Evening star., 1896-07-03

of men who fail and causes that are lost.
Genius did not keep Hannibal OF Napoleon
from defeat; heroisln went with Joan Of
Arc to the stake and Enmet to the sraf-
fo!d. The eloquence of Demost henes did
not sayr Greece. or rato's virtue. Rome.
The courage of hoSciuskO aVail,i naught
for Poland, ard Hungary went down for all
the PATRIOTISM OF kpSsnth. Sometimes de-
feat gives a tragic pathos which lifts the
commonplace into the Immortal and ten
derly preserves the memory of the van
quished long after the victor has been for
gotten"
He followed with review of Davis ca
leer and the issues which brought about
secession, and continued:
Il cannot hold him wise who would will
ingly wound the patriotism of any citizen
of the republic. To brand such men as Al
bert Sidney Johnston. Stonewall Jac ksan,
Robert +. Lee, or jefferson Davis as trail
tors is not to stain the whitcress of their
lives. but rather to spoil the word for any
useful purpose to make OF traitors a title
which Hampton or Washington might have
horne as well had the fortunes of war gone
against them.
THE future historian Will note with as
tonishment that the southern struggle for
independence began not with committees
of public safety. with declarations of the
rights OF men or elunciation of the mighty
doctrine that governments derive their lust
powers from the consent of the governed
but it began with public statutes. general
elections and constitutional conventions
Mr.. Davis himself rested in his inaugural
the case Of the new nation at the bar of the
public opinion of the world. not upon revo-
Iutionary. but upon legal right
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 ap-
proachable OF men, as polite and affa bile 10
the humblest to the most exalted In
his Old age. in Raleigh, y G., he excused
himself TO all callers, in order TO receive
the visit of his former slave. IL is charac-
teriStic OF the man, that he closed his fare
well address to the Senate by apologiZing
for any pain which in the heat OF discussion
he might have inflicted. His last words OH
earth were, please excuse me- Such gem
f.tness usually marks a man of great cour-
age. On memorable occa sion he uttered
the characteristic maxim. Never be hsugh-
ty 10 the humble, nor humble 10 the haugh-
ty.'
Mr.. Davis was opposed to disunion, and
did his utmost to prevent the step. At the
conference called by Governor Pettus of
mississippi of the Representatives of Con-
giess from the state in 1864 Mr. Davis de-
Clared himself opposed TO secession as long
as the hope of peaceful remedy remained
THE record of southern valor and man
hood. where people fought SO long against
such odds and resources. displayed such
fortitude and endured such saclifires. will
he a bright page in American history: and
will show what the Anglo-Saxon race can
and will do under a republican form of
principle.
As president Mr.. Davis may have made
mistakes. He was constitutional ruler
not revolutionary chief. He could not
work miracles. There is some, hing indie
scrfbably pathetic I'm the sight when a
brave and gallant people stake everything
upon the cast of battle, fight their armies
to exhaustion and almost TO anninlation
in defending their homes and firesides
against invading enemies. and at last are
overpowered and overwhelmed, and behold
everything that they love go down.
Il behold before HE here today the white
heads OF confederate veterans of the man
who thrty-one years ago lost all save
honor. They are falling now swifter than
ever their comrades fell on the field of bat
tie. They have lived, thank God, To restore
their country to freedom and prosperity
agan-d-ar land. for which they fought
and sacrificed and suffered and lost. They
v no are about to die. salute you.
In calmer years. when the last ember of
sectional feeling has burned ont and the
hearts of all Americans together. fathers
will bring their little children to this spot
and tell them the story of a pure. great
man. who suffered for his people and for
the right as they understood il. and now
for this they loved him they loved no
other Long as yorder noble river shall
roll its tide to the sea ii shall behold no
man more kingly. He was a very perfect,
gentle knight May the story OF his III" ba
sweet in days to come. ami. at last all men
come to understand jefferson Davis"
The benediction closed the exercises.
Though the dedication of the corner
stone closed the reunion, there we're sn,:la
minor exercises last night, including a
lecture by General RosSer.