The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-07-08

WCll Sdlu VI ulul. l16 UcuL W QOu6
but God" He came among us as
Roman born out of time. It was i'm
possible for him to ask pardon so long
as he felt he had done his duty con.
scientiously, as he saw it, and he was
never forgiven. One after another
his great comrades entered the beyond
until he stood alone, but he never
wavered. He passed from us stern
and majestic figure, broken but never
bent.
Gen. Lee quoted from a speech de.
livered by MIR. Davis in the Senate in
December, 1860, in which he declared
that the union was dear to him as
union of fraternal states. He argued
from this that Mr.. Davis was opposed
to disunion, and that at the conference
called by Governor Pettis of Mississ.
ippi, of the representatives in Congress
from that State in 1860, Mr.. Davis de.
clared himself opposed to secession as
long as the hope of peaceful remedy
remained.
As president, the speaker thought
Mr.. Davis may have made mistakes.
He was q constitutional ruler, not a
revolutionary chief, but when the
night of defeat was darkening and the
dismantled ship of the Confederacy
was sinking beneath the waters, he
stood at the helm to the last.
A TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION.
He referred to the popular demon
stration of affection which always at.
tended MIR. Davis appearance in pub
lie, and referred with deep feeling to
the occasion when his remains were
en- route to Richmond for final burial.
No conquerer's march was ever half
so triumphant. In the capitals through
which it passed, his body lay in state,
visited by Thousands, and every where
along the way hePeople, old and
young, thronged and stood with un-
covered head day and night along the
railroads as the train rolled by, to tes.
tify their devotion to the dead. 1t was
spontaneous; it was universal.
TYPICAL soUTHERNER.
General Lee peroration was mag
ni6cent tribute to Mr.. Davis as the
typical southerner.
''As a soldier, his brilliant and
promising career was cut short. He
hao no opportunity to develop tine
great qualities of Lee, the prince of
commanders. AS stateman, he
did not quite reach, perhaps, the
commanding staue OF Calhoun, to
whose work he succeeded. As an ora
tor, he may have lacked the impetu-
GUS ferver OF Yaucey, the splendid de-
claimation of Lamar-ne surpassed
them all in his majestic strength, the
chaste beauty of his thought, and his
thrilling earnestness. But Davis was
greater than them all in that he COM
bined them all. He was an accom-
plished soldier, great stateman, and
a consumate orator. He was the typi.
cal southerner of his day and of all
time.
Around him stood that marvellous
group-Lse, the fow wer of chivarlry;
Jackson, the genius of war; Toombs,
the thunderer of debate; Benjamin,
the jurist; Campbell, the judge; Bled-
SOC, the scholar; Hunter, the states
man-men fit to measure with the
knightliest. Yet, from the vantage
ground of history his sublime head
Lifts itself above them all.
IN vIRGINIA's SOIL.
1T is mete and fttiog that the
ashes of the great should rest in Vir.
ginia's soil Round him sleep the
mighty ones who have gone before
soldiers who won American liberty !;
jurists who gave it perpetual form
statesmen who filled its flag with stars
and made it honorable throughout
the world. Let Richmond be added
to Mount Vernon, Monticello and
Lexington. The south has committed
the keeping of his ashes to the mother
of States and statesmen. Lst him
sleep in Virginia, where every river
whispers of Confederate herolsm, and
and every hill was crimsoned with the
soldiers blood. Let him rest in Rich
mond, his capital, the city which ne
walled around with the breasts OF the
bravest of the brave. His memory ls
safe with you. You were faithful to
the living, you will not forget ne dead.
"In calmer years, when the Last
ember of sectional feeling has burned
out, and the last cord OF love has gent.
ly bound the hearts of all Americans
together, fathers will bring their little
children to this spot and tell OF a pure
great man, who suffered for his people
and for the right, as they under,
stood it, and how for this they
loved him as they loved nc
other. Long as yonder river shall roll
its tide to the sea, it shall behold no
man more knightly.
"He was q very perfect gentle
knight. May the story OF his life be
sweet in days to coma, and, at last all
men come to understand Jefferson
Davis.
The benediction closed the exercises
and the great and weary, but still en-
thusiastic crowd began to leave Mon
roe park for places to quence thirst, tc
appease hunger and to obtain needed
rest.
THE RETREAT BEGINS.
Tonight the city is resonant with
the sounds of departing camps and
their bands playing the airs of"Dlxie.
The serenade to Mrs. Jefferson Davis
at the Jefferson hotel by residents ano
visiting Marylanders, accompanied by
the band of the Fifth Maryland regi
ment, consisting of 40 pieces, was one
of the notable events of the night, ano
was attended by all the celebrities al
the reunion.
THE GOVERNORS RECEPTION.
Governor O'Farrell gave reception