The National tribune., 1888-03-15

done In this debate.
1t is good, sir
He continued
turning to Mr. Davisl for you to be here. Other
leaders have had their triumphs. COnquerors have
won crowns. and hOnors have been piled on the
victors of eaThs great batties but never yet, sir
came man 10 more loving people Never conqueror
wore prouder diadem than the deathless love that
crowns your gray hairs to-day. Never king in
habted more splendid palace than the millions OF
brave hearts in which your dear name and lame
forever enshrined. Speaking to you, sir, as the
son of a Confederate soldier who sealed his deyo-
ton with his lfe-hoiding kinshIp through the
priceless heritage OF his blood to you and yours
standing midway between the thinning ranks of
his old comrades, whose falteriDg footsteps are
turned toward the grave, and the new generation
thronging eagerly to take the work that falls unfin-
ished from their hands-here in the suspicious
present, across which the historic past sautes
glorious future let me pledge you that the love we
bear you shall be transmitted to children and
our chiIdren's children, and that generations yet
unborn shall IN this fair land hold your memory
sacred and point with pride to your lofty and stain
less life.
My countrymen-
He continued
turning the crowd let us teach the lesson In this
old mans life, that defeat hath its giories no less
than victory. Let declare that this outcast from
the privileges of this great Government Is the I'M
crowned king of our people, and that no Southern
man, high or humble asks greater glory than TO
bear with him heart TO heart the blame aud the
burden of the cause for which lie stands unpar-
doucd In dignity and honor he met the RESPONSE
bilities of common cause. With dauntess
courage he faced its charges. In obscurity and
poverty he has for 20 years borne the reproach of
our enemies and the obioquy of defeat.
And as if this were not enough, as if eulogy
had not been exhausted, he rises to the hight
of the occasion; and coming nearer, think,
THE FRONTIER OF sACRILEGE,
the boundary line of blasphemy, than ever man
came before, he said:
This momentum this blessed Easter week-that
witnessing The resurrection OF these memories, that
/ for 20 years have been buried in hearts, has
given as the best Easter that we have seen since
/ Christ risen from the dead. This moment
finds Its richest reward in the fact that light
! with sunshine the shortening end of Il path that
has long been dark and dreary. Gcorgians, coun-
trymen, soldiers, and of soldiers. and brave
women the light and soul and crown of our civili-
cation, rise and give your hearts voice we tell
! Jefferson Davis that he is at home among his
people.
| do not propose to rehearse what that dis
| tinguished representative who had just been
eulogized said in his reply, except in one single
| sentence. will quote one paragraph in which
he refers to the services rendered him by that
! illustrious man whose statue was that day be-
| ing unveiled in a somewhat memorable debate
that occurred IN Congress. lie said
He had nothing to ask, but he had much TO give.
and when was the last from the South who could
excite any expectation of benefit, it was Hill whose
| voice rose triumphant in the Senate aud mashed
| the Injurious Yankee down.
Referring, l suppose, to our friend who is
now in Florence.
Yet Mr. President, before the lilies of that
Easter were faded,
The funeral baked meats
Dld co!dly furnish forth the marriage tables
in New York or Brooklyn, and in this Same
year Of our Lord 1856, this same orator, who
declared that Jefferson Davis was the uncrowned
1 king Of the Southern people, and that no more
glorious Easter had arisen since Christ died on
/ Calvary than that which gave them the oppor-
tuniJy of renewing their devotion TO him and
| the Ideas that he represented, made Pilgrim
1 age TO the North and at the New England din
ner in the city of New York poured out his
treacle, Geld cream, honey, aud maple sirup all
over the North, declaring that the South had
been wandering in a far country, that they were
/ anxious TO return to the home OF their fathers,
and the whole Democratic party rose and fell on
his neck, and pat SHOES ON his feet, and ring
on his finger, and s4id 10, this my son that
was lost is found"
But some protested in the language of the
Scripture, as the elder son who had not wasted
his substance with harlots complained that the
father had killed the fatted calf although
" Thou never gayest me o kid that | might
make merry with my friends"
When was that orator sincere Mr. President?
When did he speak the sentiments the feelings,
aud convictions of the Southern people, when
ne delivered that GRAFTON On the day Of May,
1856 in Atlanta, in the presence Of applauding
Thousands, OF when he went up to the New
England dinner, in December OF the same year,
and
SPILLED OIL AND WINE
all over the American people?
II our friends who are opposing this depend
ent pension bill imagine that ! entertain any
feelings Of ill-Will or maleYolence toward them
for the course they pursue they are mistaken.
do not very well understand bow they can act
IN any other way. / have sometimes thought
with curious rejection what my emotion would
have been had the result of the conflict been
reversed; if the armies Of the Coafederaey had
dictated terms OF peace iii this Capital if the
Georgia statesman had fulfilled his insoIent
menace to call the roll of his slaves in the shadow
of Banker Hill, and if the flag that now floats
| above Us had been dishouored and degraded
rag; If this Chamber had been spoliated and
sacked as you tried to spoliate and sack it; il
this country had been destroyed aud over
thrown as you tried to destroy and overthrow
it; If the Constitution Of the United States had
become an antiquated relic and American citi-
zenshiD forgotten attribute; if slavery had
been declared to be right and liberty wrong
and If the theories Of Calhoun and of Jefferson
Davis had been declared to be the true measure
OF Interpretation Of the Constitution.
Mr.. President such calamities were irnmi.
nentoften during the war. From the place where
we now sit the challenge of the sentinel upon thG
hills of Virginia could almost have been heard
and the reyerberation of your guns thunderec
hoarsely along the Valley of the Potomac.
have often reflected how should have felt i
these results had been accomplished had M,
political sins been forgiven had / come back
and said, Remove my political disabilities
allow me to enter your legislative body anC
draw my salary punctually and with dispatch. ,
Had l seen
, THE CONFEDERATE HEROES IN BRONZE
mounting their granite pedestals in this CAPT
tai, Lee instead of Grant, Davis instead of Gar
field, Stonewall Jackson instead of Mcpherson
> do not believe that / should have had am
consolation In voting pensions to Confederate
soldiers myself / doubt whether should eve
have ceased TO be a conspirator; doubt whethe
in some hidden and secluded receptacle, at leas
t in the sanctuary Of nay soul, had not kept til,
e Stars and Stripes enshrined, and hoped that thu
s day might again dawn when it should be thu
S symbol of the glory and the emblem of thu
] power Of a united country. / doubt whether
ever should have believed that slavery wa,
better than liberty.
But, Mr.. President, / should have regarded
it as the climax of etfrontery, as the very apel
and summit of hardihood aud audaeity, ! viii
not say pusilianimity and dishonor, when haC
accepted pardon, had my disabilities removed
! and taken the oath Of allegiance TO the success
e ful Southern Confederacy if / had appeared da,
afterday upon every occasion when opportunity
: offered to denOunce the efforts made by mr.