The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-12-13
THE DEATH OF Ex-paEsIDENr JsFFsR
SON DAVIS.


eratc States, passed away quietly this morn
ing at 10 minutes after O'clock AlthoughS
his friends had feared q fatal termination toI
his nalady, his death was sudden: His con- :
dition had improved steadily for tho lastE
three or four days, and was SO pcrceptibly 2
better yesterday that it was thought the end
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 dcathbed. There stood around E
his bedside in. his last hours only his doctors
and his immediate family.
IL was quiet passing away, n death frou
fecblencss. For half an hour before the 9,
end he scarcely seemed to breathe, gen 8
tie were his rcspirations, yet his eyes show
ed that he never lost conscioncss, although
for hours before his death he too feeble
to talk. The only evidence he could give
that he still lived was the pressure of hi:
wifes hand, which he silently claspcd to til, g
end.
There was no death struggle, and the pass
age from life to death was scarcely pcrcCptibl, e
and it was only when his respiration had
ceased altogether that the doctors knew that
he had passed away.
now THE NEWS WAS LEARNED.
Not the faintcst suspicion Of the scriou'
attack which killed Mr.. Davis or of his death &
came out until relative went to the Western Z
Union Telegraph Office to iilc cablcgram to
Europe, announcing to his daughter now +
abroad, account or her health her father :
death. This the first news the pres
had of it. The only other person n tilted
Mayor Shakespeare. He was reused
from his bed about 3 i'll the morning by
the family, and proceeded Mt orcc to the resi-
dencc where Mr.. Davis y body lay, and thcr,
in consultation with the family, drew up his +
proclamation Announcing TO the public MIR
Daviss death and appointing II committee
Of prominent citizens to arrange for the
funeral.
PREPARING FOR THE rrNiRAL
At an early hour this morning n conf, rene,
of the committee was held at the city hal
to arrange for the funeral There were
present, tlfc members of Mr.. DaviS's family
the city officials the various Confederate
Veteran Associations, the officers of the
State militia, members of the Grand Arm!
of the Republic, the Federal officials. tn,
presidents of tho several commercial cX
changes, the State and city judiciary an,
all the leading clergy of the city and other
prominent citizens, the large hall being crowd
cd with visitors.
WEDNESDAY, THE FUNERAL DAY.
II had been first determined the funcrn,
would take place on Sunday, but before tn,
1fot,'ssa ssa yasssi aycc- kilograms began to pour
the date of the funeral and announcing tia;
number Of persons desired to be present
and suggesting that time he allowed for then
to get there. This induced the conference
to postpone the funeral till Wednesday noon
so rs to give-aH wiru decided to come her,
ample time to do so.
As soon rs an agrcemcn; WIS reached
Igor Shakespeare tclcgraphcd to all the
Southern Governors, notifying them of the
arrangements made AMI as king them to take
part in the funeral ceremonies. The uucs-
tion of
TIE PLACE or BunI,L
n1s iii ssn1
ground of the Davis family is nt the Briar-
field homestead, Just below Nicksburg' Here.
in this beautiful spot. Mr.. Daviss elder
brother, Joseph Davis, is buried, and here
the ES-rrcsidcnt's remains will also ultimate.
ly lie. But, as it was impossible to hold
the funeral ceremonies at Briarfcld it wa
decided to lay the remains temporarily att
rest here in the tomb of the Confcderatc
Veterans Association of the army of North
crn Virginia. in Metairio Cemetery.
THE BoDY TO LIE IN STATE.
cilated through the town by the papers tho
Fcnner house was visited by such larc,
number ofpcrsons that it was dctcrmincd
that tho body should be removed to the cit,
Hall, to lie in state there in the counc
chamber until the funeral. Mrs. Davis
asked that the corpse remain in her charg,
to-day, but sonscntcd to allow its transfer II
some public place tonight, provided it was
made quietly and unostcntatiousy.
AS soon rs the death of Mr.. Davis wa,
announced. Mayor Shakespeare issued tn,
following proclamation:
at is with the deepest regret that | an
nouncc to the people of the city of New Ov-
leans the departure from this life of Jcticr
son Davis. He needs no culogv from me
His life is history, anil his mcmory is en-
shrincd in the heart of every man. woman
and child in the broad South. We all loved
him and wcall owe him honor and reverence
PROCEEDINGS ~ THE LEGISLATURE or :. e.
Col. }. {. Haskell member al the LcgiSa-
turc from Richland, during the session OF
that body, Friday morning, rose in his seat
and said
Mr.. Speaker, hold in my hand n noticcl
sent me by the general manager of tLc tclc
graph company of the death of the Hon. JEFF
ferson Davis. The announcement of this!
sad event will fall heavily upon every heart
in this General Assembly and in this troadt
land, as one which must touch cvc~y patriot (
which must impress with sorrow every nanl
who recognizes the value of high character !
great ability, devoted services and a pur,s
life. MIR. Davis having outliycl the allotted
span of man has gone 10 his rest. lie ha |
gone where tie great men of the country
who were his colleagues AMI associates have K
preceded him. : i
The anncunccrcnt brought cut n numrcI /
ofimprOmptu speeches from member; win" Z
were moved by the purcst patriotic devotion
to the ''lost cause and the great chicftainE
of that sublime struggle.
Among the noble speeches or that occasion
was that of our immediate Representative 5
Col. |. q. McKisSck. who il seems struckh
sympathetic chord in the hearts of all wh,
heard him, in the following:
Mr.. Mckissick MIR. Speaker, this Gene
raj Assembly does well to express its sense
of bereavement in the death of .IefrcrSonE
Davis. Great in council great in battle 8
great as the leader of his people, great il a
the clanking chains Of the dungeon and stilE
great in the cold arms of death Sir | cn-m
dorsc all that has been clagucntly and soE
touchingly said in honor Of our fallen chict,E 3
lie is not dead but slccp,th and the grundE