Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-06-08
G. Q. STERL e. CO
Burton's Laudation of JEFF. Davis.

Burton's Laudation Of JEFF. Davis.
The eulogy pronounced upon the
president of the socslled southern
confederacy" by Hon. j. X. Burton at
Wichita last Tuesday, is the subject OF
much comment. Among other things.
he said:
Prejudice, that black stain on the
soul, made BY passion, has nOt yet
been effaced against Lincoln in the
south, nor against Davis In the north.
And |, the son aud brother of a
veteran, who as IA child ON the border
of the conflict witnessed 80 much sut-
fering by his kindred and friends,
nave come TO slowly recognize some
thing OF tie better traits OF the leader
Of the south In that bloody time, but
justice compels me to say that be
heye the time has come for the great
world TO admit the courage, the ability,
and the integrity OF Jefferson Davis.
A man of line education and great
attainments, he read aud thought aud
interpreted the constitution after the
fashion of his great teacher, Calhoun,
and holding fast TO the Bible and the
Christian faith, he AS firmly believed
in the doctrine Of secession as Lincoln
did in the idea of union. While
| believing as | do that had the south
succeeded, the greatest harm had come
| to liberty and 10 the cause Of humanity,
that the grand destiny awaiting this
people could never have been theirs
that tho south was wrong, externally
wrong, and that the north was right,
everlastingly right, still an firmly
believe that not only was the rauk aud
die Of the southern soldiery honest and
sincere In u cir advocacy of rebellion.
but that their great leaders were i'm
bued by lofty patriotism and among
| them all there was no more sincere
and conscientious man than Jefferson
Davis.
The views expressed by Mr., Burton,
while somewhat unexpected from such
u source, are not essentially different
from the apologies which secessionisti
and their sympathizers have advanced
for the past thirty years. 1t has Away
been the aim of those who seeded Il
make 1t appear that they were just al
sincere and patriotic In their efforts Il
destroy the government as were TN
loyal people in their effort to preserv
the Union. That the masses of tn
southern soldieTy were sincere in thei
devotion to the south, we do not ques
ton, but we are not ready to conced
any sNlcere devotion to the interests O
humanity or of good government I
those who led the south into rebellion
Their motives were purely selfish. An
no one of them deserves the execra
: tons of mankind In a greater dtgTe
that arch traitor Of all-JetIersO
Davis.
Mr.. Burton says that "the time la
r come for the great world to admit III
4 courage, the ability and tho sincerity {
{ jefferson Davis" We may admit thu
he possessed courage, and some abilit.
tut that he possessed political integril
" we emphatiually take issue with Nj
70 Burton. II jefferson Davis WAS ma
10 OF line education and great affair
ments,n as represented by MIR. Burto
" then is 1t all the more likely that evel
10 political move no made was the resu
u Of calm, deliberate preparation, al
u not the result of error Of judgment,
" Of mOmentary passion. lie was
; traitor 10 lis country fr m choice.
a education. he should have been
~ patriot, For twenty years prior to Il
~ war, the political integrity of Jelfers,
Davis and the southern leaders, co
IN sisted In teaching tie Infamous d,
II trines Of secession and rebellion Al
nj preparing the way to lead tho comm
IA people of one section Of the count
10 into hloodshed, war, destruction al
a misery, In order to establish slaN
a holders oligarchy on one section
va American soil.
m Elected to the United States sena
be from Mississippi, he stood up Def,
to Almighty God, aud with treason in
ct heart, and perjury on his lips, he tn
TO an oath to support the governmt
,ir which he meant to overthrow. Cool
IL calmly and premeditatedly he went
49, work to violate that solemn oath.
m. connection with the other south'
ye Hotspurs he began the careful prepa
NJ ton for the overthrow of this land
lie freedom. The armies were 80 lOcaI
that they could not DO made ayaila