Homer guardian., 1889-12-13
The Illustrlous Dead.

The telegraph wires this morning
bring Us tho sad, though not un.
looked-for intelligence ofthe death
of Ex. President Jefferson DAVIS.
From the day Of his attack on HE
Mississippi plantation, his person
al friends and that wider circle
| that embraces every true South
ern man and woman in the land
hare been apprshsnsivei that it
would have = fatal termination.
The pen shrinks from the effort
to say, on such brief notice, any
thing betting the life aud charast.
er ofthis great msn-confessedly
great by all whose good opinion
is worth the having. He was less
fortunate than Gen. Robert 4.
Ice, in that the latter died soon
after the fall of the Confederscy,
while the former lived as tho
silent martyr to q noble though
unfortunate cause. And, too,
unlike Ice, he wss called upon to
enact the role OF a vicarious offer
Ing for the so-called sins Of his
people. Despite the hate and op-
probrium Of his unys nerous con.
qusrers, lie will stand out as one
Of the great historic figures that
illustrate the annals ofthe worlds
history. updauntod BY defeat.
unsubdued by misfortune, he never
lowered his naughty crest to the
ignoble vlctors or crouched as a
suppliant at their feet. Faults he
may have had, but during all his
public life there was never one
even of his bitterest enemies who
dared to impugn the purity Of bis
motives, or the integrity Of his
character. His priva.e and his
public life was absolutely stain
less; pure as tho ieicles that hang
on Dian's temple. As private
citizen, as soldier on the field OF
battle, a. United States senator,
as secretary Of war, ~ prsslden
Of the Confeder.cy, and, finally,
as the slanderod and vilided
martyr Of 4 cause that went down
before overwhelming numbers, and
great superiority In all the muni-
ments Of war, lie did bis devoirs
nobly, and we'll BETTING the
character Of = representative |
Christian gentleman OF the South. |
Though never for moment doubt |
ing the constitutional right Of a
State to sscede from the Union, it |
10 we'll known that hs vas not 20
active q prsmster Of secession ~
some other leading men OF the
South or Of the great mass OF the
people, who probably did not .p-
preciate as fully as he the m.gni-
tude ofthe struggle upon which
We were entering and its doubtful
issue. .f
Garabaldi and Kossuth will oc.
eapy high inches In the temple Of
fame ~ martyrs to patriotism, but
net so high and one as that which
history will assign to Jefferson
DAVIS, who was not only called
spon to witRess the downfall Of 4
noble cause but through long,
weary years to bear the taunts
and Misrepresentation ofa victor.
ious enemy, destitute Of mag
nsnimlty and Of an appreciation
Of that noble sentiment which
prompts 4 man to sspouse the
weaker side simply because it II
the true one. 4
A whole people to-day mourn
the dead Chieftain whose heart
beat ever responsive to their own,
and the citizen whose domestic life p,
Was An example we'll worthy to be ]
followed BY every husband and I
father in the land. +
The last reveille has sounded {
IN earth for him, but may We not t
,eliese that there stood awaiting F.
him in the Land Of the Ls.l long ,
ines Of martyred heroes who fell 1
,pon the battle fields ofthe South, +
y, surviving whistliug ahet and 4
,urling shell, passed quietly I
way surrounded BY weeping |
'sls!ivss and frisnds' May We not Z
H & 1