The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-03

|
the people OF the South was resoluteiyl
opposed TO tho prctensions OF the seoer"
Government as administered by the re
publican party.
Tho United skates Government had no
r,ch, 10 invade with armies those states
which had peacefully. indubitaoly' ana
overwhelmingly Withdrawn from the'r
piaccs I'm the antecedent Union.
This point will never be surrendered by
the South.
In the grafton OF General stephen -
Lee there are some references TO fresi-
dcnt Davis which deserve special notice.
The speech throughout was pitcned on
n high plane. and there is much In 1t
which must crafty every loyal Virginian
and Intensity his devotion 10 his state
devotion which is incomprehensihle to
tho citizens OF Northern and Western
States.
He said Of Mr. Davis:
Men do not idly erect monuments TO lost
causes. Fame has no trumpet for failure.
The world hears not the voice OF lhe
vanquishod. Yet history might teach Us
strange things Of men who fail ana causes
that are lost. Genius did not keep Hannl-
bal or Napoleon from defeat; herolSh
went with Joan 81 Arc TO the stake an
Emmett TO the scanold. The eloquence OF
pemosthcnos did not save Greece nor
Cato's virtue Rome. The couroFe OF Aos-
ciusko awaited naucht sor Poland ana
Hungary went down for all the PATRIOTISM
OF Kosstth.
He became the ruler Of seven millions OF
people. His government was over
whclmed. his fortune swept away bouhu
as a criminal, and was prosecuted for his
life: he became az exile; he was denied
the rights Of either ship; he vas DETAINED,
denounced. insultcd, ridiculod. TO the hour
OF his death. and yet he lied by millions
more sincerely mot ned and deeply De
loved than any other man in he history OF
the nation II his enemies had succeeded
I'm uniting him to death. he would have
been tho most conspicuous figure In
American history.
I canno1 hold him wise who would Will
ingly wound the patriotism OF any cltzeh
OF the republic. 10 brand such men as
Albert sydney Johnston. StoncWal JACK
son Robert f. Lee, or jefferson Davis
MS traitors IS not to stain the whiteness
OF their lives. but rather to spoil the word
a title which Hampden or Washington
might have borne as well had the for
tunes OF war gone against them.
Quoting from those who knew President
Davis. ha said:
standing here by his open grave. and
in all probability not far from my own
said George Davis. Of North Carolina,
Attorney General OF the COnfederacy, Il
declare TO you that he was the most nom
est, truest. gcntlest, tenderest. manifest
man l ever knew" Il knew JEFFERSON
Davis as knew few men," said Ben Hi.
Goorgia's great senator IL have been
near him IN his pubic duties; nave seen
him oy his private nreside; have wit
messed his humble devotions. and / chal-
lcnge the Judgment Of history when ! say
no people were ever led through the fiery
struggle for liberty 10y q nObler, truer
patriot. while the carnage OF war and the
trials Of public life never revealed
purer or more beautiful Christian charac-
ter"
Mr.. Davis was opposed 10 disunion, and
did his utmost to prevent the step At
tho conference called by Governor Pettus,
Of Mississippi. of the representatives IN
Congress from that State in 1850. -dr.
Davis decli red himself opposed to socos-
sion as long as the hope OF a peaceful
remedy remained.
on December 10 1850. Mr.. Davis spoke
these words I'm the Senate: "Tnis Union
IS dear 10 me as a Union IF fraterndl
States II would ltse its value II l had
10 regard Fl as n UTion held together by
physical force / would be happy 20 know
that every state felt the fraternity which
made tlis Union possible; and If that evil
dence could 20 out, II evidence satsiac-
tory TO the people Of the South could be
given that the feeling existed IN the
hearts Of the northern people, you might
burn your statute books. and We would
cling 20 the Union still" TO the very
hour that Mississippi seeded. and after
It, he was pleading for union without dis
honor. When Mississippi seeded be re-
sign4d his seat I'm the Senate. and went
to his State and cast his lot with his
people.
The funeral Of that generous soldier
General Grant, cost. ! am told, more than
$4,000. The even more impressive fu-
neral Of Mr. Davis cost nothing-all bills
came IN receiptcd IT was the spontaneous
outpouring OF q peoples love. The pe0-
pie Of the South may not be rich in mate
rial things, but they are not poor in their
hearts.
1t is meet and fitting that the ashes
OF the great should rest In Nir-
ginias soil. Round him sleep the mighty
ones who have gone before-sOldiers who
won American liberty. jurists who gave
10 perpetual form; statesmen who filed
fits flag with stars and made II honorable
throughout tho world. Let Richmond be
added 10 Mount Vernon. Monticello, and
Lexington. The South has committed the
keeping OF his ashes 10 the mother Of
States and Statesmen. Let him sleep On
Virginia. whore every river whispers Of
Confederate heroism and every hill was
crimsoned with the soldiers blood Let
him rest IA Richmond. his capital, the
city which he walled about with the
breasts OF the bravest Of the brave. His
memory IS safe with you. You We're
faithful 10 the living. you Will not forget
the dead.
Virginia win never forget those great
men or the imperishable principles for
which all lived and thousands died.