The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-05-06

/ Gen. W. W. Allen, Col. X. Jones, Col W. W
Screws and Governor O'Neil.
Before the services began Colonel Bragg pre-
sented Mr. Davis with an elegant basket of flowers
from Majsr Baling Hall, who lives near the city
Major Hall l. a descendant of GeOrgias Lyman
Hall He was a noted opponent of secession, but
had eight sons in the war, seven OF whom gave
their lives TO the cOnfederacy, and the eighth car
ries lead in him as an evidence OF his devotion.
PRETTY PICTURE
was witnessed when some old soldier brought for.
ward muster roll Of the Sixth Alabama, and the
two ladies-Misses Gordon and Dayis-and Mr.
Davis examined il. The old veterans standing
near swelled with qualification and pardopable
pride
| Ex-Governor Watts, presiding officer Of the oc.
cason oD ned the exercises with references 10 the
importance of calling down the benediction of
heaven ON the occasion. and requested Rev. Mr.
Andrews pastor Of the Methodist Episcopal
pie. Ex-Governor Watts then presented MI
Davis IN brief speech. The scene as
MIR. DAVIS
| grasped the hand Of his old encouragement was
| very affecting. 10 some moments before he
could proceed, as the cheers were again and again
| repeated.
When there was sufficient quiet, Mr.. Davis said
| at il deeply gratifying to me to be presented tn
you by one on whom leaned for advice, when adj
| vice wanted; whose stern qualities made me
rure that the Judgment he was drawing was
| from the bottom of his heart. When
YOU called him away the place was missing
! winch ne once UlleW. ana ! nave always
desired to lay my hand upon him again, doing SOY.
| Applause Thus ii was, when We met the other
| night after years Of separation, some people gave
a sardonc smile to see two old weathcr-beaten men
| eIgbraCe. But our hearts were young, though our
! heads were old
Associated here with so many memoirs | have
! felt that 1t were dangerous fer me to attempt to
! speak 20 you ~ my heart would prompt me. Not
! that am always treasuring up bitterness against
an, one, but am Overlooking with love end a mir
alton for orr beloved people loud applause
| To avoid therefore, anything vi ich might lie
prompted By the fullness of my heart for believe
| ! am case hardened in that condition of nOn-Citi-
zenship which leaves mo very little to
fear APplanse). For the purpose
myself have prepared notes that mi. h REL d
wh'ch would not contain anything that would be
constructive or hurtfu. Voces:-YOu can say
what you pease-you are in the house Of your
| friends
My friends; partners in JOY, in sorrow, in trials
and suffering, have come to join You in the per
Torrance of sacred task to-day the foundation of
"A monument At the cradle OF the confederate gov
eminent, which will commemorate the gallant
sons of Alabama, who ed for L cir co ntry; wi o
gave their lives lree-will Offering-lh delrnse OF
the right their sires won in the war of the levolu-
| ton.
THE STATE SOVEREIGNTY,
| freedom and Independence when was left us an
| inheritance to their pOsterity forever. These
| rights, the compact of union, was formed not to
Destroy but the better to preserve aud ptrpo;uale.
hOEu denies TINS cannot nave attcnllNeIN read the
articles If confederation, the constitution of the
United states. The latter was formed and de-
signed the hetter to effect the purpose of the first.
1t is not my purpose to dwell upon the events of
the war. They were laid before you Yesterday by
that great soldier General Gordon in so able a
manner a. to require no supplement from me.
They were laid before you by who, like Eneas,
"tnretur quorum vidi ct magma pars fui" General
John Il. Gordon was the soldier who, when our
times seemed darkest at Petersburg was selected
by his thieftan, Lee, as the best man to lead
the charge, to repel the beseging army, to make
an attack III Hank and reverse to double up Grant q
army; and If may say SO in his presence here, he
failed but his failure due to the failure of his
guides to carry him where he proposed to 90.
Again, that man and gallant soldier was the one
person whom Lee called at ADpomattoX when he
wanted to know whether il were possible to break
the line that obstructed his retreat towards the
moutains of Virginia. He answered that it was
imp, sslble; that after four yeare of hard fighting
his division was wore down to a fragment 1t be-
ing then impossible to break the line that Obstruct-
ed his march to the mountains Lee, like Washing
ton, without knowing, perhaps, that va hi1gton
ever used the expression, said II he could reach the
mountains of Virginia, he could continue
the war for twenty years But when he found the
| line which Obstructed his retreat could not be
broken, he said there was nothing to do but sur
render. BE 1t remembered, however, that Lee was
not the man VINO contemplated Il surrender as long
as he had the power to fight, or retreat, and when
he came TO the last moment of surrender, he said
to General Grant: 81 have come to treat with you
for the purpose Of sure der but General Grant,
understand me, will surrender nothing that re-
fleets upon thu honor of my army Grant, like
man, said lie wanted nothing flat would have that
effect, 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
elsewhere, and in other times, been freely ,ex-
ton of the character and conduct of
those to whom il is proposed
to do honor on this occasion That may not
be understood by such AZ are wfully blind, it may
N IN Tnrnp hat haUa M
desire to feed the fires of sectional hate, while we
do not seek to avoid whatever responsibility at
taches to belief in the righteousness of our
cause and the virtue of those who risked their
lives to defend it. (Appause and cheers) Re
venge is not the sentiment of a chivarOus people,
and the apothegm that forgiveness is more easy to
the injured than to those who intiict the injury,
has never had more powerful illustration than in
the present attitude of the two sections towards
one another. Policy, in the absence of magnam-
nifty, would have indicated that in a restored
UNION OF STATES
there should have been a full restoration of equal
ty privileges and benefits they had pre-existeda
Though this has not been the case, yet you have
faithfully kept your assumed obligations, as cit
Zens, against yOur impoverished condition. Gou
have borne equal burdens without equal benefits. |
am proud of you, my countrymen, for this add
tiona proof of your fidelity, and pray God to give
yOn grace to suffer and be strong.
When your children shall ask what means this
monument, there will he the enduring answer: at
commentaries lne utetS OF Alabama sons, VINO
died that you and your descendants should he
what your brothers in the war of independence
were. Alabama claimed the associated rights pro
claimed in the Declaration of Independence as be
longing to every people. She found that the com
pact of the union had been broken on one side and
was therefore annued that the government of the
United States did not answer the end for which il
was instituted, and with others of like mind she
proceeded to form new confederation, organizing
its powers IN the language of the Declaration of
Independence in such form rs seemed most likely
to effect the safety and happiness.
This was not "A revolution, because the state gov
eminent having charge of all domestic affairs both
OF person and of property, remained unchanged.
To call 1t a revolution is gross ele;ism, zap
pause) rs sovereigns never rebel and as only SOW
ereigns can form national league if states had
not have been sovereign there could not have been
u compact of union. Applause. That the south
did not anticipate, much less desire warts shown by
the absence of preparation rs well az by the efforts
made to secure peaceful separation. The sue
cessful party always hold the defeated responsible
for the war, but when passion shall have subsidized
and reason shall have resumed her domain, 1T must
he decided that the general government had no
constitutional power to coerce state, and state
had the right to repel invasion. Ii was national
a &c In nj nj N,,,N1