The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-12-21
MR.. sHEWALTER'S TRIBUTE TO
JEFFERSON DAVIS.

occasion, but such as j, is, offer ia
simple but honest tribute to the mem-
Ory of Mr.. Davis; plain statement Of
those principles, which being the glory
of Washington aud his followers, cali
not be the disgrace of Davis aud his.
Respectfully, }. ID. SHEwALTER.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: -"llOw
are the mighty fallen" such was the
exclamation of the Lords chosen hosts
when their leaders were stricken down
in the midst of fame and renown. Well
may we repeat the wail-"Elow are
the mighty fallen" A people with no
independent government, with no
separate organism, with no future as a
distinct race, with none of the ppmp
or paraphanalia OF power, meet to-
lay in unison of spirit around IL com
mon grave. Why this unity in honor
TO the memory of decripid old man
whose freed spirit has crossed the dark
river and now ''reHts beneath the
shade of the trees" where the darts of
malice cannot reach, and the voice
of detraclion is never heard. Has
leader in Israel fallen? More; he who
was made to bear in his body the
alleged political sins of his people, the
embodiment of southern honor and
chivalry; he who suffered defeat in the
| identical cause.-The right of local self
government in which Washington
triumphed, is no more. Jefferson Davis
| is ddadl Dead did say2 He vet lives;
| lives in the hearts and affections OF the
people of the South, land will continue 50
10 live 50 long az the spirit that brood
| ed over Runnymead, crossed the At
iantic and gave to us a Washington and
our country finds lodgment On this
| continent.
And his fame, what of that? 1t will
grow but the brighter as the passions
OF the fleeting hours pass and the
shadows of time are heightened.
A theme of this character Is in
separately interviewer with the history
of the times and the questions which
gave its subject prominence. And may
we not hope that Oh such an occasion,
party bias may be laid aside, that the
truths of history may be cited, and
that misrepresentation of sentiments
uttered and words spoken may not,
for partisan purposes, be employed.
| My theme is: Jefferson Davis-the
Purity of his Patriotism and the Righte-
1
1t is frequently remarked that the
war was caused by slavery and seces-
sion. Except that slavery was the ex-
citing question and war followed
secession, the statement is untrue. The
,oor was caused by the declared purpose
Of certain states 10 UiOiatc The COnStttH-
lion and The election Of q president
piedqed to dO SO. Here and now, at
| Lat tbto tnr ha MI oi.lXy M nd
the beaten paths of history trOd.
If it is sad the right OF secession was
Il revolutionary one, be it so. The
Declaration of IndeI endence acknOwl.
edges that right TO exist, and that the
decision of the time and occasion of its
exercise rests with the party asserting
the rights. To assert the existence of the
right, but leave the decision of the eX
ercise to those who commit the wrongs
prompting its exercise is but TO deny
the very existence of the right itself
Ii the South therefore, in attempting
secession organized revolution, the,
those who opposed il did SO in the face
OF their own history and creed. Foi
historically their own separate eXis-
, tence as a people, rested on like
revolution, springing from Tie same
asserted right and theiI creed Taught tht
existence of this right as the foundation
of Just government and recognized the
! right of the Southern people to change
their form OF government, where IN
Meir juHgmeRt, it failed in the pur.
poses of its creation. 1t in 1776, three
millions of Americans had the righ
, ITO dissolve the political bonds which
connected them with another, and tt
assume among the powers of the eartl
the separate aud equal station TO which
the laws of nature and mature'S Coz
entitle Mem," (Which laws neve
cnange), then eight millions of Ameri
cans had, unquestionably, that right IL
1861. Ii in l776 the decision OF tht
Justice of causes leading to the sepera
3 ton rested with the three millions o
Americans and not England, then thu
decision of the same question Tested il
1861 with the south alone, not th,
} North. When the American states ar
A prepared to deny their Mother Ch
Declaration of IndependenCe) wheI
that declaration of political principle
by revolutionary sires is obsolete, or it
Q doctrines treasonable; when Americ
! Is prepared to say that those who pro
I claimed that Declaration, and to il
maintenance pledged "their lives. thei
fortune and their sacred HONOR" wer
g rebels and traitors, and that GeOrg
e the Third and his subjects were patriots
: then and not till then, can it be salt
that Davis and his associates wer
rebels or traitors. The gauge by whic
General Washington must be measures
in history, is the one that must be ap
{: piled to MIR. Davis-bOM fought tO
: The same political prilcipie-:he righ
of people to change their form {
government. The guage by whic
s England must be judged is the one tina
It history must apply to the North-bot
l. fought to overturn that principle, tn
II right of a people to change their fori
of government. Ii Washington was
70 patriot so was Davis; If Davis was
r traitor so was Washington.
o But secession was not merely rev(
u lutionary right. 1t was legitimate,
legal constitutional right, and thos
who attempted it were not rebels an
traitors but patriots.
N OF course | shall not 60 into a dis
,e cussion of that question. Ii is n'
called for; question if it ever was
Arguments cannot change fact,
CdDuOt CJCdtC u NV
E. can, for instance, make water run u
N hill. No argument can in the lea
:. change the fact that Washington ON
- lived, nor the further fact that he
rs now dead. jefferson, Madison, Ma
v, shall, Calhoun, Webster, Story, Lii
ne coin and Davis may be cited, yet II
fact is still no less tact, that wat
= runs down hill; that Washington on
Us lived and Is now dead.
ne So with this question it is one of fac
ly not argument. However respectful
10 the authority cited oil either side a
ducing the argument, it cannot in Il
do least change or alter the Question
ly Fact. In truth the arguments ha,
10 been too copious, Tor it is matter
no plain historical ,tact.
= 1t is an historical fact that the Decl
~ ration of Independence was revuI
lie tionary act; it Is a iulhcr fact that
he declared thirteen colonies free and il
;fl dependent states, (nOt an indepemda
State), and at that time thure was
other power in tLis land, for il an
X dated the Articles of Confederation al
ed the congress that proclaimed il we
TO without power except as given
their respective states, and the delcgat
'i only sig,ed the Declaration after ben
L empO WerGd and directed by their i,
he spective states to do SO. IL is ia
n. that atterward each of the origin
states were a separate sovereignty -