The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-12-12

sweet uses for her tender ministratIono
were lost did she seem to realize the
terrible force of the blow that had fall
ell upon her.
1t is believed that the foundation Of
the ex-Presdent's last illness was ma
laria complicated with acute bronchitis.
Careful nursing and skillful attention
had mastered the latter, but it is sup
posed that the congestiye chill, which
was the immediate cause Of the death,
was attributable to the return of the
malaria.
After death the face Of the deceased
though looking slightly emaciated,
showed no trace Of suffering, the face
more nearly resembling that of a peace
full sleeper than of tie dead.
Mayor Shakespeare, Of New Orleans,
issued a proclamation announcing the
death Of Mr. Davis, and inviting the
presidents of the Exchanges and com
mercial bodies and number of prom
inent citizens to meet at the city hall,
in order that proper arrangements
might be made for the funeral. In
his proclamation the Mayor said:
1t is with the deepest regret that |
announce to the people of the city of
New Orleans the departure from this
life of Jefferson Davis. He needs no
eulogy from me. His life, his his
tory, and his memory is enshrined in
the heart of every man, woman and
child in this broad South; we all loved
him, and we all give him honor and
reverence.
kilograms of sympathy were sent
Mrs. Davis from all over the country,
and the people of the entire South at
once took action to show their appre-
citation of tie life and character of the
noble dead and to pay tribute to his
memory. Puclic meetings were held,
bells were tolled, soldiers paraded
with lhuffled drums and reversed arms,
State houses, private residences and
business blocks were draped in mourn
ing, and in various ways there was ex-
preston of sorrow at the death of our
great chieftain, the able statesman,
true patriot, faithful leader, gallant
soldier and chivalrous Christian gen
tleman, Jefferson Davis, ex-President
of the Southern Confederacy. Yes,
the South stands with uncovered head
while its great warm heart sobs out its
sympathy and sorrow for the death of
its chosen leader. Our grief is a COM
mon one, our tribute of respect just
and sincere one. No man was more
beloved by his people, not alone for
his high character and integrity, but
because of the sufferings and depriva-
tons he has borne SO long and COM
placently on their account. Jefferson
Davis is tenderly and affectionately en-
shrined in the hearts of the Southern
people, and with one common impulse
they mourn his death as that of no
other man within our borders
As soldier, especially in the war
with Mexico, brief though as was his
career, his military genius flashed like
a meteor across the sky of our mighty
Republic and established for him a
name and fame as brilliant as any re
corded in the history of that time; as
statesman he exhibited the highest
qualities Of mind and heart; but it
was in the quiet retirement of his home
life since the tall of the Southern Con-
tederacy, under trying circumstances
a man without a country-misun-
derstood by some Of his own people,
slandered with all the malignitv that
hatred and abuse could invent by
o'hers, he has stood mute and calm in
the midst of it all, conscious OF his
own sense of right and justice and pre-
served his integrity to the end. His
name has been furnished by no act I'M
becoming the high toned, upright,
Christian gentleman that he was.
There has been no grander figure, no
sublimer character in all the attributes
of true greatness, and the historian Of
the future will do Jefferson Davis full
and even handed justice, placing him
where he belongs among the greatest
men America has produced.
The following sketch of his life and
services is taken from the BaMmoreau:
Jefferson Davis was the son of Sam
uel Davis, planter and soldier of the
Revolution in the mounted force of
Georgia. He was born on the sd day
of June, 1903, in Christian, now Todd
county, Ky, and at subsequent
period his father emigrated to Wilkins
county, near Woodville, Miss Having
received common academical educa-
ton, at very tender age student in
Pennsylvania College, from which in