Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-22
A LADY MEMBER.
BADGE OF LEE CAMP PRESENTED TO
THE DAUGHTER OF HON.
JEFF. DAVIS.
Presentation-speech by Governor Lee
Miss Davis Responds
by Proxy, &c.

Dy rIoky, &C.
The Soldiers Home presented an ami
mated scene at $50 o'clock yesterday
afternoon, on the occasion of very in
teresting ceremony.
A large number Of the members OF
Lee Camp, many ladies and gentlemen
Of the city, and the Veterans Of the
Home assembled to witness the pre-.
sentation of badge and certificate Of
honorary membership to Miss Winnie
Davis, "the Daughter Of the Confede-
racy."
A WELCOMING SALUTE.
As the carriage containing Miss
Davis, escorted by General 9. j. An
derson and Messrs. John and Clay
Chamblain, drove on the grounds the
Veterans saluted her with salvo Of
artillery.
General and Mrs. Terry, Captain
Pollard, Commander Murphy, Captain
John Maxwell, Major 7. A. Brander.
and other members Of Lee Camp dit
the honors OF the Home, and showed
the grounds and buildings to the visi-
tors.
GOVERNOR LEE.
At the appointed hour Governor Lee,
accompanied by Mrs. Lee, drove up.
and soon after the interesting ceremonies
begun. Captain Maxwell introduced
Governor Lee, who was received with
loud applause, and proceeded to perform
the duty assigned him Of presenting to
Miss Davis the certificate and badge.
Governor Lee felicitated the veterans
of Lee Camp that they had among them
the daughter Of the great Confederate
President, who had guided with such
ability, such answering patriotism, the
fortunes of the Confederacy, and had
borne himself so brayely in the hour of
adversely.
The time has come, he said, when we
could calmly look back on that great
struggle, and, without disloyalty to the
present order OF things or our allegiance
TO the present Government, do justice
to the motives and deeds of the men who
made it. 1t WAS on our part square,
honest fight, for what we believed to be
our " inalienable rights"
THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION.
There was, said Governor Lee, a
difference Of opinion as to the interpre'
tation Of that Constitution. We Of
the South, led by our ablest states
men and some of the ablest statesmen
Of the North, believed that under the
Constitution we had right to peace
ably secede from the Union, and tried
to do so. The people of the North,
guided by the massive intellect Of
Webster and the opinions Of Story
and others of their leaders, believed
that the Union was perpetual" and
the result was the fearful war which
drenched the land in blood.
The men Of the South have, he said,
no sort Of occasion to be ashamed OF
the part they bore in that conflict, and
certainly the Veterans OF this Home and
Of Lee Camp (most Of whom served 10
the Army of Northern Virginia. have
a heritage Of glory Of which they may
well be proud, since they have written
their names high up on the pillar Of
fame, and won a series Of splendid vic
tories which illustrated brightest pages
of history, until at Appomattox-"not
conquered, but wearied out with vic
tory they stacked their bright mus
kets, parked their blackeDed guns, and
furled forever their tattered battle
flags.
GOVERNOR LEE TO MISS DAVIS.
Governor Lee congratulated the
Veterans that they had carried into the
arts of peace and to the promotion Of
the interests of the restored Union the
same patient endurance and heroic
courage which they bad displayed on
the battlefield. He then tnrned to
Miss Davis, and in a few earnest aud
graceful words presented the certificate
and badge, saying that if she was =" the
daughter of the Confederacy" these
sons of the Confederacy could call her
their sister, and would count it high
privilege to do so. LGreat applause
RESPONSE FOR MISS DAVIS BY DIR.
JONES.
Miss Davis received the certificate
and badge with very graceful bow,
amid the loud applause Of the crowd,
who had repeatedly applauded Gov
ernor Lee, and then DR.. j. William
Jones, who had been chosen by Miss
Davis to represent her, made the fol-
lowing response:
count it o great privilege and
high honor to be permitted to respond
for our fair guest upon this occasion.
and to convey to you, Governor, and
through you to Lee Camp, her hearty
thanks for the honor Of being enrolled
among their honorary members, her
warm appreciation Of this beautiful
badge and certificate, which she will
preserve among her cherished treasures
as a soyenir of "red-letter day " il
her life-a bright spot in her memory.
Born in the stormy days of war,
rocked in the cradle Of the Confederacy.
and reared in an atmosphere where it
is held to be no crime to have beer
true to the principles of constitutional
freedom, she is loyal to the hallowed
memories of the Confederacy, clings
fondly to its traditions, cherishes its
history, and loves and honors its brave
defenders. How, then, can she be
otherwise than deeply touched when
these gallant veterans (who used to obey
without question the orders of her dis.
tinguished father-the President of the
Confederate States and commander
in-chief Of their armies-as they
marched forth as gaily to illustrate the
brightest pages Of American history
come to honor the Daughter Of the
Confederacy" by enrolling her name
among them, and choosing so worthy
knight as the distinguished Governor
of the Commonwealth" our gallant
Fitz "-to voice their wishes in making
this presentation? Words fail me in
attempting to express properly her
feelings, and I can only say to you,
Governor, and to the members Of Lea