The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-05-07
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Address of the Ex-President Of the
Confederacy at Montgomery.
he Pays Tribute to the Sons OF Alabama
who Sacrificed Their Lives For What
They Conceived to BE Their
Constitutional Rights

MONTGOMERY, Ala, April 30.-The
ceremonies yesterday attendant upon the
LAYING of the cornerstone of the Confed-
Srate monument were very elaborate and
imposing, and attracted large and en-
thusiastic crowd. Ex-Governor Watts
presided. He made a brief address, and
then introduced Jefferson Davis, who
spoke for half an hour. After the Ma
sonic ceremonies a reception was held by
Mr.. Davis in the Governors room in the
historic capitol. Thousands of Confed-
crate veterans attended and shook hands
with the ex-Confederate President.
Mr.. Davis address is as follows:
n is deepIv gratifying to me to be pre-
sented by one uponIwhOm leaned for advice
when advice was wanting, whose stern
qualities always made me sure Ghae tno
judgment he was drawing came from the
bottom of his heart. When you called him
away, the place was missing which he once
filed, and have always desired to lay my
was the other night. after Years OF separa-
ton some people in the room gave a sar-
men embrace But our hearts were Young,
though our heads were old. Associated here
and tender. have felt that il was danger
Gus for me to attempt to sneak to you as my
heart would prompt me. Not that am al
ways treasuring up bitterness against any
miration for our beloved people. Ap.
pIause.l To avoid, therefore, any thing
which might be prompted by the fullness OF
my heart, for / believe am case hardened
in that condition of non citizenship which
leaves me very little to fear EapplauseI. for
tic purpose of guarding others rather than
myself, have prepared some notes thaG j
might read which w9uld not contain any
thing that would be constructive or hurttuL
IA voice: EGO on; say what You pleasei
you are in the house of your friends
My friends, partners in Joy and sorrow,
in trials and suffering, have come to Join
you In the performance Of a sacred task; to
lay the foundation of monument at the
cradle of the Confederate Government,
which shall commemorate the gallant sons
of Alabama who died for their country;
who gave the lives, a free Will Offering in
defense of their rights of their sires, won In
the war of the revolution; the state SOW
ereignty, freedom. independence, which was
left in heritAnce to their pOsterity
forever. These rights the compact of Union
was formed not to destroy, but the better
to preserve and perpetuate. Who so de-
MES this can not have attentiveIy read the
articles of confederation ortof the Constitu-
tion of the United States, the latter formed
and designed the better to effect the purpose
of the first
1t is not my purpose to dwell upon the
events OF the war. They were laid before
able a manner as to require no suppiement
from me- They were laid before you by one
like 4Eneas, 'Cuncta quorum vidi ct magma
pars fui" General John B. Gordon was the
soldier who, when our times seemed darkest
at FeteTsburg, was selected by ms chleitain,
General Lee, as the best man TO lead the
charge to repel the besieging army; to make
sortie and attack in flank and reverse; to
double up Grants army, and, II may say so
in his presence, he failed, but 1t was due to
the failure of his guides to carry him
where he proposed to go. Again, that man
| and gallant soldier was the one upon whom
| Lee called at Appottomax, when he wanted
| to know whether it was possible to break
| the line that obstructed his retreat toward
the mountains of Virginia. He answered
! that it was impossible, that after four years
! of hard fighting his division was worn down
| to n frlzZle. 1t being then impossible to
| break the line that obstructed his march to
/ the mountains. Lee like WaahinpfOn. with
| out knowing, perhaps. that Washington ever
| mountains Of Virginia he could continue the
| war for twenty years. But when he found
could not be broken, he said there was moth
| ing to do but surrender.
iSc SC remembered that Ice was not the
man who could contemplate surrender as
| long as lie had the power to fight or retreat
and when he came to the last moment OF
| treat with you for the purpose of surrender
| ing, but, General Grant, understand that
| honor of my army" Grant like a man, said
| ne wanted nothing that would have that ef-
| feet, and that Lee might draw up the papers
| himself.
1t Is not my purpose, either, to discuss the
| political questions on which my views have
! been elsewhere or at other times freely ex-
| pressed; neither to review the past, except
| in vindIcation of the character and conduct
| of those to whom 1t is proposed to do honor
on this occasion.
| That we may not be misunderstood by
| such not w.lfuIIy blind, it may be
/ proper to state in the foreground that we
| have no desire to feed the fires of sectional
! hate. while we do not seek to avoid what
| ever responsibility is attached to the belief
| i'm the righteousness of our cause and the
virtue of those who ris<ed their lives to de-
/ fend it. Loud applause and cheers. Re
venge is not the sentiment OF chivalrous
| people, and the apothegm that forgiveness
/ is more easy to the injured than to those
! who infiict an injury has never had a more
| powerful illustration than in the present at
| titude of the two sections toward one an
other. Policy, in the absence of magma
| nimity, would have Indicated that
! there should have been q full
| restoration of the equality, privileges and
/ this has not been the case, yet you av
| faithfully kept your resumed obligations as
| citizens, and in your tmDovershment have
borne equal burdens without equal benefits.
| am proud of you, my countrymen, for this
additionaI proof OF you ndieiity' ana pray
| When your chfldren's children shall ask,
| ''What means this monument? there viii be
| the enduring answer, 'tIt commentaries the
! deeds of Alabama's sons who died that you
| and your descendants should be what your
! fathers In the war for independence lefs
Alabama asserted the right proclaimed in
/ the Declaration of Independence as belong
/ ing to every people. She found that the
| compact of the Union had been broken on
| one side, and was, therefore, anuulled; that
the Government of the United States did
| not answer the ends for which 10 was insti-
| tuted, and with others of like mind proceed
| ed to form a new confederation, organizing
/ Its powers in the language OF the DecIara-
ton of Independence In such form as
safety and happiness.
| This was not revolution, because the state
| Government, having charge of all domestic
| affairs, both of person and property, re-
| manned unchanged. To call il revolution
is "a gross solecism fApplauseI, as sovereigns
never rebel, and as only sovereigns can
form National league, and il the states
| had not been sOvereigns there could not
| have been compact Of union IApDlauseI j
| That the South did not anticipate, much less
| desire war, Is shown by the absence
OF preparation forit as well as by the ef-
| forts made to secure a peaceful separation
N fVTf HVFraT rfnfa
ed responsible for the war, but when passion
shall have subsided and reason shall have
| resumed her dominion, It must be decided
| that the General Governm ent has no consti
tutional power TO cOeFce a State. and that
State had the righG to repel invasion. It wal
| 3 natural and constitutional right. Zap
| plause.i
had been prophecies and threats of q disso
I luton of the Union. These be gan at thg
| North on the question of preserving the bal
ance of power and culminated during the
| war of lslZ on the decline OF their trade
ticn OF sailors rights. In the course OF yeari
the balance of power passed to the North
and that power was 50 used that the south,
| despairing OF tire peaceful enjoyment OF
their constitutional rights IN the Union, de-
cfded to withdraw rom II: this without In
| jury TO their late associates. This right e
withdraw was denied, and the North made
| ready for
The distant muttering OF the storm was
| readily understood by the people OF Ala
bahia. Gray haired sfres and beardiess boys,
ali unprepared as they were, went forth to
meet the storm ere 1t burst upon their
homes It required no Demosthenes 20
arouse them to the duty Of resisting the In
waders; no Patrick Henry 70 prepare them
for the alternative OF liberty or death"
was the people. not the leaders, who re
| solved and acted One sentim ent ms pired
all classes. Yet / believe thGte we're very
few who did not regret the necessity which
left them no alternative between fighting for
their state OF against it. Mothers, wives and
daughters, choking back their sobs. eheered
them on the path 81 honor and duty. viii
| fearless tread, these patriots, unframed e
war advanced on many battle-fields to iooh
death IN the face.
Though Alabama like Niobe, must mourn
her children IN death, set Is her woe tenn
pered by tho glorious halo which surrounds
1 their memory