Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-12-25

the effect that committee of three be sp-
pointed to report upon the BEST methods for
perfecting permanent organic etion for the
purpose of carrying out the objects of the
meeting. Adopted. The Chair appointed
as such com mittee Hon. FL. W. Tourney,
! Gen Joseph R Anderson, and Gen. j. R.
| Cooke. The committees retired, and du-
ring their deliberations the Governor in
| treduced
MAJOR CHARLES g. sTRINGFELLow.
the orator Of the evening, who spoke with
fervid eloquenee. After paying high and
just tribute to the ability, patriotism. and
noble and pure character of Mr.. Davis; he
concluded as follows:-
But, my fellow citizens, brave as be was
on the battle. field, wise as he was in the
Cabinet council, superb as be was on the
Senate floor and grandy as he lowered
above all others as the chosen head aud IN
dannted leader of the Southern Confeder-
acy, there was one character in which he
shoue with light more Respondent still
in the majesty which, like halo encoR,-
passes around the honest, true and fearless
Christian man.
| What more suitable spot could be select
ed for that resting place than this, the per-
manent capital of the Southern Confederacy,
forever linked as it is with the name of its
great President, and with its hopes and
fears, its victories and defeats, its brilliant
rise and it's honorable fall? And who would
more sacredly guard his tomb than the citi-
gems of this capital of Old Virginia, in
/ whose battle SCARED bosom lie countless
thousands of those heroic soldiers whose
march from Big Bethel to Appomatsox is
biased in glory? Richmond was the gate
way and citadel of the Southern Confeder-
acy, and its burning houses and homes, it's
grand funeral pyre. Here its honored Presi-
dent lived and moved and had his being in
the most eyentful years of his long aud
eventfnl life. Here still stands the church
in which he worsbipped the God whom
alone he feared, and hero he sat when be
| first learned that the Southern cause was
/ irresrievably lost. On youde1 hill, in that
mansion historic now and forever safe,
trust, from the vanda hand of iil-timed
economy, with the noble wife who still
lives TO mourn her irrepsrable loss, aud in
whose sacred sorrow every one here pres
eat claims share, be kdew the pureSt joys
and the deepest sorrows earth can bring.
There a son, the pride and the hope of his
heart, net an uutimely end, and from that
| house was borne to his little grave il our
City of the Dead, which loving hands still
| tend There was born to him a daughter.
whose bruised heart row bleeds in foreign
land, to watch over his declining years AID
sootbe with tenderest hand the infrmites
of age.
His grand life's work is done, but his
name, his fame, aud his example remain to
us precious legacy. and though they will
forever remain embamed in the grand
lnausoleum of a great peoples heart, it is
fitting that some appropriate monument
should be reared by that people to tell pos
terity where rests all that the grave can
| claim of their soldier, statesman, patriot
chief.
The gallant Hill lies under the grand old
oak at Hollywood; there the kniehtiy Stuart
sleeps, sFhose waving plume bis dashing
| troopers followed in many desperate charge
while right and left igthe fare front Of bat
tie shed his gitteling sword. There
brave ckett rests, Inc leader of that heroic
brigade whose unparalleled courage SOU
alone make the name of Gettysburg immor-
tal and there the winter winds chant their
funeral-dirse over the grave of Richmond's
boy hero, the stainless PegFam, in all save
age and sank the peer Of The pohlest, while all
ariund that ivy covered grapite-pile 81 hich
we bavs reared in their honor are the little
| grass grown hilocks ~hich, tell where thou
aa'1a upon thousands of the unknown dead
via followed he Confederate flag with
courage and fortitade almost sublime rest
IN their soldier graves.
Surely, if the dead could speak to Us from
the unseen world, it would be 10 the midst
of such associations and in the company of
such kindred spirits be would ask to lie
Stonewall Jackson's statue already stands
in our public square, and before another
year has closed the figure of our peerless
Lee shall from its granite pedestal look
down on us. See to it, my fellow citizens,
| that here, too, shall rise soms appropriate
shaft in honor of OFT and their great chief.
10 asking that bis final inteImept may be
hole, we honor ourselves DO less than b m
fer this desire springs from the nobleet SEN
timents of the human heart. Yes, my fell
low citizens, Richmond mrst have the re-
mains of our noble Chisfta'n, and here We
must rear some appropriate monument to
tell our chiidleu's children the story of his
heroic life. Let no such word as fail be
foupd in the lexicon of manhnnd any more
than in that of youth when lofty motives,
intelligent action, and concerted efforts are
cheered by woman's prese, ce and approval
| In those days that so sorely tried the souls
OF her men the wtmen of Virginia display
ed courage as true, patriotism as pure and
will as undauuted is the Spartan mother