The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-07-03

hau an escort. But L must correct my
self, for on one occasion an unknown
Confederate bay solder followed the
president alone. from the lines around
richmond 10 the city. to watch over his
saIety. and 10 die, IL need be, for his
sake. TEES youth but gave expression
to the heart of the South at that mo-
ment
HIS FIDELITY TO PRINCIPLE.
The dominant characteristics of MIR.
Davis was his fidelity to principle. 1t
was we'll said of him, HE bent to none
but God" He came among us Roman
porn out of Tune. 1t was impossible for
MN to ask pardon. so long as he felt he
nad dono his duty, conscleE,tiously as he
saw 1t. and he was never forgiven.
One after another his great comrades
entered the Beyond. until he stood aone.
oU' lie never wavered. He passed from
us stern and majestic figure, broken
but never bent.
I'm official Efe," said Senator Reagan.
MS postmaster General "he knew no
word out duty A young man and am
pitious soio:er, he refused President
toik offer of brgadisr generalsh.p,
because he thought the appointment ex-
ceeoed the Presidents constitutional
power. lie answered thus the solicita-
tons OF friends to send q force of men
10 protect his plantation and properly
IN danger of seizure: THE President of
terests."
ais alue, Governor Lubbock of Texas.
SAID of him, From the day | took SER
vice with him, to the very moment we
separated. subsequent to our captI,re I
witnessed his unselfishness. He forgoi
hlHnseii, and displayed more self bne-
gation than any other human being |
nave ever known" One of the strongest
traits of his charact was his aversion
In ~,
tliui home offered him by the people
or this generous city. over and over
again he refused to receive gifts of
money even in his greatest extremlties.
Mr.. Davis tenderness of heart was
noticeable. On one occasion i COM
mander of the United States forces I'm
Missouri took nine Confederate pris-
oners and hung them in infamous dis
regard of the laws of war. The people
ciamored loudly for retaliation in kind.
and IL was proposed in the very Cabinet
that an equal number of prisoners of
war, then in Libby Prison. should be
taken out and hanged II have not
the heart" replied the man afterwards
accused of cruelty To prisoners, Ito take
these innocent soldiers. taken in hon
CRADLE warfare. and hang them like
convicted criminals His attorney
general said of him: II do not think |
am u very cruel man, but 1 declare to
you that IL was the most difficult thing
in the world to keep Mr., Davis up 10
the measure of justice. He wanted to
pardon everybody. If ever a wife or a
mother or a sister got into his presence
ii took but q little while for their tears
to wash out the record"
1t is not necessary at this day / take
it, to defend Mr.. Davis from the charge
of cruelty to prisoners any more than
from the picturesque calumny of steal
ing Confederate gold, or even that
slowly expiring libel that to escape cap
ture he disguised himself as a woman
"A M hn nj tn t-l
the guilty never tortured the innocent;
the man who refused private gifts never
soiled his hands with public money; and
the. President of the Confederacy was
never ridiculous. The mortality among
Confederate prisoners of war in the
North was over 3 per cent. greater than
that of Union prisoners In the South.
THE mortuary tables, thus exhibiting
large percent in favor of Confcde-
rate humanity" Those who will read
the sad history of the prisoners Of var
not on one side, but on both, and eX-
anime the ceaSeless, almost hun,iliating
efforts of tie Confederate Government
to exchange prisoners. or. secure ale
ViationS of their condition, and read
General Grants frank admission of the
reason for not exchanging. will have no
unkind words left for Mr.. Davis. He
was fortunate in having the charge
raised against him at the time when
his enemies could put him on trial for
It. No human character was ever sub
jected to more searching Investigations
than was his life at the time of his i'm
prisonment. The fierce light that beat
upon the life of Jefferson Davis reveal
ed no blot or blemish. but. instead, dis
played the image of its white purity
upon the screen of the ages.
HIS PUBLIC SERVICES.
We love and honor Mr. Davis for his
eminent public services. He came from
a stock distinguished for its patriotism.
His father and uncles fought through
the Revolutionary War Three of his
brothers were in the war of 1872. AS a
oade.; at West Poirrt he entered the ger
vice of his country, and for twelve years
he bore its arms lie rendered con-
spcuous service in the Black Hawk
war against the Indians. Ia the Next
can war his gallantry at the storming
while at Buena Vista, the most brilliant
victory ever won by United States
| troops on foreign SOIL he is generally
belived to have saved ;he day.
We love and respect him, for he truly
represented us in his political life. He
became Il member of Congress in 1915,
resigning the next year to serve in
Mexico. Upon his return from the war
he became a United States Senator. He
was eight years a member of the Senate.
during the most brilliant epoch of it's
history, where he sustained himself as
an equal in debate with the most Illus
trious statesmen in Americans history.
He held his own with Chase and Doug
fnlN.,