Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-09-29
Miss Davis Presented to the Confederate
Veterans.


n Especial Dispatch to the Baltimore SUM-
RICHMOND, VA, Sept 21.-Miss Winnie
Davis, the youngest daughter of ex-presi-
dent Jefferson Davis, who is fondly called
by her father the ''Daughter of the Con-
federacy,' was this evening rendered an in
formal reception at the Confederate Sol
diers' Home, near this city, by Camp Lee
Veterans. Miss Davis has been on a visit
here for week or so, and was few days
ago elected an honorary member of this
camp. Nine hundred or a thousand per-
sons were present to welcome Miss Davis
on this occasion. Among those in the
grounds were many distinguished ex-Con-
federated. Miss Davis is tall. stylish
looking brunette. She was born in the Con-
federate executive mansion in this city Just
two years before the collapse of the Con-
federacy. She is a lady of fine presence
and mental culture. She has recently con-
tributed an :rticle to the North American
Review on Ireland, which will shortly ap-
pear in that publication. 1t is said by the
few persons who have been allowed to see
this article that it possesses very decided
merit.
The Federal and Confederate flags both
flew from the flag staff of the Confederate
Home this evening. The old veterans gave
the daughter of the President of the Con-
federacy hearty welcome. Every man
shook her cordially by the hand; none of
your mincing shakes, but with a good
strong grip. A salute was fired in honor of
the distinguished guest as she arrived upon
the ground. Gov. Fitzhugh Lee introduced
Miss Davis, and welcomed her to what was
once the capital Of the Confederacy. In do
ing SO, Gov. Lee felicitated the Lee Camp
that they had among them the Daughter
of the Confederacy." He said there had
been two interpretations of the constitu-
ton. The people of the South, led by their
statesmen, had held that they had a right
to State government; the people of the
North, led by the strong intellect of Web
ster and Story, thought they did not, and
they fought it out; but these old veter-
ans had no cause to be ashamed of the
part they had taken. They had borne
the heritage of glory and fought brave
ly till after a long series of splendid vic
tories, in which they had illustrated the
bright pages of history; they had laid
down their arms at Appomattox, not con-
quered, but wearied out with victory. Here
they had devoted themselves in the time of
peace to the promotion of the interests of
the restored Union. and had displayed the
same fortitude and endurance that they had
presented the badge and the certificate OF
membership to Miss Davis, who bowed low.
He said in doing so that if she was the
daughter of Confederacy, then she was sis
ter of these old Confederates, and they had
right to claim her as such.
Rev. DR.. j. William Jones, who was
known in the South as the fighting chap
lain of the Army of Northern Virginia, then
responded on behalf of Miss Davis, who is
his guest, and who told him what to say
He expressed her thanks, and said she was
rocked in the cradle of the Confederacy,
reared in an atmosphere where it was not
considered a crime to contend for constitu-
tional freedom. She clung to the traditions
of the Confederacy, and all honor to these
brave defenders.
The Daughter of the Confederacy'' was
deeply touched at the compliment to her,
At the conclusion of the speech-making Miss
Davis was presented with a badge of Lee
Camp of Confederate Veterans.
About October first Miss Davis will be
the guest of the family of the Governor at
the executive mansion.