Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-05-07
VIZ. DAKLS At MONTaOMERY.

INC mOnumtnJ at MOlG'
gomery on Friday Mr.. Davis delivered
the following address;
/" It is deeplNgratifying to me TO be presented
to you by one whom have asked for advice
when It was so much needed. When you called
MN away me place wa missing which lie once
hlled, nj l nave always desired to lay my hand
upon him again [dOing so. Applause Thus II
was Wntn we met the other night alter years OF
separation. Some people III The room gave a
sardOnlc smile TO see two old wealher-beaten
men embrace, but our hearts were young though
our heads were old, Associated here With so
many memories / have felt that it was danger
Gus for Inc TO attempt to speak to you as my
heart would prompt me, not that | am always
treasurlng up bitterness against any one, but
am Overlooking with love for our beloved peO-
pie. Loud applaus-. To avoid, therefore,
anythlng which might be prompted by the full
ness OF my heart. for | beiieye | am casehard-
ened i'll that condition Of non-citiZenShip winch
leaves me very little to fear. [Applausal For
the purpose OF guarding others rather than my
Self, l have prepared some notes that | might
read, which would not contain anything that
would be constructive or hurtful. PoiceS. q
on say what you lease; you are in the house Of
your friends"
My fr ends, partners in joy and sorrow, in
trials and suffering, l have come to i'll You IN
the performance OF a sacred task, to lay the
foundation OF a monument ct The cradle OF the
NOHltuIid IN EONCI HlllClIbg hHlIh Oudll GOlll-
memOrate the gallant SONS of Alabama who died
for their country; who gave their lives a free
will offering i'll defense OF the rights OF their
sireS, won in the war Ut the revolution and State
sOvereignty-a freedom aud independence which
was LETT rs an Inheritance TO tlelr pOsterlty for
ever. These rights the compact Of Union Was
formed, not to destroy, but the better 10 pre-
serve and perpetuate. Whose denies this can
not have attentlVely read the articles Of con-
federation or the Constitution of United States.
The latter was formed and designed the better
to effect the purpose Of the first. 1t Is nOtmy
purpose to dwell upon the events of the war.
They were LAID before you yesterday by that
great soldier in so able a manner as to require
no supplement from mt. They were laid before
you by one, who, like .fneaS, 'cuneta gu rum
vldi eL magma para furi.
"Gen. Gordon was the soldier W: o when times
seemed darkest was seleC.ed by his chi 1 as HE
best lnan to lead the cuarge to rtpel the be-
selglng army, To make a SoTtle and attack ln
flank ana reverse, TO double up Grants army,
and may say, in his presence here, he failel,
but DlS failure was due to the failure of his
guides to carry HIN where he proposed to 90;
again, that man and gallant soldier was the One
person whom Lee called at App0mattOX when
he wanted to know whether IL we're possible to
break the line that obsttucleu his track TO the
mountains OF Virginia. He answered that it
was lmpOSslb t; that after tour years OF hard
fighting his DIVISION was worn 10 fragment. 1t
being then Impossible to break the line that
VSbAl hNANN az iiNb IA w Nv -
like Washington, neNer knowing perhaps thai
Washington ever used the expression, said il lie
could reach tie mountains OF \irglnla lie could
nue the war for twenty years, but Wien he
luunn HE line when ODslruCled his retreat
could not he broken, lie said There was nOlnlhg
TO ito UuL SLIrcnUtr.
BE it remembered, however, that Lee was
not the III Il who contemplated SUI render as
long as he had the power W fight or retreat, and
When he came to the last moment OF surrender
he said to Grant: i have come to treat with you
for the purpose Of surrender, but, Gen. Grant,
understand, | will Surrend r mourning thai re-
liectS upon The honor II my ar, " Grant like
a man. SAID he wanted nothing that would nave
that effect, and that Lee might draw up the
papers himself.
III is not my purpose either to discuss the
political questions on which my v eWo have
SeWhere and in other Zines been nicely eN
pressed, or to review lie past, except Ill ,lhul-
cation of the character ana conduct OF those To
whom it is proposed TO do honor o. this occasluli.
That We may not be misunderstood by SUCH as
are now blind, it may be proptrtO state III the
foreground that we nave no desire to feed the
of sectional hate, while we do not avoid
whatever responsibility attaches tU Uellet in the
+, ght OF our case and The virtues OF those VINO
risked their lives to 0efendlt, Applause.
"IteVenge is LOT The sen inent OF chlvalrouS
people. rolcy, in tine absence OF maguiInity,
would haye Indicated that III a restored Union
Of the States there should have been a Gull res
tOrallOn Of The equality, privileges ana ben fits
as they had pre-eXisted. Though TINS has not
been the case, yet you have Faithfully kept your
obligations as citizens and in your I.npOv,rlsn-
H'ent have borne equal burdens without equal
benefits. | am proud OF you for this aGditlO4al
proof OF your tiu lty, and pray 6Od 10 give you
S .rength TO suffer ana lie strong.
Alabama asserted the right proclaimed in tn
Declaration Of independence as belonging to
every people. she found mat the compact OF
The Union mad been broken on one side and was,
annulled; that the government OF the
Unlted States dld not answer The end Tor which
1t was instituted ana with Others OF like mind
to form a new confederation, Orgall-
IZing It's powers, III the langu aye Of the Declara-
lion Of Independence, In Such form as seemed
10 them most likely to effect their happiness.
This Was not REVOLUTION, because the State gov
eminent, having charge OF all domestic affairs,
1otn OF person and property, remained ul-
''lnatt the South did not anticip tie, much less
desire war, ID shown by the absence of prepar-
ton for II, as well aS by the efforts made
~ st ltrt Il peaceful separation. The successful
party always hold The defeated responsible Tor
The war, but when passion snail have subsidized
End ! eaSOn shall have RESUMED her dominion IL
must be dt clded that Tile general government
had nU constitutional power to cOv4 ce "a State,
ana that a STATE had the right To repel Invasion.
II was a national ana constitutional right. APP
From the early part of the century there had
been prophecies ana threats o. dissolution Oh
LhN Nv 4hNOO DCSSu Ub lit sNbikll i'll VI
question OF preserving the balancc OF power and
eliminated during the Wal vi 1872, Oh tne decline
Jf their trade. lnOugu Inc war was Nageu Ter
lie protection OF sailors llshlS, III the CUul Sc vi
Yeas the balance Of LOS er pusSeu tU the NOit ,
ana That " Was 50 lstu that Tie South, ue-
spalrlI Z Of the pea eiul enjoy menls OF III. II con.
rights in the UhlUn, decided to Win
Draw IRON II Without inIary 10 tnelr la,e as. o.
:ldtts. The right to Withdraw Was denied and
The North maze ready Tor war.
ar, "a t,nN .r a.. a. ~
BY the people OF alabama. Gray
haired sireS and bedrdiesS boys S, all unprepared
they were, went forth TO meet the storm err
i burst upon Their homes. IL II CURED no de-
nOstllenes To arouse them to the uuty Ut resist
ny the invaders; no Patrick Henry To prepare
.lleln for the alternative OF liberty Or death. lie
the people, not the leaders, VINO resolved
and acted. one sentiment INSPIRED all. Yet 1
believe there we're very few who do not regret
he necessity which left them no alternative be-
.ween lighting for their State or agalustit. With
ueau these patriots, unit aimed u war,
advanced on many DatJle-ieldS ~ look death III
he face. Though Alabama, like Mode, must
MOURN her children Ill death, YET is her Woe TEN.
lered by the glorious halO Which surrounds
heir memory.
For more than a century after his death it is
said that Philip DeyalOgLe's name was borne
ln the rolls OF the grenadlers TO whom he be-
Onged, and when his name was called 1t was
answered from The ranks. Long. very long,
would be the list which would contain the names
II Alabama's sons whose valOr would justify the
same response. 10 name few wOulo be III Just
the many. They are all, therefore, left Where
hey securely repose, IN the hearts OF a grateful
The monument will rest upon the land
or which they died, and point upward 10 the
Father who knows the motives as well as the
leeds OF his children, at last resting in the land
where justice may be rendered, which may have
)een denied them here.
in conclusion permit me to say, though the
memory of our glorious past must ever be dear
o us, duty points to the present and the future.
having resumtd her place iii the
JniOn, be 1t YOURS TO tulhll all the ALLEGATIONS