Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1897-11-18
MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
BY R. N. swEARINGEN, NJ. D.

| Delivered in the House of Repre-
sentatives, Austin. Texas, Deem bel
18th, 1889, upon the announcement o.
the death of Hon. Jefferson Davis.
Govepnor Ross then introduced Doe.
tor r. NJ. Swearingen, who spoke as
follows:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle,
men:-The unsuccessful leaders Of
great revolutions loom up along the
shores of time as do lighthouses up
OH stormy coasts, all OF them brilliant
and shining altar off like starsI But
| few of these men have left behind
them substantial evidence of their
greatness, or monuments of their
works. Their names are not often
wreathed in marble flowers that
glIsten upon splendid mausoleums
Tradition tells no story of loving
hands having planted above them the
myrtle and the rose, and of manly
| eyes paying to their memories the
tribute of tears. History can now
write another chapter. Last Friday,
when the wires flashed the news to
the uttermost borders of civilization
that the eX-president of the Confeder.
ate States was dead, a wave of sorrow
swept over the fairest portion of the
earth. The soldiers of the dead Con-
/ federacy were bowed down in grief,
and men and women from the Poto-
| mae to the Rio Grande talked in low,
tremulous tones of their old chief,
and the glorious record he had made
This occasion Will not permit of
even brief review of his illustrious
life, nor an analysis of the "why" he
formed new republic, nor the "hown
! that young republic, after colossal
struggle, went down beneath the
tread of million men.
Jefferson Davis was the ideal South
erner-the highest type of Amerit an
manhood.
For four consecutive years he was
the central figure in the stormiest era
of the worlds history. Around him
gathered the hopes of a nation, and
upon his shoulders rested her desti-
MES. AT his word leglons sprang to
arms, and his name was shouted by
dying lips upon every field of battle.
Nearly quarter of century has
passed since the last shell exploded
over the contending armies. Green
forests have grown up in the rifle pits
and in the trenches. An universal
charity has thrown white mantle of
forgiveness over the men who fought
beneath the stars and stripes, and
over that gallant few who followed to
the death the waning fortunes of that
"bonnie blue flag" we loved so well.
Through all these years the dark
robed reaper has been busy at his
work striking with impartial hand
the fearless hearts that formed the
lines and the lofty plumes that led
the van.
Lincoln, Grant, Sheridan, Thomas,
Albert Sidney Johnson. Lee, Jackson
and Bragg have long since crossed TO
the other shore; and to-day the mar
tial form of Jefferson Davis, clothed
in uniform of gray, is consigned to
mother earth.
Death never gathered to her cold
embrace a purer christian; the cradle
of childhood never rocked to sleep a
gentler heart; the fires of martyrdom
never blaZed around q more heroic
soul; the Roman eagles, the lilies of
France, nor the lion of ST. George
never waved above Drawer, truer
soldier.
On the field of Monterey, wounded
and almost dying he bore through
fire and smoke the vietor's wreath
In the counsels of state he wore the |
insignia of leader, and when his |
official light went out forever he won |
the glory of q martyr Crushed down |
by defeat, cast into the dungeons OF |
Fortress Monroe, unawed by man.
acles, unterrified by felon's death
that seemed inevitable, this ideal |
this leader of the lost |
cause, was stlll true to his people. and |
rose above the gloom of his surround
ions, tall, majestic and eternal as the
pyramids that look down upon
As bold Sir Bedevere said of |
Kingly Arthur, "the like of him will |
never more be seen on earth.n
Farewell my peerless, uneonQuered
Did chief
Your fame will go down the ages as /
the purest and grandest of mortals; |
and l do pray that your mighty |
spirit has found some beautiful spot |
Oh the ever shining river, where no
beat of drum nor clank of chains shall |
mar the melody of golden harps when
'wept by angel fingers. Where no
prison walls can hide the light of the |
throne. and where the smile OF low
ng God will fall around you forever.
The Musical Union then sang "Rest
Sweet Spirit Rest" with wonderful
iolemnity and effect.