Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-07-15
Hon. Jefferson Davis's Body.
MRS. DAVIS DECIDES THAT IT SHALL REST
PERMANENTLY IN RICHMOND, VA.

MRS. DAVIS DECIDES THAT IT SHALL REST
PERMANENTLY IN RICHMOND, VA.
Mrs. Jefferson Davis, who is still in New
York, on Saturday definitely decided thu
mooted question as to the permanent rest
ing place of the remains of her distinguish
ed husband, and dispatched her answer II
the citizens of Richmond, Va, announcing
her selection of the former capital of th'
Confederacy IS the place. Her letter dis
cusses all the questions at issue, and give
her reasons for the selection of Richmond
1t is as follows
"To the Teterans and People of TIL
Southern States: After much anxious
thought have fually decided to give tt
Virginia tho care of my husbands morta
body, aud fesl tina: my reasons should b,
made public, as he was 10 many senses the
property Of the whole country. Inme
diately after the death of ex-President JEFF
ferson Davis Louisiana expressed her de
sire to keep his hallowed remains for all
time, but she claimed only the right tt
guard him until some permanent plact
could be selected for his rest. The military
organizations ofNsw Orleans bore him with
filial grief and splendid pageant to the toni
of the Army of Northern Virginia, where
they have guarded him by night and day
for eighteen months, and the gratitude OF
my children and myself is too great fol-
words. l asked year for consideration
and consultation with my family. Eigh
teen months have nearly expired, and fee
that the matter should be decided and eeI
at rest now.
mississippi claimed preference because
Mr.. Davis belonged to her by right of tho
seventy-nine years. residence within her
borders and the sixty years of service to the
Stale of his adoption, during which she
conferred upon him, unsolicited, every Of
fee in her gift save one. AS her citizen,
comrade in arms, congressional Represen.
tative, Senator, General-in. chief aad Pfesi.
dent, she felt hers to be the first claim.
Tennessee urged that in her State, af.
ter the war, he had found occupation, home
and troops of friends, and there his dead
had been buried.
alabama remembered that within her
borders he was elected President of the
Confederate States; there he had been in.
augurated; that Montgomery had been the
first capital, aud that from her lips had
issued the first general invitation to break
the silence which he had observed since
our defeat; that she had received him with
such enthusiasm as has been manifested to
conquerors, but was never before accorded
to disfranchised citizen, powerless 10 give
aid or confer favors.
Georgia claimed him and has constant.
ly renewed the request, because his father
had long been a citizen of the State. There
the OK President had received the same
royal welcome which Alabama had extend.
ed; and lastly, she pleaded her great love
for him as reason for granting the re-
quest.
Kentucky expressed her pride in being
the State of his birth and urged her claims.
Virginia asked for his honored remains
because the most strenuous efforts of his
life had bee1 made upon her soil and IN de-
tense of Richmond as the capital of the
Confederate States. At short intervals
throughout the last eighteen months she
has renewed her tender insistence that he
should rest among the heroic dead of all
the States who fell in defense of the Con.
federacy. She urged the fact that he did
not, in the fullness of his fame, belong ex.
clusiyely to any part of the country. Every
hillside about Richmond would tell of the
voiSAOuS AOSAouohOO WhlGn no luiLldLcC duu
directed with tireless vigilance as Chief
Magistrate; that there he received generous
and unwavering support in the darkest
hour of our unfortunate couutry's defeat
"All these claims have touched my neart
and commended together for the mastery. 1t
has been hard to give up the hope of dwell
ing near my husbands resting place in
Mississippi, where my home and interests
are, but, unfortunately. Beauvoir is on the
coast of the Mexican Gulf and on q PENN.
sula very lidtle over e mile wide, and the
half mile of shallow water in front, covered
with submerged stumps of large trees,
shows that the sea has been steadily en-.
croaching on the shore for many years. !
feel therefore that as the monument is for
all time, it would not be wise to place it
there, and I submit to the personal sacrifice
with The hopo that the States of the Con.
federacy will also relinquish their cherish.
ed plans for the sake Of gratifying the ma
jority of the veterans who have writer
countless letters to me from each of the be
fore mentioned States to urge Richmond al
the proper place for the grave of him who
loved them all and labored for their glory
with all his might during the heat ant
6urthen of the days granted to him here
Your countrywoman.
'VARINA JEFFERSON DAvIs.
'New York Hotel, July II, 1884,"