The National tribune., 1886-05-06
JEFF DAVIS.
Triumphal Tour of the EX-Rebel
Chieftain.
A Continuous and Grand Ovation-Whole
States Do Him Honor-He SpOuts Treason

eX-President of tho so-called Southern Confed
eracy, has been making a triumphal tour
through Alabama and Georgia Through every
town and hamlet where the eX-rebel chieftain
passed he was greeted with cheers, waving OF
banners, flowers, and the widest enthusiasm
His ovation commenced with his arrival at
Montgomery, Ala, on the 9th ult. Mr.. Davis
came IN special car, accompanied by Gen
Gordon. The two former Confederate chief
tans were greeted with cheers from thousands
of throats and by the booming of cannon and
the music of bands. Gov. O'Neal, of Alabama,
formally welcomed Mr.. Davis to the Capital of
; the State and a procession was then formed,
which escorted that gentleman to the Exchange
, Hotel. That night the city was ablaZe with
fireworks and illumnations, and the people
seemed to go crazy with enthusiasm. The visit
of Messrs. Davis and Gordon was for the pur-
pose of being present at the laying of the cor
ner-stone of the Confederate monument on
Capitol Hill. The streets were literally jammed
and people from hundreds of miles distant
were in attendance. The sidewalks we're so
closely packed that locomotion was almost I'M
possible. All day before and during the night
the rain had poured down in torrents, and
though the streets the next day were one mass
of mud it did not deter the enthusiastic crowd
which came there to do homage to Mr. Davis.
The entire city was gaily decorated. The city
hall had United States flags futtering out of
every window. In strong contradiction to the
emblem of the Union were displayed in con-
spicuous points on the walls Of that building
pictures of Confederate Generals, while the
names of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson,
Albert Sidney Johnston, Robert E. Rhodes, and
many others who took prominent part in the
war for the dissolution of the Union fluttered
to the breeze on streamers. It had been ar
ranged that the speech Mr.. Davis was to deliver
| should be from the very spot where % years
ago he was inaugurated as President of the
States in rebellion against the Union.
Early on the morning of the 2Sth the people
began to flock to the hotel in order to shake the
ex-President by the hand, but Mr.. Davis was
too weak to stand the great pressure and had to
| decline public reception. A large procession
was formed to escort Mr.. Davis from the hotel
to the Capitol, and a carriage with four white
horses was drawn up at the door promptly at
o'clock. Mr.. Davis, escorted by Mayor Reese,
| Gov. ONeal and eXGov. Watts formerly of his
Cabinet, entered the carriage. AS the crowd
| caught a glimpse of the old man yell went up
that if heard by the boys in blue would have
recalled the times when they heard that yell
at Gettysburg and on a hundred other bloody
! fields. The carriage behind that in which Mr..
| Davis rode contained Gen. John B. Gordon,
| Capt. w. G. l.. Bragg, and Miss Winnie the
youngest daughter of Mr.. Davis. In the car
rage Immediately behind this came Mrs Cor
don, rode Miss Gordon and Miss Waller, niece
of Mr.. Davis.
| When the procession arrived at the Capitol
| gate the way was cleared for Mr.. Davis, the
military being formed as to prevent the
crowd overrunning the building and grounds
| before he had reached his place. He was seated
near the historic spot he occupied Feb. Is, 1861
| Arranged in front was place for the press, and
| on the sides and in the rear of Mr. Davis were
members of various organizations interested in
the building of the monument, which it is pro-
posed to erect on the hill, and Immediately
north of the Capitol. The people-1nen, women
and children-were packed from the steps to the
| front gate, and while it was impossible for
great part of them to hear, they stood in their
places out of respect for Mr.. Davis and desire
| to see him. When order had been secured, land
| for such vast throng it was the most orderly
ever seen here,) Mayor Reese advanced to the
front and said: My countrymen 1t is with
profound emotions that / present to you the
foremost type of Southern manhood, Hon.
Jefferson Davis, ex-President of the Confed-
crate States of America"
Mr. Davis then arose to speak, but it was some
| minutes before his voice could be heard amid
the yells and cheers which came from the
throats of the rebel sympathizers. He showed
signs of age and had to lean on his cane for
support, but his voice was clear and ringing,
and it was hard to imagine it proceeded from
the weak and trembling old man who stood
Immediately beneath large Federal flag, while
in front of him thousands of ex-rebels eagerly
drank in the words that fell from their old
leaders lips. Mr.. Davis's speech was nothing
more than reiteration of the justice of the
cause for which the South fought. He spoke
of it as
HOLY WAR FOR DEFENSE!
and said it was conflict ON the part of the
South which Christianity approved. He said the
South was driven to arms when her wrongs
became too grievous for further liberation,
and spoke at great length much in the same
strain. When Mr.. Davis's speech was ended
Gen. Gordon stepped to the front and spoke for
some time, the most of his speech being devot-
ed to a glowing eulogy of Mr.. Davis. In the
course of his remarks Mr.. Gordon said he
would be the last to perpetuate the bitter
memories of the war, but he believed it would
conduce to broad and common patriotism to
keep alive the recollection Of the deeds and
valor and self-sacrifice which had illustrated
the struggle on both sides.
On the following day the cornerstone of the
Confederate monument was laid, at which time
both Mr. Davis and Gen. Gordon made speeches.
Mr.. DAVIS MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA.
On Friday Mr. Davis left Montgomery on a
special train and went to Atlanta, which place
he reached in the afternoon. An immense
crowd of not less than $4,000 people greeted
him at the depot and cheered him wildly.
While in Atlanta Mr.. Davis was the guest of
Mrs. b. Il. Hill. The route from the depot to
Mrs. Hills residence, which was little over
mile, was entirely lined by school children,
who threw flowers under the hoofs of the |
horses which drew the chariot containing the |
ex-rcbel chieftain The reception accorded |
Mr.. Davis was Of the most enthusiastic descrip- |
tion, and it is said by those in position to know
to have been the greatest reception ever ten |
dered in Georgia to any man.
AT SAVANNAH.
On the following day Mr.. Davis left Atlanta !
for Savannah. His trip between these places |
was a continuous ovation. At every station |
crowds collected about the depot, and wherever |
the train stopped Mr. Davis was called for and |
was obliged either to bow or speak. The en-
thusasm everywhere was unbounded. The |
special train consisted of six gayly decorated |
coaches. The rear coach was the private car of |
General Manager Cecil Gabbett, of the Western |
Railway of Alabama, which brought Mr. Davis |
from Beauvoir over the entire lOute. 1t con- |
tained Mir. Davis, Mayor Reese, of Montgomery, |
Ala, and the Savannah Escort Committee. The !
next coach was the private car of Superintend- |
ent Fleming, of the Savannah, Florida & West |
ern Railroad. 1t contained Miss Davis, Mrs. j. |
B. Gordon, Miss Gordon, Mrs. Reese, and |
number of other ladies. The Pullman parlor |
car next in front contained Gov. Mcdaniel, |
prominent citizens Of Atlanta and invited |
guests, among them being several special CORE
spondentS, representing leading Northern,
Western and Southern papers. The sleeper and |
parlOr car next in front contained the Mont
gomery Grays. The Montgomery True Blues
occupied the next car. These companies, under !
the command of Col. ThOs. G. Jones, of the |
p,frt.,, ahnx C%nyn