The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-07-09

thing but an experiment, from which
every State had the right peacoably to
withdraw. The Southern States only
exercised Il right which had often been
threatened by New England, and
which was generally conceded to be u
constitutional ono.
General Leo concluded Il glowing
eulOgium OF Jefferson Davis pure, pri-
vatc life, his exquisite courtesy and
gallantry as Il soldier, with the dcclara-
tion that his dominant characteristic
was his fidelity to principle. 1t was
we'll said Of him " He bent to none
but Cod" He came among us as u Nto-
man born out OF time, SO long rs he
felt he had done his duty conscientious
ly, as ho saw it, and he was never for
given. One after another his great
comrades entered the beyond until he
stood alone, but he never wavcrcd. He
passed from us u stern and ma jesti.
hgurc, broken but never bent. Cen
erat Ice quoted from II speech deliver
ed by Mr.. Davis in the senate in De-
cembcr, 1850, in which he declared that
the union was dear to him us Il union
OF fraternal states. He argued from
this that Mr.. Davis WAS opposed to
disunion, and that at tho conference
called by Governor Pettis Of Mississ-
| .Ir'3 ~ Wiz representatives LII con-
SreSs from that State in 1860, MIR. Davis
declared himself opposed to secession
Us long as the hope OF q peaceful rem
| edy remained.
\, AS q President, the speaker thought,
Mr' Davis may have made mistakes,
Hc was constitutional ruler, not q
reVolntlonary chief, but when the night
ol dcfeat was darkcning and tho dis
lil,'h9leo il snip OF the Confederacy was
| hnnnnfh G,>
at the helm to the last He rrferreG
TO the popular demo ,strations of ailec.
tiohs which always attended Mr. Davis
| appearance in public, and referred
with deep feeling to the occasion whom
MS remains were en- route to Rich
mond for final burial. No conouercr;s
march was ever half so triumphant
In the capitals through which it passed
his body layiln state, visited by thors
anus .anG everywhere along the way
the people, old and young, thronge1
and stood with uncovered heads dav
| and night along the railroads as the
| train rolled by, to testify their devo-
| tlon to the dead. 1t was spontaneous
| it was universal.
General Lees preoration was
magnificent tribute to Mr.. Davis AS the
typical southcrner.
As soldier, his brilliant and promis.
| ing career was cut short. He had no
| opportunity to develop the great quail
| lties OF Lee, the prince Of commanders
as statesman, he did not quite re ach,
perhaps the commanding statue of
Calhoun, to whose work ne succeeded.
AS an orator, he may have lacked the
lmpctuous fcfver OF lancy the splen-
did defamation Of Latn;,r-nc sur.
passed them all in hi> majestic
strength, the chastc beauty of his
thought, and his thrilling carncstness
l'ut Davis was greater tHan them ali
In that he combined thcrI all. He va,
an accomplished soldier a great states.
man, and Il consumate orator. He was
the typical SOuthcrncr Of his duy and
Of all time. Around him stood that
marvellous group-Lcc, the flower of
chlvai ry jackson, the genius OF war
loombs, the thundercr Of debate
benJani, the jurist: Campbell, the
Judge: Bicdsoe, the scholar Hunter,
the StatcSman--mcn fit to measure with
the knightiicst. Yet, from the van
tagc g:"und OF history his sublime
head lifts itself above them all.
1t is mete and lifting that the ashes
VI the great should rest in Nirginin's
soil. Round him sleep the mighty
ones who have gone bcforc-soldiers
who won American liberty: jurists
who gave it perpetual form: statesmen
who filled its llag with stars and made
it honorable throughout the world
Let Richmond be added to Mount Yer.
non, Monticello and Lexington. The
south has committed the Keeping OF
his ashes to the mother OF States and
statesmen. Let him sleep in Virginia,
where every river whispers Of COnfed-
crate herOism, and cvcry hill was
Grim Soucd with soid blood. Let
MIN rest in lticnin}Gaa, lis capital, the
Guy winch he walled around with the
breasts .! the bravsst Of the brave. |
HIS memory is safe with YOU. NOu
were faithful to the living, YOU will |
not forget the dead.
IN calmcr years, when the last en- |
Der OF sectional feeling has burned out,
and the last cord Of love has mcn,l,
bound the hearts Of all Americans IN.
gcther, fathers will bring their little
children to this spot and tell Of 4 uurr
great man, who suffered for his pcOnla
and for the right, as they understood
1T, and how for this they loved him q !:
they loved no other. Long as wonder
river shall roll its tide to the sea, il
shall behold no man more knightlv'
" He was very perfect gentle
knight" May the story of his life be
sweet IN days to come, and, at last. all
men come to understand Jefferson
Davis. own
The bancdiction closed the exercises,
ana vhc great and weary, but still en-.
thusiastic crowd began to leave Mon
roe park for places to Quench thirst, to
appeasc hunger and to obtain needed
rest.