Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-10-07
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
AN APPEAL TO oeoReIANs IN BEHALF
or THE MONUMENT FUND.
r, xyui Tower Under the Blue Skies Of Old
virginia-Every state In tho sonfh
win Heip-Georgia $4,000.
ATLANTA Constitution

soh DAVIS IN the city OF Richmond, va,
stould enlist the sympathy Of every true
southerner.
Lightly indeed will it emphasize that
| LOYALTY that was pledged by the South to
Mr.. DAVIS when he came to Atlanta few
years ago if she is now unable to muster
the enthusiasm that is needed to erect the
monument.
HIS LAST VISIT TO ATLANTA.
| Not more than five years have passed
SINCE the upturned faces OF 10000 people
| gaged lovingly into the eyes OK the old
| chieftain. Ii seemed that day as Il the
| heart Of the multitude was actually on
fire, and when that superb old cavalier,
| General Longstreet, appeared on the plat
] form with his battered sword dangling
| from his belt, the very air was uplIfted by
! the shout of the multitude as II rose from
| their midst and foated out to tbs. oaks
| that f1aunted ,hoir foliage over the battle
| field beyond the city.
II was during the month of May and rot
a cloud obscured the armament. The
| schools were deserted of their pupils and
| the children went out over the city to
rob tho fower-gardens and the green
| houses. They worked the blossoms thus
| gathered into garlands that seemed 10
pilfer their own fresh young beauty, and
running in advance OF the horses, they
| showered their tribute of childhood along
the path of the procession.
Mothers went around tho platform and
| fathers looked on in o mist of revery that
seemed to loose their souls in the past.
Suddenly the musical voice of Henry
Grady went out to the ear OF the multi
tude, and stirred the bosom OF the gath
| cred soldiery with feeling too deep for
plaudits. 1t glowed with the fervor OF the
MONDAY sun aud seemed TO catch Its
beauty from the calendar that hung its
| drapery upon the trees.
HENRY GBADY's WELCOME.
Mr.. Grady turned to Mr. Davis and said
1T is good sir. for you to be here.
Other leaders have had their triumphs.
conquerors have worn crowns, and honors
have been piled on the victors OF earth's
great battles. but never yet, sir, came man
TO more loving people. Never conqueror
wore prOuder diadem than the deafness
love that crowns your gray hairs to-day.
Never king inhabited more splendid palace
than the millions of brave hearts IN which
your dear name and fame are forever
enshrined. Speaking TO you, sir, as the
son of a Confederate soldier who sealed
his devotion with his lite-holdmg
kinship through his blood to you and
yours -standlng midway between the
thinning ranks of his old comrades whose
faltcrlng footsteps are turned towards the
grave, and the new generation thronglng
eagerly 10 take the work that falls un-
finished from their hands-hcre is the
ausplcIous present across which the his
toric past salutes a glorious future;
let me pledge YOU that the love We
bear you shall be transmitted to our chill
dren and our children's children, and that
generations yet unborn shall III this far
land hold your memory sacred and point
with pride to your lofty and stainless life.
Ny countrymen (turning 10 the. crowd,
let us teach the lesson III this old mans
lite that defeat hath Its glory. Let Va de-
clare that this outcast from the privileges
OF this great government Is the uucrowued
king of your people, and that no southern
man, high or humble. desires a greater
glory than to bear with hun heart to
heart the blame and the burden OF the
cause for which he stands unpardoned.
Ia dignity and honor he met the respon-
sibiity Of our common cause. In obscu-
rtv and poverty he has borne for twenty
years the reproach of our enemies and tho
obloquy of defeat. This movement finds
it's richest reward IN the fact that we can
light with sunshine the end OF path
which has long been dark and dreary.
Georglans, eountrymen, soldiers, and sons
of soldiers and brave women, the light
rise up and give your hearts voice, a. We
tell Jefferson Davis that he Is at home
among his people,
That welcome was pearl of oratory, and
when the last sentences ran out from the
lips of the eloquent speaker the crowd rose
up like "a trained army at the cry OF their
captain. The tuInult gathered like thun-
der. and the shout of mingled voices was
like the roar of ocean-biliows. But IN
waves OF Lake Genessaret that slept IN ST.
lence when the storm was chastened. the
voice of the "old man eloquent" swept
over the crowd and their ears were imme-
diately couched into listening.
THE OLD MAN RETURNS HOME.
But the day with its fever and excite
ment closed, although the sun seemed
reluctant to touch the horizon and to
quiet the supremacy of q day SO undis-
puted by clouds and so rich in its reye-
lations. The night. however, with its re-
turn of stars drew up as the day expired,
aud the moon, like a silver bow. displayed
its crescent in the west. A loyelier night
never followed the skirts of fairer day,
and men a. they walked the streets in the
gathering twilight remarked TO each other,
" Was the sky ever more beautiful! :"
When the sun arose the following day
there was n cloud IN the east rs Mr.. Davis
drew out from the car-shed, aud, waited by
the love and the signs Of his people, went
back to his home IN Mississippi.
Flowers were thrown in the path of the
engine wherever It paused and hundreds
rushed out from the heart OF the country
TO shower their roses about the feet of the
old veteran and to emphasize the assur-
ance of their lips that Mr. Davis was still
the executive of loves republic and the
commandments of their affections.
DEATH OF Mr.. DAVIS.
But the old man died-full OF years and
honors-died in the month of December,
when the SHOWS that mantled the hillsldes
cried out the purity of the life that had
closed, and spoke of the new, unsullied
youth upon which he had entered.
Nh. GRADY SOON FOLLOWS.
Not many days thereafter another spirit,
after breathing the message OF love, as
sumed the wings of an angel aud swept
beyond the glow of the sunset. Thus the
welcome anu the welcomer of that great
day met each other in the beautiful Christ
mastlde to gather the morning-glories of
Paradise and 10 celebrate the birthday of
the Prince of Peace.
ARE THEY FORGOTTEN
Atlanta has not forgotten the sunny face
OF Henry Grady nor the wintry locks of
Mr.. DAVIS.
When the old chieftain lay shrouded in
New Orleans each State in the South die.
puted the right 10 treasure his dust, and
even before his ashes were laid away in
their tomb they warred in unseemly strife
over his body. 1t was only the afectionate
show, however, that was made by those
States TO prove which one of them loved
him best; for there was not a State in the
South that would not gladly-nay, even
fondlY-have opened her bosom and given
the old man sepulchre in her heart
Scarcely three summers have now trailed
their blossoms over his tomb and gilded
with their beautiful sunshine the marble
sleep OF the old nero and yet the question
IS asked. implying a doubt. will the South
build him a monument?
1T WILL BE ERECTED.
Build him monument That she will.
and If love could be the architect and was
as imperial as affectionate, it would rise
to sculpture of pure gold and would soar
beyond the flight of the eagle.
She will build it if her women have to
immediate their jewels and her children
tIudge barcfooted TO school in the heart