Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-03
BE BECAEE OUR PaOMETHEUS.
"ChaInsd 10 The Rock With The Yul-
lures GDayiHs at His YitalS."
WAY SOUTHERN PEOPLE LOVE HIM
His LAST Years Devoted TO the VIM
dication OF Their Cause and the
DeatbIess story of Their Achieve
meafs-Public Services Reviewed.

the corner stone % the jefferson Davis
monument was the master effort OF
great mind Tho occasion. the theme,
and the speaker were In harmonious
touch, and the glowing uibute paid to the
life ana character Of the Confederacys
lamented chief,ain vas one In which the
people OF the South heartily unite. Many
thousands were assembled to attend the
imposing ceremOnies, and hear the ear
nest and eloquent words of General Lee;
and much larger army Will read with
tender interest what he said. The ora
ton was brief for such an occasion, and
the orator spoke with his characteristic
oarnestness and force.
General Lee said:
We are here to-day 10 honor the memory
of Jefferson Davis: TO lay tho corner
stone O. o monument 10 one who needs
no monument in our generation, beyond
that In the hearts Of his countrymen
But wo think IT due 10 erect one. that
posterity may know the reverence felt
for the great leader Of cause That failed
IL Is fitting that ne should rest here
IN Vlrgnia--that greatest of ali States.
the battle SCARED producer of warriors
and sgatesmen-fittng that he should
rest here among her immortals. But for
her generosity IN ceding her vast terri
tory 10 the Union kentucky would have
stu been hers. and he would have been
born her son. Many presidents, states
men. soldiers lies in Virginia soil-from
Washington 10 the present time-none
greater than Davis, but more fortunate.
A GLANCE BACKWARD.
Lot US gence backward. Thirty-one
years ago. or the soil OF this very Com
monwealth. the man 10 whom we erect
this n onulnent lay manGcled in a case
ment OF a strongly gargisoned fortress.
Charged with tho most a,rocious crimes
known to man-treason and murder He
had teen the ananimous.y-chosen leader
OF true people, who. actuated By Il
pure arc lofty patrictis'l. after exhaust
ing every effort at compromise, made an
attempt 60 establish new nation. and
after a bitter struggle % four years, after
nearly four million soldiers had met in
the shocs battle. and over two thousand
bat.le-feds had blaz with glorious
deeds vent down IN GaTtr ess and blood.
Success IS the measure Of merit applied
alike to every man. 10 every cause; and
even In our moral judgments we sentence
the unfortunate. Men IL not Idly erect
monuments to lost causes. Fame has no
trumpet for failure. The world hears not
the voice Of tie vanQuished. Yet history
might teach US strange things of men
who fail and causes that are lost. Go.
MUS di1 not keep Hannibal or Napoleon
from defeat; hero'sm went with Joan Of
Arc TO the stake. and Emmett to the
scaffold The eicguence of Demostheues
did not save Greece, or CatO's virtue
Rome. The courage Of Koseiusko awaited
naught for Poland. and Hungary went
down Tor ell the Patriotism OF Kossuth
Sor0eii aa defeat gives a tragic pathos
which lifts the commonplace into The I'M
mortal, and tenoer.y preserves the
memsry Of the vsnQuished long after the
victor has been forgotten.
Since the death Of Napoleon there has
be- no career which illustrates so dra-
naticaily the viclssitudes Of fortune as
that OF Jei erson Davis Born amid the
rugged surroundings Of frontier state,
he lived TO win the triple glory Of the
soldier, the crater. and the statesman.
he became the ruler of 1900 900 OF people.
His government was overwhelmed his
fortune swept away. fe was bound as a
criminal erd prosecuted for his lie. Flo
became en- exile. He was denied tho
rights OF citizenship. lie was DETAINED,
denounced insulted. ridiculed 10 the hour
Of ME death. and yet lie died by millions
more sincerely mourned and deeply be-
loved than any other man in the history
OF the nation II his enemies had sue
ceeded In putting him to death h. would
have been the most conspicuous figure in
American history.
SEQ HIM as HE is.
have passed away the calm light %
justice gives the right niche TO each
figure in history. The descendants OF tie
men who burned Joan Of ARC now regard
her as a character of heroism and beauty
The posterity Of the men who hanged
witches Ia Salem as pious duty uow
lesr the story with horror. The de
scendants Of the men who to-day look on
Jefferson Davis with unknd expressions
viii see him as we do-the stainless gen
tiemsn, tie gallant soldier. the devoted
patriot. the pure and gifted statesman.
do not propose 20 discuss now the UNI
happy causes ie9diUg 10 the war be
tween tho STATES 10 Is still too soon
eliminating and recrimiua;lng over irrt
tating causes Of d.IcrcnCe cannot read
Just what the war has settled. We mus
wait for the mists 10 clear away, anC
that viii take another generation. u
does no good 10 recall our Wtylgs, rea
or iancieO. Il keeps UP partisan feeling
4 siSes an excuse FOR ill-WlA. Others hav
eably treated the southern view OF thu
controversy; their argument Is submitted
tc impartial history. Suffice II to say, OF
th.s occasion that the war has SETTLED
that scce ssion Is impracticsble. and tn,
amendments 10 the Constitution have I'D
.gsted ali other differences. Tbs southern
81 ~,
tfey accept the present. Grd Loyalty com
rait themselves 10 the future. Ncithe
ahali l attempt 10 recount his life, 10
J. - part of history. The record i
made no. II we protect Il from falsifca
ton While we live. the verdict OF histor.
viii not shame our posterity when w
ese oCad. To-day VIC meet. and tn
past and present join hands. Loolxinj
around me, viewing the faces OF the fai
women and brave Tcen before me,
realize that the past 10 behind me-tha
this is the living present. ! feel the In
fiuence Of the new hopes Of the nev
generation 20 which you belong Ou
task Is 70 commit into your hands wha
our lniling hands cannot much longe
hold the sacred rights for which you
fathers sacrificed their lives. their pro
perry. everything; these liberties and IN
land which Was 30 dear to them we com
nit to YOU ! viii only say you canno
excel your fathers. Reverence then
simulate tnsm. May you be worthy Q
them
II Is hard 20 believe that the America
people will always desire 10 have III
epithets OF traitor and rebel applied
names which are now and unless huma
nature changes always will be. dear an
honofNd III the hearts OF large part {
their number honor6d by men WHO mad
duty a rsssion. a religion. dear TO IN