Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-26

X. ss,,;jiarl. the usurplng Emperor, from
Ma: - tLanne' But when President Lincoln
ma NE I sscretary Seward appeared no propo-
al - any kind was made but uncondi-
tionai ,r 81, declined. Even had compensa-
OF co ssr slaves been proposed the Confede-
LIZ soidiers would have repudiated such
t,,s "a conditions of surrender. True,
W ,rsre in dire distress. With scarce
t Enasnydfui Johnston could only harass Sher-
.,,an in the South, and the men Of Lee
, na,,id gee from their trenches the mighty
ewarrns marshalling in their front. The
sstmnrvation that cutched at their threats
plunged its dagger to their hearts as they
thonsht OF loved ones furnishing at home.
DIT The brave men who still chung TO their
tpaattsered standards knew naught of the
e va, or practice of surrender. They thought
Is valley Forge and saw beyond it York
t % Had not Washington thought Of
a." mountains of West Augusta when
d,;ven from his strongholdsl Why not
tbav9 Had not Jackson left the legacy
SSWhat is life without honor? Dishonor
"a worse than DEATH" They could not
aomnrehend the idea of surrender, tor
u uere they not their fathers sonsl
REVOLUTIONS CAN ONLY DIE IN THE LAST DITCH.
Tbey would rather have died than sur
rander then, and they were right. Reyo-
lntions imply the impossibility OF compro-
mise. They never begin until overtures
are ended. Once begun there is no half
,yav house between victory and death, and
thew can only die with honor in the last
| ditch.
was manifest TO oil mankind, reproach.
derision. and contempt, feud, faction, and
denomination would have brought an af-
termath of disorder and terror; and had It
been based on such terms as those which
critics have suggested q glorious reyolu-
tion would have been snuffed out like a
farthing candle in n miserable barter about
fine ransom of slaves.
II was well for all that it was fought to
the finish without compromise either ten
dered or entertained. The fact that 1t was
90 fought out gave finality TO its result
| and well-nigh extinguished ITS embers with
its flames. No drop of blood between
Petersburg and Appomattox-not one in
| the last charge was shed IN vain. Peace
with honor must pay its price. even If that
price be life itself, and it is because the
South paid that price with no miser's
hand that her surviving soldiers carried
home with them the consciousness OF
! duty faithfully performed" We should
| rejoice that if weak men wavered before
| The end neither Jefferson Davis, nor
| Robert Lee, nor Joseph Johnston wayered.
Though they and their compeers could not
| achieve the independence of the Confede-
racy they did preserve the independent
and unshamed, pirit of their people. And
| II is in that spirit now that men OF the
South find their shield against calumny,
their title to respect, their welcome to the
| Brotherhood of noble men. and their IN
centive to noble and unselfish deeds.
"If you would know why Rome was
preat.n says student of her history,
reconsider that Roman soldier whose
armed skeleton was found IN recess near
the gate of Pompeii. When burst the sui
phurous storm the undaunted hero drop,
ned the visor of his helmet and stood
| there to die"
Would you know why the South Is
great? Look on tho new-made grave in
! Louisiana, and consider the ragged SOL
der of Bentonville and Appomattox.
EARLY DAYs-DAv1s AND LINCOLN.
| After the Revolutionary war Samuel Da-
Wis. who had served in it rs one of the
| mounted men of Georgia, settled in Ken
lucky. Pending that war, in 1882. the very
year that George Rogers Clarke captured
Kaskaskia. Thomas Lincoln. of Rocking
ham county. Va, removed 10 the same
State, Jefferson Davis. the son of the first
named settler. was born on June 3, loOS,
and on February II, 1909, was born the son
|
Davis moved to Mississippi. Ills son be-
came a cadet at West Point under appoint
ment from President Monroe, and soon
commissioned as lieutenant in the United
States army, appeared in the service hght-
| ing the Indians on the frontier IN the Back
! Hawk War. In early manhood Abraham
Lincoln removed to Illinois. and now be-
coming q captain of volunteers he and JET
ferson Davis were under the same Tag en-
gagged in the same warfare. 50,
John Hampdeh and Oliver Cromwell had
once engaged passage for America, and
George Washington was about TO become
| n midshipman in the British navy. Had
not circumstances changed these plans
Uampden and Cromwell might have be-
come great names in American history.
And suppose Admiral George Washington,
under the colors of King George ILL.,, had
! been pursuing the Count D'Estaing, whose
| French fleet hemmed CORVALLIS in at
| Yorktown-who knows how the story OF
! the great Revolution might have been
written? Had Jefferson Davis gone 70 IL
! linois and lincoln to Mississippi. what
| different histories would be around those
/ names: and yet | fancy that the great
struggle with which they were identified
would have been changed only in incl
dents and not in its great currents.
PLANTERS LIFE-1s35 To 1913.
In 1885 Lieutenant Davis resigned his
commission in the army. intermarTled Miss
| TAYLOR. daughter of Colonel Zachary
| TAYLOR. and retired to his Mississippi es-
tate, where for eight years he spent his
time in literary studies and agricultural
pursuits country gentleman with full
| library and broad acres.
| Such life as his was that of John Hamp-
den before the country Squire suddenly
emerged from obscurity as a debater, q
| leader of Parliament, and soldier TO
plead and fight and die in the peoples
| cause against q tyrant's and ta1-gather-
er's exactions. Such life as his was that OF
many of the fathers of this republic, and
when Jefferson Davis entered public life in
| 1913 he came as Washington, Jefferson,
Madison Monroe, Henry, Mason, Clay,
Calhoun. and Andrew Jackson had come
before him-from a southern plantation,
where he had been the head OF family
| and the master OF slaves.
HIS VARIOUS EMpLoYNENTs FROM 1s43 TO 1861.
From 1913 10 1861 the life of Jefferson
Davis was spent for the most part in pub
lie services, and they were as distinguish
ed as the occasions which called them into
reQuisition were numerous end important.
A presidential elector, member of the
House of Representatives, United States
senator (once by appointment and twice
ON electlOn), u COlOucl III Juc NOluHJecIS III
Mexico. twice O candidate for Governor of
his State before the people, these designa,,
tons give suggestion of the number and
dignity OF his employments.
MILITARY SERVICES IN MEXICO.
How he led the Mississippi rifemen in
storming Monterey without bayonets: how
he threw them into the famous "" to re-
ceive and repulse the Mexican lancers at
the crisis of the battle of Buena Vista I;
how, though wounded and bleeding from
musket-shot he sat his horse and would
not quit the field till victory had crowned
it is picture that hangs conspicuously in
the galleries of our history. The move
ment. prompt, original and decisive, dis
closed the general of rare ability; the per-
sonal conduct avouched the hero.
Colonel Davis" said General Taylor
In his report, Though severely wounded.
remained in the saddle until the close of
the action. His distinguished GOODNESS
and gallantry at the head of his regiment
on this day entitle him to the particular
notice of the Government"
Colonel Davis won the battle of Buena
Vista, and Buena Vista made General Tay-
Tor President.