The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1889-12-18
boyhood, shining out then as a star

W the hrst naynltutp, and to me he
SSs ever heen an inject Of profound
s1m;raion, Passing by his services
Nd merits as soldier of the United
States, as an able secretary of war, as
raster intellect and patriot in the
Ills of Congress passing b. his
save, stubborn and heroic contest
ith foo more powerful and better
t.lpped, for four long years full of
$ d'rous deeds that honor the human
: CT; passing by his many noble quail.
Ses Of mind and heart, his integrity of
dssracter, and his pure aud irreproach.
4 le private life, worthy of imitation
Eg all, the thing that knits his
y ,ivry to my soul above all else as a
e e tirCe nu, 3ag mGn,7 MS unyieTd-.
:;t,s.T nd incorporating devotion to
duty end principle III the dark hour
of defeat and amid the thirty years of
abuse and hatred that followed his
i<sootsteps.
Like some lone and lofty oak
tnuai 10 the core, he stood, with roots
tir'lI y grssping the rock bel of truth
an, principle and head towering
'rreri and defiant, he met the storm
ant neither bent nor broke.
~ his person he was concrete ep-
res,ntation Of the principle Of cnusti--
tulhnal liberty for which the South
f6sght. BY the arbitrament Of the
sSTd those principles were pronouncs
ed wrong, but at the bar Of reason
and truth they were right. and still
surviVe him. ] rejoice that slavery
aud secession as results Of the war are
dead forever. But the underlying
principle for which Davis and the
South fought, the right of the States
tn n'aragn their local affairs left free
to them by tho Constitution, is imper-
isAthlt as long as America is free.
II error there was, it was only as TO
tie choice of means to achieve the
rig oud
thank God he never bent head or
,Eles.t to bcseech pardon for his fight
for principle, that he never sued for
ama"gty, that he never recanted, that
he never a3ologrzed, that he never
yielded one iot or title 10 bis adher-
enceto and defence Of the justice of
the -Bsst Canse." -As the chosen
representative aud head Of tho>. South
had be yielded or apologizedhe woos 4
hseSdisaouHred the grave of every
sas~st tS7mSo Am a"-se 70 ~ s,auaer, au,;
siigrsnizedsss traitarous the dead and
! hv:sg ,qen and women nf the South
who zfke theis all inAGn unsuccessful
fight fr government uuder Constilu-
iona guarantees.
Tt,s'fasHsSable in some quartsrs
10 spesk- Of JEFF Davis asa traitor.
He miih! have been. a traitor If the
onlytef &c n reasonable net is it's
succes, pr failure. But if pure and
lofty t'ntives If pure Gnd lofty soul,
sharef IN by the whole people Of his
sovereign State, and Of many sister
Sta to-, for upholdiug rights Ruaran-
teed BY compact against the unlawful
encreac srlents of power, have any
thing t. do with determining the quail
ity of al act. he was no traitor. Is
this ccurt-house diaped in mourning
for traittr? Are these CHURCH bells
tolIing for traitor? Do Legislatures
adjouSI 10 bnnor of traitor? Do
Governors, Judges, Congressmen, high
official, gallant soldiers and pure
minded women attend the funeral of n
traitor 'D2 great cities beg the priv,
ilego-S keeping the remains of u
traitor? Would this assembly of pub
lie spiri,el ami patriotic men and wo-
men meet to do honor to the memory
OF q t5p L0rg Would The whole South
mourn Spr traitor? Would good
men and wemen all over this land
weep g. they now do in sorrow on ac-
count Of the death Of a traitor? ]!
not, then he is no traitor, even il tho
flag ofDpr e-united and indissoluble
Union, neld now in timid hands, will
not drcop al half -,ast be" 4se Of his
deashiST-i yret---tho followers If Davi.
and the friends of Davis and the mourn
ers for Davi, would if need be, fight
for that Aa'; against any foe, with
valor aHd cevotion equal il not super'
ior to that with which thev
folloNc@ ~, tattered banner that IL
now fdr!ed forever and buried with
the dead.
While loving the whole country the
Sonth loves also her own great men
and nourns their loss. The South
| loved Davis because he was true tc