The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-12-13
rHE DEATH OF Ex-pREsIDENr JxFFsR'
SON DAVIS.

Jefferson Davis, Ex-Vresident of the Confcd-y3
crate States, passed away quietly this morn.
ing at 10 minutes after O'clock. Although
his friends had feared fatal Termination toE
his n,alady, his death was sudden: His con-
dition. had improved steadily for tho last
three or four days, and was SO .perceptibly +
better yesterday that ii was thought the end Z
would yet be postponed some weeks. A por-
tion of his family, anticipating no danger,
was at the opera last night, and was sum- :
moned to his deathbed. There stood around =
his bedside in his last hours only his doctors
and his immediate family.
II was quiet passing away, n death from
fecbleness. For half an hour before the
end he scarcely seemed to breathe, so gen.
tie were his respirations yet his eyes show.
ed that he never lost conscioness. although
for hours before his death he was too feeble
to talk. The only evidence he could Civ,
that he still lived was the pressure of hi. :
wife's hand, which he silently claspcd to til, $
end.
There was no death struggle, and the pass
age from life to death was scarcely pcrccptibl, /
and 1t was only when his respiration had T
ceased altogether that the doctors knew that
he had passed away.
HOW THE NEWS WAS LEARNED.
Not the faintest suspicion of the serious
attack which killed Mr.. Davis or of his death
came out until relative went to the Western
Union Telegraph office to file cablcgram to
Europe, announcing to his daughter, now
abroad, on account or her health. her fathers
DEATH This was the first news the pres
had of il. The only other person n tihcd|
was Mayor Shakespeare. He was reused
from his bed about 3 in the morning by
tho family, and proceeded at once to the resi-
dence where Mr.. Davis body lay, and thcr,
in consultation with the family, drew up his
proclamation Announcing to the public Mr.
Davis's death and appointing committee
Of prominent citizens to arrange for th,
funeral.
PREPARING FOR THE FUNERAL.
At an early hour this morning conf, rcnc,
of the committee was held mt the city hal
to arrange for the funeral There were
present, tlfe members of Mr.. Davis's family.
the city officials, the various Confcdcrat,
Veteran Associations, the officers of tn,
State militia, members OF the Grand Army
of the Republic, the Federal officials, tn,
presidents of the several commercial cx.
changes, the State and city judiciary anG
all the leading clergy of the city and other
prominent citizens, the large hall being crowd
cd with visitors.
WEDNESDAY THE FUNERAL DAY.
1t had been first determined the funeral
would take place on Sunday, but before tn,
m 1funn'fA sffassi aycr. kilograms began to pou'
the date of the funeral and announcing thai
number of persons desired to be present.
ana suggesting that time be allowed for then
to get there. This induced the conference
to postpone the funeral till Wednesday noon.
so as to give all who decided to come here
ample time to do so.
AS soon as nm agreement was reached,
M.yor Shakespeare telcgraphcd to all the
Southern Governors notifying them of the
arrangements made AMI rs king them to take
part in the funeral ceremonies The oues
tion of
TIE PLACE OF BURIAL
was also discussed The family buryin Q
ground of the Davis family is Mt the Briar-
field homestead, just below Vicksburg. Here
In this beautiful spot, Mr.. Daviss elder
brother, Joseph Davis, is buried, and here
the ES-president's remains will also ultimate.
ly lie. But, as it was impossible to hold
the funeral ceremonies at Briarfcld, it va
decided to lay the remains temporarily at
rest here in the tomb of the Confederate
Veterans Association Of the army of North
ern Virginia. in Metairie Cemetery.
THE BODY TO LIE IN STATE.
culated through the town by tho papers the
Fcnner house Yves visited by such q large
number Of persons that ii was determined
that tho body should be removed to the city
Hall, to lie in state there in the council
chamber until the funeral. Mrs. Davis
asked that the corpse remain in her charge
to-day, but sonsented to allow its transfer to
some public place tonight, provided it was
made quietly and unostentatiously.
AS soon rs the death of Mr. Davis wa.
announced, Mayor Shakespeare issued the
following proclamation
"lt Is with the deepest regret that an
nounce to the people of the city of New Or
leans the departure from this lif. of Jcffcr
son Davis. He needs no culogy from me.
His life Is history, and his memory is en-
shrlncd in the heart of every man. woman
and child in the broad South. We all loved
him and call owe him honor and reverence |
PROCEEDINGS IN TIE LEGISLATURE OF $. e.
Col. }. c. Haskell, member of the Legisla-
ture from Richland, during the session of
that body, Friday morning, rose in his seat
and said:
Mr.. Speaker, hold in my hand n notice.
sent me by the general manager of the tee-
graph company of the death of the Hon. JEFF
1erson DAVIS. The announcement of thsI
sad event will fall heavily upon every heart
in this General Assembly and in this broad
land, as one which must touch every patriot
which must impress with sorrow every mani
who recognizes the value of high character,
great ability, devoted services and n purct
life. MIR. Davis having outlived the allotted
span of man has gone to his rest. He has
gone where the great men of the country
who were his colleagues and associates have
preceded him. x :;
The annCuncercn cnt brought out numteiE /
ofimpromptu speeches from members whof
were moved by the purest patriotic devotion, Z
to the .'lost cause and the great chieftaine
of that sublime struggle.
Among the noble speeches on that occasion.
was that of our immediate Representative. +
Col. l. G. McKissick who it seems struckE
n sympathetic chord in the hearts of all who's
heard him, in the following:
Mr.. Mckissick- Speaker, this Gene
ral Assembly does well to express its sense
Of bereavement in the death of Jefrersone
Davis. Great in council, great in battle
great as the leader of his people, great irE
the clanking chains of the dungeon, and stillE
great in the cold arms of death Sir, I en- :
dorse ali that has been elnquenty and so
touchingly said in honor of our fallen chief
lie is not dead but sleep"th, and the grandH
and glorious DrinciDles for which he ouIoro,IE