The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-12-18
OUR MEMORIAL MEETING.
ABBEvILLE PAYS HOMAGE TO THE DEAD
STATESMAN AND THE CONFED-
ERATE CHIEFTAIN.
Eloquent Tributes and Appropriate
Resolutions on t!,e Death OF Jpffer-
son Davis. President Of the Con-
fc:Icratc States of America.

Last Wednesday meeting Of our citizens
assembled in the Court House to pay suita-
hlc tribute to the memory of Jefferson Davis
who departed this life in New Orleans, Oh the
morning Of December e. 1889.
Thomas i. Thomson. Esq the Mayor Of the
town, called the meeting to order and said
that as Colonel J. Il. Robertson was an old
veteran, it would he eminently proper
TO invite him to preside over the meeting
which was intended To 90 honor to the dead
ChcItuin. He therefore moved that Colonel
Robert son lake the Chair.
Upon ticking the Chair, Colonel Robertson
said, that Ii" was in entire sympathy with the
Objects nj the meeting, and would be glad to
hear from any one who had anything TO offer.
Jones +. Miller, Esq, WAS requested TO act
as Secretary.
An Gid Soldiers ncnutifuI Tribute to
iEis Dca.. CIiieftain.
W. a. Lee, Esq, then rose in his scat and
thus addressed the meeting:
! III. Chairman:
| AS one of the few surviving representatives
Of that cvcntful pcriod, when the flag Of the
Conf lrderacy-ihc real, The white and the blue
I-iiOalru nj the head of our cOnuuerinS arm les
one of that soldier band, alas now few, who
shared the rcvcrSeS of Gettysburg and Appo-
mattoX, rs well as the trumphs Of Manassas
and Charlottesville, 1t has been made my sad
| duly to Olcr our grateful tribute to the mem
nry of the great leader of the "Lost Cause;
The illuStrious Chieitain. who more than any
one else. was the rXponent Of It's principles,
and who sustained with uniallerlng devotion,
| even TO the bitter end, its varying fortunes,
| 1t was ut The funeral Of the greatest Of the
French Kings that The greatesL or the French
preachers Massilnn, ut the tomb OF Louis
| ,,nh 80 nFNI ylttN n
cannot fail To realize In the presence OF Death
how vain and meaningless Is all that the
w0rl d calls Succexs!h; how victor and vanqulsh-
Ell share one common lot, and await one conl-
mon doom. "Aitcr all The throbs and heart
aches that we call life" 1t matters little who
has Won the fight. It's far more important
to know how The battle has been fought; what
wcre the issues at stake; and what skill,
| in the contest. at is not In mortalS to achieve
success; it Is far better TO deserve IT.; and
we cherish the memory OF our dead heroes. as
| the richest inheritance OF our people. In all
| that constitutes true manhood Integrity.
courage, devotion 10 principle-the deceased
stood pre-emincnt; and In honoring his mem.
Ory, we honor ourseiveS-we cherish the best
elements OF our civilization.
| In reviewing the public career Of Mr.. Davis,
we must not forget; the iilusrous record OF
our past history, will not allow us to forget
| that the deceased was one of the heroes OF the
Mexican war. and added new glory to Amerl-
can valor at Monterey and Buena Vista the
journals OF the American Senate bear aoun-
dant testimony 10 the eloquepcc,; the ability
and craftsmanship, with which he discussed
all the great issues which ministcrPd TO the
| growing greatness of this country; the ar
chives of the War Department bear witness to
the conSlunate ability, with which he admin.
istcrcd the affairs Of that Department, and
proved himself Il worthy successor to the H.
| lusiriouS Calhoun. Like the portrait Of War.
rem Hastings, in the Council Hall at Calcutta,
his hangs among those OF predecessors and
| q MI
| though no wreath Of crave bedecks the wall
and no flag at half-maSt floats over the War
| Department 10 90 him hon or: yet like the great
Eastern proconsul, he finds ample vlndication
people: and in all the manifestations OF
heartfelt sorrow through the length and
| breadth Of this southern land.
| ! rejoice HAT this whole Southern people
have Joined In this manifestation OF sorrow IL
| the memory Of departed greatness; that Gov
ernOrS of States, that Legislative Assemblies
| that civic associations, that pastors ofchnrchcS
and that our whole people of every avocntion
and condition, have united in this hearkfccf..
tribute OF sympathy and regard. Let 6ilInc
| bell and mulied drum, and all tlH habilf
people; and in ING end lc,-TI6Indred glitter
ing shafts Ls99. n Dro7zcd statues, testify 10 our
loEe Ge0 admiration for the great Confeder
| LS1cader. Ii is only thus, that we can best
TShow, that VIC are not ashamed of the great
cause for which Jackson died and Lee and
| Davis suffered, and that we cherish our his
toric past as the best heritage Of our people.
Resolutions in Reference to the War.
rior, Statesman, Patriot.
beg leave to offer the following Resolu'
tionS
4cs5!ccd, That we the people Of Abbeville
have heard with profound sorrow Of the
death of the Hon. Jefferson Davis, Ex-Presi
dent of the Confederate Stales and desire to
Join IN the universal expressions OF sorro"
which prrvnde the South and mark the extent
| Of lis bereavement.
| EtAOlred, That IN the death OF the deceased
warrinr, statesman and patriot, the south has
| sustained the loss OF one Of It's most distin'
| guiShCd sOuS; and our common country, one
OF the brightest names, which have illustra'
| ted It's past history.
Iecsolred That in the life, character and pub.
| lie services Of The drcc tscd, we recognize the
hi%hest type OF American citizenship, and me
nobleSt example Of the virtues, which we seek
| to cherish and emulate. Courage. sell-rclance
and unseIll>h devotion 10 principle.
| Rcso ired, That VIC will cvei cherish with
| Just PRIDE the memory Of the illustriOus dead
aS O true representative Of the South in the
late war, and as the best exponent OF that de-:
| voton to the Lost Cause" which was sealed
with the best blood of our martyred dead
Resolued, That Ahbevil!e, which may be
said to have inauguratcd the war, and which
witnessed the last Cabinet meeting OF the
on!cderacy, est ems 1t high privilege to
drop Il tear to the memory of the great Chief
TAIN who oeven then sustained with unwaver
ing constancy its falling fortunes.
Resolved, That the calm dignity, the patient
endurance. the unconplaning self sacrifice
which marked the last years Of the dccensed
statesman, furnish an example worthy of our
highest love and admiration.
Itcsolrrd THAT our heartfelt sympathles are
rendered to the family Of the deceased, In this
their sad bereavcment; and that the Secretn.
ry Of this meeting be instructed to furnish
them with Il copy Of these resolutions.
Z Rici, Epnacy TO Future Gcnera.
tiOns.
l.. w Perrin, Esq, in the following speech
seconded tho resolutions:
/ do not rise 10 make q speech, rs the time
allotted Is too limited TO allow Of Justice
being done to the occasion, bu simply to sec
0nd thc resolutions so beautifully conceived
and framed and which so fully and touching.
~ pOrtrayS the feelings and sentiments of
this community. An Eul0sy could not add
to the iamo of one whose life was 80 familiar
to all. so noble and dcouragcOuS-and worthy Of
imiintion.-The memory of which Is deeply
stamped In the hearts OF his countrymeu and
Will not grow dim during the lives OF his con-
temporarics, and will be beiueathed by them
to their children as II rich legacy. | suggest
standing.
Gar I!enored Chieftain Wrapped In
Mar:iaI Cloak Of Grey.
Mr.. ]. Allen Smith. President of the Abbe-
vile National Bank, said:
M Chairman:
The occasion which calls us together this
morning Is one OF deep SoIcmnity and sorrow.
y nation meets to-day to do honor and rev.
We, too have mel to mingle our tears with
these Of every hanlct city and common.
wealth throughout this lovely Southland of
ours for one we loved and honored-one so