Oxford eagle., 1891-07-23
To fhs Veterans and PeoIis OF
the Southern States.

the Southern States
After much anxiOrs thought,
Il have finally decided to gre TO
yirriaia the care or my Lus
hands mortal bo ly, and feel
that nv reasons should be made
nnblic IA he was in many senses
the property of the whole coun
Try.
Immediately after TIE death
of Ex President jefferson DAVIS
Louisiana expressed her desire
TO keep his halIoSed remains
for all time. but she claimed on
ly the right to guard him until
some permanent place could be
selected tor his rest :.
Tbe military organizations oil
New Orleans bore him with flial |
grief and splendid pagean; 10
the tomb of the Army OF North
ern Virginia, where they have
Guarded him by night and day
for eighteen months. and the
gratitude of my children aad
myself is too great for words
Iasked q year for considera
ton and consultation sith myl
family. Eighteen months have
nearly expired. and ! feel thai
the matter should be decided
aud set AZ rest now
Mississippi claimed preference
because Mr.. Davis belonged 10
her by righ. of his seventy nine
Years residence within her bor-
derx. during which she confer
red upon him unsolicited, every
Office in her gift. save one As
her citizen, eotnrade IN arms-
congressional representative.
senator, general in chief and
president. she Eel: hers 10 be
the first claFm-
Tennessee urged that in her
| State after the war he bad fOund
occupation. home and troops ei
friends. and there his dead bad
been buried.
Alabama remembered that
within her borders be was cleo
ted president OF the COnfeier-
! ate States; there he had been
, ,linaugura.ed, that Montgomery
had been the first capital, and
! that from her lips had issued the
!. first general Invitation 10 bress
the silence which he bad 90
served since our defeat, that chs
. had received him with such en-
/. thusiasm as he has been man
= ifested TO conquorers, but va
neye. before accorded TO dis
: franchissd citizen, poverles'
to give aid or confer favors.
Georgia claimed and eonsian
/. " renewed the request beeans'
his father had long been q eiii
zen of the State There the ex
: president had received the sam'
!, ROYAL welcome which Alabsm
bad exhausted. and lastly sh
. pleaded her great love for hin
as a reason for granting the RI
quest.
Kentucky expressed her pIid
ia being the State of his birtl
i and urged her claims
Al Virginia asked tor his houore,
: remaiIls, because the most sire
Z ous efforts of his life had bee
!. made upon her soil, and In u,
> fense OF Richmond as the cap
tai of the Confederate State.
\ At short intervals ihroughou
< the last eighteen months she la
2 renewed her tender insIstanc
& that he should rest among tn
4 heroic dead of all the State
who fell in defense OF :ie Tor
n federaey. She urged the fac
/, that he did not. in tie fulues
> of his fame, belong exclusiv,
2 ly 10 any part of the countr,
Every hillside about Ricbwon
a would tell of the valorous resi-
q tauce which he initiated and d
o rected with tireless vigilance q
chief magistrate, that there b
received generous and Inwaye
ing support in the darkest hou
Il of our unfortunate eountry's d,
. feat.
All these claims have touche,
o my heart and contended togett
5 er for the mastery. 1t has bee
! hard TO give up the hope G
, dwelling near my husbands res
3 ing place in Mississippi, wher
my home and interests are, bu
! unfortunately Beauvoir is on b
q coast of the Mexican Gu I, an
o on a peninsular very little owe
: a mile wide, and the half mile G
shallow water in front. covere
q with submerged stumps of f.afg
4 trees. shows that the sea bs
0 been steadily encroaehing o
the shore for many years
feel, therefore that, as the men
ument is for all time, it woul
not be wise to place it ther,
aud l submit TO the personal sa
= !, rifice with the hope that tn
States of the Coniederaey wi
also relinquish their cherishe
plans for the sake of gratifyin
the majority of the veterans VIII
? have written countless letter
: to me from each of the befor
mentioned states, to urge Hicl