The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-21
WHAT MIR. BURTON DID SAY.
Text of His Speech About jefferson Davi
at Wichita.

at WICHITA.
The speech of Mr.. Burton, which is,
causing the old soldiers to oppose him.
was delivered at Wichita Decoration Day,
May 80, 1898 and was printed in the
Wichita Eagle the following day from
the original manuscript furnished by Mr..
Burton. There is much interest aud cur
iosity in what Mr.. Burton really said.
According to the files of the Eagle, Mr..
Burton said:
The last rites are being paid to the re-
mains of jefferson Davis, the president
and the ablest OF the civic leaders of the
confederacy. 1t is perhaps too early yet
to Judge this man fairly and impartially
and give him his exact place in history.
And the same may be said of his great
opponent Abraham Lincoln. The one is
enshrined il the hearts of the people of
the north as the other Is in the hearts of
the people Of the south.
"Preiudice, that black stain on the
soul made by poison, has not
vet been effaced against Lincoln
in the south or against Davis in the
north. And 1 the son and the brother of
a veteran, who. as a child. on the border
of the conflict, witnessed SO much suffer
ing by his kindred and friends, have
come slowly to reorganize some of the
better traits of the leader of the south in
that bloody time, but justice compels me
! to say, and | believe the time has come
| for the great world to admit the courage,
the ability and the integrity of Jefferson
/ Davis.
! Born and reared in the southland,
| he was taught from his cradle, in
social life, by the press, from the stump,
/ and the pulpit, that the dogma of state
sovereignty was ri ght and that slavery
! was not only best for both races, but it
/ was esta blished and maintained at the
express mandate of God.
Though a man of fine education and
| great attachments, he read and thought
and 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 the union.
"The beginning of the war found him
at mature manhood and in possession of
the greatest honor that his adopted state
could confer on one of her citizens As
boy he had fought gallantly in the In
dian wars, and afterwards retired to d
life of contemplation and study In
obeying his country's call he later fou ght
| bravely in the far off fields of Mexico,
and with the blood streaming from his
body, refused to leave the battalions I'M
til the victorious shout told the battle
| haQ De9n Won AGAIN returning TO the
shades of private life, after having re-
fused great military honors that, by toe
severe Interpretation of the constitution
he could not accept, was chosen by his
state to the high position as legislator
in the American congress.
"But the supreme moment came to Da.
Wis az it 00mes to US all in various way:
and under different circumstances
Should he stand for the union, or should
he cast his lot in favor of secession.
Looking at him as we do today, knowing
his surroundings, his teachings, and higf
above these, the strength of his convic
tions of duty, can the issue be doubtful
As we'll might we have expected the frs
proclamation of the great Lincoln afte
his, inaugurationt to have been an acknowl
edgment of the right of South Carolina t.
secede as to have expected that the grea
Davis would favor the union. With al
the courage that could animate a grea
mind under trials as severe as coul,
come to any man, throughout the war b
did his Lest to maintain and support tn