The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-07-16

81 have been near him in his public
duties; have seen linn by his private
fireside; l have witnessed his humble
devotiens, and l challenge the judg-
ment of history when say no people
were ever led through the fiery struggle
for liberty by nobler, truer, patriot,
while the carnage of war and the trials
Of public life never revealed purer.
or more beautiful Christian character. -
Jefferson Davis stood the test of true
greatness; he was the greatest to those
who knew him best. One Of the
marked traits of Mr.. Davis private
life was his exquisite courtesy. He
was one Of the most approachable OF
men. as polite and atfable to the
humblest as to the most exalted. In
his old age in Raleigh, n. c., he eX-
cused himself to all callers, in order to
receive the visit of his former slave.
1t is characteristic of the man that he
closed his farewell address to the Sen
ate by apologizing for any pain which
in the heat of discussion he might have
inflicted. His last words on earth
lCdSC CACuSC llC. CuSt
gentleness usually mark man ofcour-
age. On memorable occasion he Ut
tered the characters tic maxim, 'Never
be naughty to the humble, nor humble
to haughty.''
We remember how at Buena Vista
although painfully wounded he refused
TO quit his saddle until the victory, SC
largely due to his own heroism, was
won; how in the battles around Rich.
mond, A. z. Hill, that gallant ano
spotless soldier, twice ordered General
Lee and President Davis to the rear
Mr.. Davis was utterly without fear for
himself. Notwithstanding the attempt
made on his life at Richmond, he never
had an escort. But | must correct my
self, for on one occasion an unknown
Confederate boy soldier followed the
President alone, from the lines around
Richmond to the city, to watch over
his safety, and to die, if need be, for
his sake. This youth but gave express
sion to the heart of the South at that
moment.
HIS FIDELITY TO PRINCIPLE.
The dominant characteristic Of Mr.
Davis was his fidelity to principle. Il
was we'll said Of him, "He bent to none
but God" He came among us ;
Roman born out of time. 1t was i'm
possible for him to ask pardon, so Ions
as he felt he had done his duty, consci
entiously as he saw it, and he was
never forgiven. One after another
his great comrades entered the BE
yond, until he stood alone but he
never wavered. He passed from us ;
stern and majestic figure, broken bu
never bent.
ssIn official life,' said Senator Rea
gan his Postmaster General, she knew
no word but duty A young mar
and ambitious soldier, he refus ed Pres
ident Polk's offer Of a brigadicr gen
eralship because he thought the ap
pointment exceeded the President's
constitutional power. - He answered
thus the solicitations of friends to
send force ofmen to protect his pau
tation and property in danger eff seizure
sThe President of the Confederac,
cannot afford to use public means tt
protect his private INTERESTS
His aide, Governor Lubbock, o
Texas, said of him, ''From the day
took service with him, to the yer,
moment we separated, subsequent t.
our capture, | witnessed his unselfish
ness. He. forgot himself, and displayed
more self-abnegation than any othe
human being 1 have ever KNOWN On
of the strongest traits of his characte
was his aversion to receive gifts. HI
declined the beautiful home offered hin
by the people of this generous city
Over and over again he refused gifts o
money even in his greatest extremi
ties. Mr.. Davis tenderness of heart wa
noticeable. On one occasion a DOM
mander of the United States forces il
Missouri took nine Confederate pris
oners and hung them in infamous dis
regard of the laws of war. The peopl
clamored loudly for retaliation in kind
and it was proposed i'll the very Cabine
that an equal number of prisoners Q
war, then in Libby Prison. should b
taken out and hanged. II have no
the heart,' replied the man atterward
accused of cruelty to prisoners, "to tax
these innocent soldiers, taken in hon
orable warfare. and hang them lik
convicted criminals.'' His attorney
general said of him: Il do not thin
| am a very cruel man. but l declare
to YOU that it was the most Difficult
thing in the world to keep Mr.. Davl
up to the measure of justice. II
wanted to pardon everybody. If eve
a wife or a mother or Il sister got int
his presence it took but little Will
for their tears to wash out the rec
ord.''
1t is not necessary at this day, tax
it, to defend Mr.. Davis from the charG
of cruelty to prisoners any more tina
from the picturesque calumny OF steal
inc Confederate gold. or even tha
slowly expiring libel that to escap
capture he digulsed himself as a woman
The man who could not bear to punis
the guilty, never tortured the innocent
the man who refused private gift
never soied his hands with publ
money: and the President of the Con
federacy was never ridiculous. Th
mortality among Confederate te prisoner
of war in the North was over 3 pc
cent. greater than that Of Union pri:
oners in the South. The mortuar
tables, thus exhibiting large pc
cent. in favor Of Confederate human
ity'' Those who will read the sad hi
tory of the prisoners of war, not on on
side, but on both, and examine til
ceaseless, almost humiliatlng efforts
the Confederate Government to e,
exchange prisoners, or secure allevi;
tions of their condition. and read Ger
Grants frank admission of the reaso
for not exchanging, will have no u,
kind words left for Mr.. Davis. He W;
fortunate in having the charge raise
against MIN at the time when his Ell
mics could put him on trial for it. \
human character was ever subiectt
TO more searching Investigations tha
| Uos his life at the time of ;mpriS N