The Dawson journal., 1885-04-16

The subjects Of this article, the
most prominent representatives oi
the late struggle between the
States, are now playing their last
part In the great drama Of life
Death is warming these two mer
of his approach, and will soon de.
mand of them an unconditiona.
surrender. Twenty years age
Grant was a victor and conqueror
his fame flashed to its zenith. To.
day he is hemmed and conquered
and awaits the coming of the vic.
tor to whom all must surrender
The conquered and the conquerol
OF twenty years ago are now equa
and go down hand in hand to meet
the last foe.
1t is said that ''history repeats
itself" but the history that these
two men helped to make can nev-
er be repeated. Never has, MOI
never will, q General receive in
surrender such an army as Grant
received from Lee. Never has q
General displayed more magma
nimity and courtesy than was dis
played by Grant. With his over
whelming numbers he might have
captured the southern army and
sent them as rebels to be con-
demned, but instead Of that he
sent them home to their wives and
children. The grandest history
of that period, and that which will
be most difficult to repeat, was
made by Lees veterans. None
except those who were in the ditch
es before Petersburg know what
those men endured, yet when they
were told to stack their arms and
go to their homes they moaned,
wept, and wrung their hands in
anguish; they tore from the staff
the tattered flag and hugged it to
their bosoms. They had rather
die than yield, but their cammand-
er said yield, and they obeyed.
These men, unlike the old Spar
tans, were not born soldiers; un-
like the old Romans, they did not
love the battle on account of its
excitement and glory, but like the
noble men, who they were, they
y were fighting for their rights and
were strengthened by their convic-
tions. They showed the glorious
courage of men who are ready to
do and die by their rights.
But those days are gone and,
thank God, can never return again.
AS the lamp of life fickers and
sinks and Grant and Davis pass
into eternity, may all bitterness,
envy and malice pass from our
hearts, and may the hearts of the
people, as they bleed over these
heroes, be drawn together in bond
of brotherly love which will nev-
er be broken. The lives of these
men since Appomattox have wide
-ly differed. Grant has been es-
teemed and courted and fatter-
ed and to-day every word he ut
ters, every sigh and groan he
gives, Is reported through the
press. BE is the nations hero
and the nations patient. Davis
has long lived in his quiet hom
IN Mississippi in retirement from
the world. He is seldom ever
heard to speak except it be to de.
fend the truth and preserve his
own character. He has beer
hated, abused, persecuted an6
taunted as the leader of los
cause, and now, as be lies quietl,
awaiting his last summons, no ma
tion feels his pulse and turns away
saddened on account of their weak
ness. How different if he haC
been successful. Success, though
vain, wins fameswhile honest fail
ure is received with contempt.
Success in life often brings fail
ure in death. The crown of fam,
has been placed upon Genera
Grants head, bat it fails to Civ,
comfort in the last hours. H,
faces death without realizing th
future that is before him, bin,
to the reality Of a great eternity
The fates are spinning thei
threads around him, and ere lonj
he and Davis, perhaps, will b
conducted by Charon in the sam
boat over the river Of death int
the promised land May it be SC