The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-12-18
JEFFERSON DAVIS MEMO
RIAL SERVICE AND
MEETING.
ALEXANDRIA, La,
Dec. IL. 1889.

DeC. IL, 1907. J
Az meeting of the ex-Confeder-
ate soldiers and lovers of the memo
ry of the lamented jefferson Davis,
held at the Court house in AleXan-
dria, La, at / O'Clock a. M, the
meeting was called to order by. Gen.
Geo. o. Watts, and Gen. Geo. Ma
son Graham was chosen President
and w. w. Wilmington, Jr., Secre-
tary.
Gen. Graham, upon taking the
chair, made the following remarks:
Survivors Of the Confederate army
and fellow citizens: | understand that
you have conferred OH me the gratifca-
ton and honor OF presiding over this
meeting. 1t is very great one to me,
and beg to express my thanks to you
for it.
For the first time in my life | have
aspired to pablit position, that OF pre-
siding over this meeting, called as a
sort Of sorrow lodge, as it were, over the
memory of one we all in common hon
ored and loved, and l so aspired be-
cause there seemed to me to be an APP
propriateuess in it, not only in conse
quence of the probable fact that | am
the oldest living white citizen of this
parish, having now accomplished nearly
four months OF the S3rd year my life
and having arrived in it on Nov 10th,
1925 but also in consequence OF the
personal relations that in our earlier
lives existed between the great and good
hero whose death, all too soon, we are
this day here assembled to mourn and
to commemorate.
Mr.. Davis and myself were cadets to-
gether in the U. s. Military Academy,
ut West Point, in which we were class
mates, and in the same Section, the
largest and most manly cadet OF the Sec
ton, was its squad marker, and from
our first association were always "good
friends" ] left West Point in April,
1926, and went to the University of Fir-
ginia, whence came out here in Au-
tumn, 1923. Mr. Davis remained, grad
uated, went into the Infantry, and join
ed the Army, on the then Western
frontier In all his varied military and
public life we never met again until
the morning az o'clock, noon) OF %
September, 1916, at the breakfast table
OF Gen. Ampubia, the morning after the
eapitulation effected during the proceed
ing midnight OF the City OF Monterey,
when all unmindful OF the solemnity ~
OF the occasion and of that August
Presence, Gen. Ampubia and his numer-
Gus and magnificent uniformed staff, he
gave unrestrained expression to his feel
ings, exclaiming in his o!d-time squad
marching, souorous voice, "Why I
George is this you?" as he grasped mine
with both OF his hands.
There seems to me therefore an appr0-
priateness in my presiding over this
meeting, and again beg to thank you
for the melancholy qualification and the
honor You have conferred on me, in con-
curing in that sentiment.
On motion it was resolved that a
Committee on Resolutions he appoint
ed by the chair. The following were
appointed:
Capt. JAS. G, White, Judge W. f.
Blackman, Major +. NJ. Raxsdale,
Col. 7. B. French, Capt. John A.
Williams, Gen. Geo. o. Watts, Mires
Rosenthal, DR.. S. Ii. Rushing.
Ga motion it was resolved that
Gen. Geo. Mason Graham be added
TO the Committee on II solutions and
that he be the Chairman of said
Committee.
The Committee On Resolutions
then reported as follows:
Resolecd, That in the death OF Jeffer-
son Davis, ex-President OF the late Con-
federate States of America, the South
has lost its leader and its chieftain, one
who loved his people with a devotion
that knew no change; that in his
death America has lost one of its purest
and best types OF American manhood. A
man who was true to principle, steadlast,
and bold in the advocacy OF his conyic-
tons.
Resolrcd, That in the hour of ADVERSE
~ be stood alone as the eNemplar and
strict eonstructionists of the reserved
rielytsoi the States under the Constitu
ton as by cur fathers eApoundcd,