The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-04-29
JEFF DAVIS.
A Royal Reception to Him in
Montgomery.
HIS BRIEF SPEECH THERE.
A Grand Demonstration in Honor OF
the Veteran Ex-President OF
the Confederacy.
JeG Davis.


MONTGOMERY, Ala. April 2s.-To-day
vii ever be memorable in the history
of Alabama. Every locality was repre-
scented, and many adjacent towns and
villages poured their entire population
into the streets. At an early hour the
sidewalks were so densely packed, that
locomouon was difficult. 1t had rained
all night, and poured down until 10
o'clock The hour for delivering the
addresses by Mr.. Davis and General
Gordon was changed to pm. Instead
of gong to the Park, IL was decided to
90 to the Capitol grounds, and for the
speeches 10 be made from the very spot
where Mr.. Davis took the oath OF office
as President of the Confederate States.
This change was made because OF the
muddy condition of the Park. The en-
tire city is gaily decorated, and the
City Hall has United States flags fiut-
tering out Of every window. Pictures
of Confederate generals are fas-
tened TO the outside walls, while
the names of Robert E. Lee,
Stonewall Jackson. Albert Sidney
johnson, Robert Z. Rodes and many
other Confederate generals appeared
on streamers. The Capitol was beauti-
fully decorated. From the topmost
point on the high dome, towering far
above everything in the city, fioated
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, reaching down almost 70 the
heads of the speakers. More Federal
flags fioated in Montgomery to-day
than at any time since 1860. Private
houses and business houses had
devices ana words of welcome
to Mr. Davis. The scenes around Mr..
Davis this morning and the great desire
TO see and shake him by the hand. are
indescrlbable. People were literally
packed in the exchange and il was with
difficulty that there was entrance and
exit. They wanted to see the old Presi-
dent and nothing would satisfy them
until they had done so. Being feeble.
it was more than he could stand, and
he had to retire A military escort
formed in front OF the hotel, and ex-I
tended far up the avenue leading to the
Capitol. 1t was necessary to form a
square in order that the procession
might move. 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
, o'clock. Davis. escorted by Mayor
Reese, Governor O'Nein and ex
Governor Watts. formerly of his cabinet,
stepped from the hotel and entered the
carriage. Tine shouts of the multitude,
as he was seen 10 come from the hotel,
were louder than ever before heard in
in this city. They had q peculiar
nervous Jerk, which characterized what
became familiar as the yell of the
sOutherners" the world over. The
next carriage contained General John
B. Gordon and Captain w. l.. Bragg,
Miss Winnie Davis. youngest daughter
of Mr.. Davis, and Miss Reese, the
Mayors daughter. The next car
riage contained W. W. Screws,
Mrs. Gordon. Miss Gordon and Miss
Waller, the latter a niece of Davis.
Other carriages followed with the
trustees of the Monument Association
and the Governors staff. Amid the
waving of hats and handkerchiefs,
booming of cannon and playing of
bands of music and the excited shouts.
a scene was presented rarely witnessed
in any country. the demonstration
being in honor of man prescribed by
the United States government, and as a
tribute TO the dead soldiers cause that
was lost. The route of procession was
about mile long. The avenue is very
wide, but the crowd when IL began to
move was packed from one side to the
other When the procession arrived At
the Capitol gate the way was cleared for
Mr.. Davis, military being formed so
as TO prevent overrunning the building
and grounds before he had reached the
place. He was seated near the historic
spot be occupied February Is, 1861. ar
ranged in front was place for the press,
and on the sides and in the rear of
Davis were members of various organ
iZations interested in the building of
the monument, which it is proposed to
erect on the hill, and Immediately
north OF the capitol People. men,
women and children. were packed from
the steps to the front gate, and while il
was impossible for 3 great part of them
10 hear, they stood in their places out
of respect for Mr.. Davis and desire to
him. When order had been Sc
cured, and for such q vast throng
il was the most orderly ever seen
here, Mayor Reese advanced to the
stage and said:
ny Countrymen-It is with profound
emotions that l present you the fore
most type of southern manhood, Hon
orable Jefferson DAVIS, ex-President of
the Confederate States of America"
The scenes heretofore enacted were
gone over as Mr.. Davis advance and il
was some minutes before he could pro-
coed. 1t was the first time thousands
in the crowd had ever seen him since
his arrival. il being impossible for all to
personally reach him at the hotel The
shouts finally dying away, DAVIS, lean
ing on his cane, with the Federal flag
over him and Confederate veterans De
fore him. who had come hundreds
OF miles TO hear ana see him, in
a clear ringing voice. showing deep
intensity of his fee ings, but without
tremOr or pause. except when inter
rEpted by the shouts of his hearers,
said:
My Friends:-I would be vain II
should attempt TO express TO you the
deep qualification which l feel at this
demonstration, but l know that II Is