The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-07-07
Jerry N. POrter's Address

Speech Of Jerry NJ. Porter, of
Clinton, Ky, formerly of Psducsh,
and known a. the BILL Nye of Ken
lucky" delivered at Lipcoln's tomb.
Springfield, Ill. June sth, 1904. in the
presence Of the delegates Of the Tray-
elers' Protective Association, on the
occasion of the presentation of floral
design given by the Louisville Di-
vision, the design borne by two old
rebel soldiers escorted by members Of
the Grand Army Post. Springfield;
Ny Fellow Travelling Men Of America !.
This 10 q great day in n good world,
but a most solemn hour in my lifetime,
a. attempt . public Grafton in this
sacred, hoy city of the dead. l have
never lived among the dead for any
one whole day in all my life time, nor
have ever spoken to the living above
the silent sleeping forms of the dead.
have always diligently sought com-
psny Of the living and alive; but these
passing moments with their environ
ments appeal 20 my senses in way
that only few truths in history, re-
inforced by facts to today can begin
to tell.
Nearly hundred years ago, two Of
our nations most illustrious men were
born in Kentucky, my loved native
state, Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson
Davis. Boys of the same state and
nativity, almost Of the same neighbor
hood, were permitted TO see the first
light OF a beautiful world in the same
bluegrass and the "Pennyrlle" IN
Kentucky.
Oh, what awful history 30 often
hovers 40 unknowingly around a sin.
gle humble home OF menl
BY course OF human events common
to all men, these boys separated in
early manhood from each other in
Kentucky, one going north, the other
going south, only to meet again in the
nations capitol few years later on,
each one the champion Of his respec-
tive locality of people upon the greatest
constitutional question that has ever
pestered the minds OF men in modern
The very foundations of the govern
ment rocked and quAked and trem
bled, as these two good men earnestly
laid before the people each his inter
probation Of the great questions Of
state. Meanwhile armies clsshed on
hattlehelds where home.loving, pa
triotic meu fell and were buried by
Thousands and thousands in cole
trenches without coffin and without
shroud, all covered in human BLOOD
spilled BY brothers Of one common an
cestry.
Finally the conflict ended, and onl,
forty years have passed and gone. ant
we stand here today, sons and daugh
ters OF our fathers living and deaC
who bore arms on one eide or tn,
other OF that awful civil conflict
while two old rebel soldiers, one from
the state Of Virginia and the otbei
from Texas, bearing . floral offering
from the travelling men Of Louisians
escorted by mem ers OF the Grand
Army Post OF Springfield, Ill, and
have lovingly ami periodically placed
the same on the tomb Of Abraham
Lincoln. Oh, what . transition for
man to look upon Oh, what prom
ises we may offer OF generosity and
love for all true Americansl Not 9
cloud hangs over our uncovered head
in all the sky above us while we sol
EMMY realize that locality he's every
thing to do with men and means wher
nations clash in civil war, but Abso
lutely has nothing more to.do wher
. peace il restored and the morning o
love comes again.
Abraham Lincoln and jefferson
Davis were tine central figures amonl
all statesmen of their day and time
and II would make stronger still
the great power that locally holds owe
I men in all civil conflicts, j woul'
venture to say that had Lincoln gon'