Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-05-06

Ill n
ERACY,S FIRST CAPITAL.
lie addresses the People from. tie Spot ,chere He
Took tie Oath of Office as President Of the
Conference.-The City Decorated ,uiM United
States Fags-Enthusiastic Reception of the En-
Confederate Mieftafn-4 Speech by General
Gordon.
The 18th of last month will ever be a
memorable day in the history of Alabama,
it being the day on which was i~naugurated
the ceremony of laying the corner stone Of
the monument to he erected in Montgom-
cry to the memory Of Alabama's Confeder-
ate dead, and which occasion was rendered
more impressive by the presence of JEFF
ferson Davis, who in the same city took the
oath OF office as President Of the Southern
Confederacy on the 18th of February, 1861.
Every locality was represented and many
adjacent towns and villages poured theiren-
tire population into the streets of Montgom-
cry. At an early hour the sidewalks were
so densely packed that locomotion was diff
fcult. The hour for the delivery of the
addresses by Mr.. Davis and Gen. Gordon
was fixed at 9 P. NJ, and the place selected
for the speeches to be made was the Capitol
grounds-the very spot where MIR. Davis
took the oath of Office as President of the
Confederate States. The entire city was
gaily decorated and the City Hall had Uni
ted States flags floating out of every win
dow. Pictures of the Confederate Generals
were fastened to the outside walls, while
the names of Robert f. Lee, Stonewall
Jackson, Albert Sydney Johnson, RobertE f.
Rhodes and many other Confederate Gen.
erals luttered to the breeze on streamers.
The Capitol was beautifully decorated.
From the topmost point on the high dome,
towering far above everything in the city,
floated the stars and stripes. The entire
front was covered with streamerS and de-
vices, while there was suspended along the
front columns immense Federal flags reach
ing down almost to the heads of the speak
ers. More Federal flags f1oated in Mont
gomery on this occasion than at any time
since 1860. Private houses and business
houses all had a liberal supply of decora-
tions and devices and words of welcome to
Mr.. Davis. The scenes around Mr.. Davis
and the great desire to see and shake him
by the hand are Undesirable. People
were packed in the Exchange Hotel like
srdines, and it was with difficulty thatthere
was entrance and exit. They wanted to
see their old President, and nothing would
satisfy them until they had done 50. Be-
ing feeble, it was more than he could stand,
and he had to retire.
The military escort formed in front of the
hotel and extended far up the avenue lead
ing to the Capitol. 1t was necessary to
form a square in order that the procession
might move. The companies were formed
and stretched out on each side. No one was
allowed inside the lines. A carriage with
four white horses was drawn up to the door,
and promptly at 2 o'clock Mr.. Davis, es-
corted by Mayor Reese, Governor O'Neal
and Ex-Governor Watts, formerly of his
Cabinet, stepped from the hotel and enter
ed the carriage. The shouts of the multi
tude as he was seen to emerge from the no.
tel were louder than ever before heard in
the city. They had a peculiar nervous
jerk, which characterized what became ia