The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-02-01
Russell or Davis.

Abraham Lincoln and jefferson Davis
we're both sons Of Kentucky. The courage
the sincerity the honesty Of purpose that
seem the heritage Of oil true Eeutuckinns,
were theirs IN fullest measure. In their an
cestry. their education, their surroundings.
they typlfr opposing forces and irrecou-
clahle political IDEAS
To the one, the declaration Of indepen-
dence meant that "all men are created
equal" aud therefore free That was the
dominant and compelling motive In the pub
80 llfe Of Abraham Lincoln. To the other
to Jefferson Dayls--the same declaration
meant that certain colonies. owing sepn-
rstely allegiance 10 Great Britain Ind de-
1larcd that they "are AMI OF right ought 70
| he free nud independent States with the
| right TO do al acts and things which In
dependent states may Of right DO" and
| therefore that the States forming the Fed
| eral constitution were free. sovereign aud
/ independent states, and so In unison tue
/ State constitutions Of Massachusetts, and
| New York declared them TO be, as those
! constitutions stood when the civil war be-
! Ia brief. the contrast between Lincoln
and Davis IS that the one believed IN the
| inaAenabe rights OF man, the other IN the
| lna!ienaba rights Of state sovereignty
Both were sincere, both honest and both Ia
! large measure right
Ii was not Lincoln. II was not Davis, nay,
IL was not even the 'abolitionists OF the
| North or the 'hre-eaters' OF the South who
made the war Inevitable.
II was the preservation OF the confedeta'
ton ia 1851, through the evasone and com
promises OF the Federal constitution and the
| Federal constitutional convention, that
made the ultimate conflict of sections 8
hideous necessity; but a necessity OF poAt'
do not mean that the same result might
not have been attained without war. That
Is possible. But do mean 70 say that
agree with Lincoln that Il was impossible
for this nation to endure half slave and
half free, and that l regard all attempts
that were made by way OF compromise e
eyado the final settlement Of this great Is
sue as but barriers Of straw between op
posing forces OF IRE
We can zee, II our brethren OF the North
can not that the conflict was indeed lire
nressihle" AMI that II came Into being a.
tic birth ot the nation and was but th'
frlghtfu afterbirth Of events and causc'
that anteduted the American revolution.
We fought % a 1nsh the fgbt that oui
r0refatbers left for Ms 10 fight. They cvadec
H. because for taslr common preservatloi
uriot WAS an Immediate necessity wv
! could not avoid &C. because for us continued
I union was impossible under n constitutions
compromise that cheated both sides.
Jefferson Davis WIS as much q product o.
His environment as Abraham Lincoln, an'
he. AZ much as lincoln, died martyr 4
tho prudples IN which be believed
Abraham Lincoln gave his life for thu
| Union and tho freedom ~ man.
jefferson Davis died politically, and hi
bcart died then. when Grant refused tn
sword Of Ire at Appomattor.
Who shall say thar the m, man VINO VINO nvssd % 2
ucople he loved than the one who died ur
finely and over whose tomb the blue an
the gray shall eyermore join in wreathin
EMERSON Davis lived to typify "los
cause" Abraham Lincoln died amid IN
es q resdre PFs eaPefs Hos 1GE
soluble except by revolution,
The career Of Jefferson Davis no Anne
loan need Ne ashamed Of, aud none shout
ts9ile or condemn 1t Is one which we Z
the south may well be grandly' hoWeve
ssllv}tb p INV norsonal views upon the slaver
oueatlnu and my legal view that sovereign
*, nlways was in the states united, aud ii'
HI the States separately can not hut reje'
Z he rlgbt az ''peaceuble secession aud r.
! i"ice that the United States remained
Union, with oil the powers and attributes
r National sovereignty IA National anair
! tbe United states as well as 81 the State
! ana that all men are entitled 10 eth
: equal protection Of the laws ,,
. I These Views. however, do not blind me
1 me essential honesty. sincerity ana nobilii
. I * character Of JEFFERSON DAVIS, ana h
: riad that here, IN the great metropolis
: Nv he south TO link the names OF Day
' and Lincoln rs martyrs 20 duty ana patfio
: Of our country, Nor "Gu'a tnSr raa 70 oi,y y
J. nsNte reverentlv drink 10 the memory
= Gsse two men than at meeting or cam
2 Of Confederate veterans hsrs we o fa rss %
$ mat IA was lost, now that the Elories
!. onr reunited country are made manifest
;. ever. ssse' s.n.sHbsf ssat ~. sE.,sys.g
y nrsnt ead q Lea we're battling 5houlneT
I shoulder undsT ths pnlan mas ~ ixae