Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-12-23
The Davis Meeting in Richmond.

| One of the largest meetings ever hello In
Richmond convened at the Academy OF
Music, In that city, on Saturday night for
| the purpose of furthering the project which is
on foot to raise money for a monument to
the memory of Jefferson Davis, as well as to
signify the desire to have the body of the
| lamented dead finally inferred in that city.
Confederate veterans, civilians and ladies
composed the audience. Mayor Ellison call
ed the meeting to order. Rev. NJ. D. Hoee,
of the Presbyterian church, delivered a
beautiful prayer, after which Gov. Lea was
introduced as chairman. Gov. Lee, Maj
Charles ]. Stringfsllow, Gen. Peytcn Wise
and Rev. J. William Jones addressed the
audience.
The following resolutions were unani'
mously adopted
Tonight this splendid assembiage, In gath
ering to pay homage to his memory, speaks
10 no uncertain tones to the country that our
people were to the end his people. and that
the God who looks down fronA his throne OF
mercy beyond the blue dome above, and
binds ND the broken hearts of the sorrowtng
wife and children, is the same God TO whom
we bow In humble submission TO the exer'
else of his divine will. Like ripe oak in
the stilpess of the forest, great man has
fallen. Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi. lau-
relied officer in the army, Secretary of War,
Senator of the Uniled States, and later
President OF the Confederate States. having
added the browning grace of Chr islian
life to the sturdy worth Of his natural man
hood, has been gathered TO his fathers. He
had not merely been the representative OF
the cause of the Southern people; he
not only when this failed took our burdens
moon him and suffered in our stead, but he
was the type Of whatever Is best and truest
in the Southern character, OF It's undying
love of liberty, Its unswerVlng devotion to
law and order, iis uncompromislng adner-
ence to principle, ite gentleDess and gallan-
try, its simplicity and good faith. We clti
ems of Richmond, in mass meeting assemD.
led, come, therefore, to night lovingly to
praise him not slrgly TO mourn him, but 70
make memorials Of him and to rejoice that
God gave him to Us for an example and an
inspiration forever. And We come, TOO,
without apology, without defiance, with al
feotionate regard for our fellow citizens
everywhere, but With special love for him
to commend his character to all America as
one to be reverentially pondered, and which
in the special respect OF stern fidelity to
honest conviction is altogether admirable
and DESTROYS.
With these sentiments, and proud and
grateful to have them in US, we resolve that
as Richmond was the capital of the Confed-
ate States and the place where his high
manhood and craftsmanship, his probity
and glad self sacrifice for the Southern PEG
ple were most conspiciously illustrated,
Richmond, on behalf of all the Southern
peope, should be the spot where his re-
mains shall be tenderly guarded, and where
a statue (uow gladly pedged) rising above
them shall teach to Southern youth that not
worldly success but duty done at every
hazard upon every field, and he being every
inch man, in evil report as in good report;
through all the suffering of the body ana
the mind are the real gods OF the Christian
gentleman, and We humbly pray the below
ed widow of our great chief 10 give those
remains to US for such disposal of them.
That the Governor of Virginia, who is the
chairman of this committee. be requested TO
convey our action to Mrs. Davis.
In the course of his remarks Gov. Lee,
slludipg to Mr.. Davis's services in Mexico,
said "Perish then the sectional hate in the
narrow MUD of the mover of the resolution
that he alone should be excluded from the
benefits of the Mexican pension act, for we'll
could Mr.. Davis reply to him as uncle Toby
said to the fly, go little wretch. there ia
room in the world for you and l." Away,
too. forever, with the pitiful prejudice in the
heart of the man who ordered his name to
he chiseled from the stone which commem-
Grated his successful efforts in erecting
bridge across the Potomac above Washing
ton, What matters 1t now to the people
of tina South if. after all he did to promote
the glory OF the United States. that there is
not mapnenimity enough left to conform to
the usual custom of putting at hslf-mast the
flag over the department. of the Government
hs did 80 much to adorn, 30 long AZ the flag
of their affection floats SO high above such
action. and is 30 richly draped in the habit
iments of mourning at his DEATH"