Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-05-06
JEFF DAVIS.
THE WILD, WEIRD MUSIC OF THE REBEL YELL
GREETS THE AGED HERO OF THE
"l0ST CAUSE"
LAYING THE CORNER STONE OF THE MONU-
MENT TO GEN. R. E. LEE.

MONTGOMERY. ALA, April 2S-To-day
will ever be memorable in the history of
Alabama. Every locality was represent
ed, and many adjacent towns land vilt
lagos poured their entire population into
the streets. At an early hour he side
walks were so densely populated that
locomotion was difficult. 1t had rained
all night and poured down until 10
o'clock. The hour for delivering the
addresses by Mr. Davis and Gen. Gordon
was changed to- p. N. Instead of going
to the park it was decided to go to the
Capitol grounds, and for the speeches to
be made from the very spot where Mr..
Davis took the oath of office as President
of the Confederate States. The change
was made because of the muddy cOndi-
tion of the park. The entire city is gaily
decorated. and the City hall has United
States flags huttering out of every win
dow. Pictures of Confederate generals
are fastened to the outside walls, while
the names of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall
Jackson, Albert Sydney Johnston, Rob-
ert E. Rhodes and many other Confeds
crate Generals appeared on streamers.
From TIE tOpmost point on the high
dome, towering far above everything in
the city, hoated the stars and stripes.
The entire front was covered with
streamers and devices, while there was
suspended along the front columns i'm
mense Federal flags reaching down all
most to the heads of the speakers. More
Federal flags are floating in Montgomery
to-day than at any time since 1860. The
private houses and business houses all
have liberal supply CT decorations and
devices and 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 iDdescribable.
People were literally packed in the Ex>
change, and it was with difficulty that
there was entrance and exit. They want
ed to see their old President, and moth
ing would satisfy them until they had
done so. Being feeble, it was more than
he could stand, and he had to retire. The
military escort formed in front of the
hotel and extended far up the avenue
leading to the Capitol. 1t was necessary
to form square in order that the pre-
cessiOn 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, Mr.. Davis, escorted by Mayor
Reese, Governor O'Neal and Ex-Governor
Watts, formerly of his cabinet, stepped
from the hotel and entered the carriage.
The shouts of the multitude, as he was
seen to emerge from the hotel, were
city. They had the peculiar nervous
jerk which characterized what bocame
famous as the yell of the Southerners
the world over. The next carriage con
tanned General John B. Gordon and
Captain W. L. Bragg, Miss Minnie Da
Wis, the youngest daughter of Mr.. Davis,
and Miss Reese, the mayors daughter.
Other carriages followed with the truss
tees of the Monument association and
the Governors staff.
Amid the waving of hats and hand-
kerchiefs, the booming of cannon, the
playing of bands of music and excited
shouts, a scene was presented rarely wit
messed in any country, the demonstration
being in honor of man prescribed by
the United States government, and as a
tribute to the dead soldiers of cause
that was lost. The route of procession
was about half mile long. The avenue
is very wide, but the crowd, when it be-
gan to move, was packed from one side
to the other. When the procession ar
rived at the Capitol gate the way was
cleared for Mr.. Davis, the military being
formed so as to prevent Overrunning the
building and grounds before he bad
reached the place. He was seated near
the historic spot he occupied February
IS, 1861. Arranged in front was place
for the press, and on the sides and in the
rear of Mr.. Davis were members of va
rious organizations Interested in the
building of the monument. which it is
proposed to erect on the hill and imme-