUS
tee to our cause and our people. You
all know it would be needless for ne to
speak Of it; how thoroughly unprepared
We were when We engaged in war
without money, without name among
the nations, without credit, without
provisions, without arms, without am.
muntion and without even factories
to make it; We went in relying solely
upon brave hearts and whose constant
trust during the struggle was equalcd
only by their morality.
The unanimity Of our people and the
hcrosm Of our soldiers have caused the
admiration of the world. Generally
they know the disadvantages under
which We fought; they know the
achievements with which our soldiers
covered Themselves with glory, but there
is much that is not known. You may
ask the schoolhoy in the lowest form
who commanded at Thermopylc and he
can tell you but, my friends, are there
not many of this audience who, if asked
could not tell who commanded at Sabine
Pass, aud yet tell you that the battle
Of Sabine Pass WAS more glorious than
that Of Thermopylm. Who remembers
how the iron.clad fleet came steaming
up the river with nothing to oppose it
but o mud fort armed with iield-guns,
and held by forty-two men; how it,
:, commander was asked by Il comradc
what was to be done, and suggested that
they had better retreat, and how thi:
gallant man said, we will never re
treatr How they shook hands will
each other and said, we will fight tt
the death" How the iron.clads cam,
stcaming in and were rcpulsed by tina
: gallant little army Of torty-two men
This was in 1868.
Now, who knows of Bowling, an,
yet, this Bowling | hold higher thai
Lconida1 1t is such events as ihes
that We must preserve They will b.
lost. i; i i I; i;
Il 1t depends upon you, friends
whether the Sonth will have them o
not, whether you will give your childrcl
Il true statement Of the deeds Of thci
fathers, and the principles that actuatcC
them. The other side will then under
stand us, and it is 10 he hoped that tn
time is not far distant when the Offer
sivc epthcts onl y too common to-day
u which dchlc the English language, wi
soon be blottcd out Of the Northern "
1 cabulary We are not rcvcngcful. Th
I tact is, the Southern people are not CT
! pablc Of hate, and tell you why
= thiuk So Hate is the child Of fear, an
Is brave men do not hate like coward
Neither are brave men ever SO cruel
l. so wish you to draw from those VIII
: can testify on both sides of the law thu
Il we did everything in our power to assi'
those taken prisoners during the war
c we tried to release them; we tried I
I exchange them and want those fact
: to 60 down to posterity, so that on
II children's children cannot have til
J. name of Andcrsonville thrown with OF
i probious epithcts in their faces 1t
C false, utterly false that our people ev,
J. did treat prisoners with cruelty, and
II want the fact shown as it can be showl
g You can get witnesses who were prisol
u crs; you can get the men, who whc
Is prisoners were paroled, went to Wasl
lngton to get relief, were denied AT
y dicnces, and had the honor to com
Is back to prison YOU can get these me
J. to testify that if they were not trcato
J. as well as they might have been, thcr
were physical causes, there were climat
J lc causes, we were wanting in supplies
: We were wanting in the food to whic
s they were accustomed-even medicn
was made contrahand. How cou
we supply them? 1t is all the vilcs
SANDER that ever was pcrpctWted. |
is here where the Historical Society ca
assist us and if you succeed in givin
y such an impulse to the organization q
: will preserve the society and increase il
+ usefulness, You will have another clair
, to the gratitude Of your countrymen.
eS------.-
Says an exchange: We wonder if I'll
VOunp mon embark p1 IN ibo son Of lo,