Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1886-05-06
In ALABAMA'S CAPITAL.


jefferson Davis at Montgomery. the
Scene Of his Inauguration.
We CLEAN from the Associated press di.
patches the following account Of the recep
ton Of Jefferson Davis at Montgomery. Ala.
On the 18th, the occasion Of his presence being
the laying Of the corner stone Of a 1nonument
to the oonfederate soldiers:
| This day will be memorable in the hfstn-v
q Alabama. Every locality Nas Represented
and many adjacent towns and villages
pgsiea ltrants 'neir entire population. into The
ssIeels, AZ an early hour tho
sidewalks were 80 densely pacIEed
tnat locomotion was difficult I1astend
OF going to the park it was decided
% go TO the Capitol grounds, and for the
s..Ss SLSeecnss 70 De made from the very sppt
wnere Mr.. Davis took the oath Of Office as
PRESIDENT Of the Confederate States.
~ ne entire city was gaily decorated and Che
Olgy hali had United States flags hutterinM
ouI Of every window. Pictures of Confed-
erale Generals were fastened to the outside
Eais, wnlle the names Of Robert
bert Sydney Johnston and many
streameRs. The CapitoI was l,ealItifI,sIv 5ers
oraeed- From the DopnosU point on the h1gn
dome hoated the stars and stripes. mia
entire front was covered with streamers and
devices. and from the front columns il1Y
the heads Of the speakers.
Inc military escort formed In front of the
motel and extended far 70 the avenue lead
ing to the Capitol. 1t was necessary Eo
Iorm square that the procession might
move A carriage with four white hn1sns
was drawn up TO the door, and promptly at
P NJ 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
a ArrnT6 ttarsrr
chlefs, the booming of cannon, the PLAYING
Of bands of music and the shouts of the mul-
tltude, the procession began to move The
route was about half a mile long. The ave
nue. IS very wide, but the crowd
was packed from one side to the
the Capitol gate tine way was cleared fQyt asu..u
DAVIS. He was seated at the historiSz
occupied on February IS, 1861 gAb6oula
were packed from the steps to the front gata
When order had been secured Mayor Reese
advanced and said:
"MY CoUNTRYMEN: It is with profound
emotions that / present to you the foremost
type OF Southern manhood, the Hon. Jef-
Ierson Davis, ex-President Of the Confederate
States of America u
As MIR. Davis advanced the crowd broke
out u tumultuous applause. The shouts
his cane with the Federal flag over him and !.
Confederate veterans before him, in a clear
voice, said:
MY FRIENDS: 1t would be vain il Tshonld
attempt to express to you the deep gratifca-
ton which feel at this demonstrations But
know that it is not personal, and therefore
1eel more deeply grateful, because 1T is a senti-
ment far dearer to me than myself. You have
passed through the terrible ordeal of war
which Alabama did not seek When she felt
her wrongs too gTievous for further liberation
she sought a peaceful solution. That being
denied 6nl. fhnO6prc 0f ruar. r1av7 rim
over the land Then her people rose in their
majesty, gray-haired seers and beardless
boys eagerly rushed to the front 1t
was that war which Christianity alone
approved holy war for defence. Well do
remember seeing your gentle boys, So small
to use farmers phrase, that they might
have been called seed corn, moving on with
eager step and fearless brow to the carnival =
Of death; and / have also looked upon them
when their knapsacks and muskets seemed
heavier than the boys, and my eyes, par
taking OF mothers weakness, filled with
tears. Those days have passed. Many
OF them have found nameless
graves, but they are not dead. They live il
memory and their spirits stand out the
grand reserve of that column which is
marching on with unfaltering steps toward
the goal Of constitutional liberty ZAP
plause.) 1t were in vain if l should attempt,
as have already said, to express my graft
tude to you.
II am standing now very nearly on the
spot where l stood when | took the oath Of
office in 1861. Your demonstration now ex-
ceeds that which welcomed me then This
shows that the spirit Of Southern liberty is
not dead. tLong and continued applause).
Then you were full of joyous hopes:
you had every prospect OF achieving
all you desired, and now you are
wrapped in the mantle of regret And yet
that regret only manifests more profoundly
and does not Obliterate the expression Of your
sentiments. Ifelt last night as I approached
the Exchange Hotel, from the gallery OF
which your peerless orator, William l.
Yancey, introduced me to the citizenz
of Montgomery, and commended me
in language which only his eloquence could
yield, and which far exceeded my merritt felt
l say again, that / was coming to my home
coming toa land where liberty dies not and Sc
rious sentiments viii live forever (Applause1
1have been promised, my friends, that Ishould
not be called upon to make speech, and
therefore will only extend to you my heart
felt thanks. God bless you, one and all,
others, who never faltered in our direst
needs
When Mr.. Davis retired the shouts were %
long and loud that he had to go to the front
again. He bowed his Acknowledgements and
thanks Governor O'Neal then introduced
General JohnB. Gordon, the orator selected
to deliver the address. General Gordon next
delivered an oration, which was frequently
interrupted by applause. The procession
then nreturned to the City Hail. where Mr.
Davis held public reception.
The 29th was another big day for Mont
gomery The corner stone of the monuments
was laid with the usual ceremonies Mr..
Davis, General Gordon, and other noted
ConfederateS were T,Tasent and took mart