The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-02
Gke Wessenger.
CONCERNING MONUMENTS.

Some one has written that great
men die, and are forgotten" 1t has
been so often. Many "a mute, inglori-
.ous' poet has sung we'll and the pass
ing world knew it not. Many a great
patriot has suffered and passed away
and died unhonored and unsung."
Many a noble, self-sacrifcing deed has
passed unnoticed and unrequited. At
Thermopylae 700 Greeks, not Spartans.
persisted in battle fighting side by side
with Leonidas and his immortal 300,
but they are forgotten, neglected, I'M
Iaurelled. The injustices Of history are
marvellous. The indifferences Of ma
tons most curious and censurable.
Many an unworthy mar has been
worshipped. crowned, lauded, while far
greater men, and contemporaries, nave
been overlooked and unrewarded by
their fellow men.
Zebulon Baird Vance is the most
popular man who ever lived, fourished,
served and died in North Carolina. Up
TO now no monument in the little CAPT.
tai city, has been erected to his men,
DRY. Why this? Can it be that North
Carolinians are ungrateful? In war
as in peace he was faithful among the
faithIess, and stood bravely for liberty
and by his people. If any North Caro-
3inian is worthy of remembrance and
deserves to be honored by his country
men it is the noble patriot, public SER
want and friend whose name is written
above. It is also recorded upon the
hearts of thousands Of his cOuntryrnen.
We are reminded Of this by a fact
recently called to our attention by a
gifted pen. The monument in m
of the great civic and public services
of Jefferson Davis, President Of the
Southern C~onfederacy, remains un-
erected. Only some $500 have been
raised to honor and preserve in stone
fnr marble or bronze the great, patriot
&c. brave, self-sacriicing man VINO
stoOd forth as the 1eade Of the south
IN it's manful and splendid struggle
for liberty and independence. He was
treated as no other confederate was
treated by the enemy-he was manlcl-
I'D. insuIted, imprisoned, outraged py
General Miles, in command at fortress
Monroe. He was made the s~in-Offerlng
for his people-an expaitory sacrifice
for the noble, brave men of the south.
Great in soul, consecrated Dug
10 the great cause he espoused n FOR
which he suffered, true to his people
under all manner of trials n every
Vicissitude of fortune-a grand, master
fuI. able. moral hero, he is lying IN MS
crave thirty-three years after the
great war ended, without a 10
fell the stranger or the friend that
mere lies one who was pure ana brave
a. hero worthy of the companlonshlp OF
the great men Of the past, VINO hlled d
ommandin spacious place IN the
times in which he lived, and yet his
bravo countrymen. and the noble, SUI
nerb womanhood Of his southland nave
not fulfilled the promise. He passed
away some nine years ago, ana up 70
the present time only a Small part ol
the money actually required to build
fine monument. to be crowned with a
l[I1Iue. mas btbll ihtS
and it is niggardly.
Mrs. Davis, one of the best, truest,
most patriotic of southern women, mas
resolved to contribute a like sum in her
declining years, that her illustrious nus
bands grave may no longer be neglect
cd and his precious emo
ed. To do this she makes great sacrl-
20 ctntn hnrp Shp
will soon have the begun.
Poor. aged, sorrowing from so very
great and recent a bereavement, snail
the southern white men ana the Wo-
ynanhoo of the south allow her to un-
1ertake the great task Of erecting TO
Jefferson Davis-clarum ct venerable
nomen-a fitting memorial to comment
orate his virtues. his services ana MS
greatness? We hope not. We trust
hat magnanimity and gratitude n
generation and patriotism and PRIDE
have not fled to british beasts, ana
geft the south barren and desolate.
Mrs. Davis is also very anxious to
erect a monument in Richmond, va,
sn he crowned with a statue in marble
perhaps, of her sweet, noble, hlghly
gifted daughter so recently deceased,
. n9e of the finest and most gracious and
seruest of southern young
tho Daughter of the C~onfederacy.
The mothers bleeding heart must be
somforted. her wishes gratifed her
anxieties allayed. The Women of the
south must build that monument to
winnie as she was fondly called and
Eoved.