The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-06-04
in The HEARTS
OF HIS PEOPLE
FAME OF JEFFERSON DAVIS
CAN NEVER DIE, SAID w. G,
CHARLTON IN ADDRESS.

| Paid Eloquent Tribute tOVthe Man to
whom the South Had Entrusted
Its Honor During the Four Event
full Years of Its HistOry-LOgicaS
Principle of Secession and Its Jus
tiicatiOn in History.
! III one of the most finished. forceful,
and eloquent addresses that has been
| delivered in Savannah in come time
! Hon. Walter G. Charlton last night
paid tribute to the memory OF Jefferson
| Davis the first and only President of
| TIE Confederacy. The address was de-
| livered in Lawton Memorial before d
select audience which completely filled
the auditorium.
The address took the form of a trib-
utc to the life and characte: of Davis.
and careful exposition of the pr.nci-
rles for which he stood. Step by step
| the argument in justification of the
principles for which the men of the
South fought was built. the address
closing with a beautiful eulogy of Da-
v's, which was followed by prolonged
applause.
Mr.. Charlton began by calling at
! tention to the steadfastness with which
the chosen President of the South main
tanned the principles of his people.
Through all the changes of those four
eventful years he remained the same,
his life and character without a stain
or blemish.
Let us look for a MON snt at the
principles for which this great man
STOOD" said Mr.. Charlton. He was
right in the position he took, the prin-
ciples he represented were right. l do
rot say that he thought he was right,
for that is the plea of the coward. l
say that he was right. The principles
for which he stood were based on
Truth, and truth cannot he overcome
BY force OF arms, and a military sat
rapcy, any more than any o,her or the
attributes of God.
justification of Secession.
The right of secession was then dis
cussed. Beginning at the time when
the thirteen colonies began their strug-
gle for independence, Mr.. Charlton
sketched the trend of events, the
struggles of the states and the great
principle that held them together, state
sovereignty.
The very formation of the Union,
he said, proved this conclusively. The
constitution was not ratified by Rhode
Island until a clause had been insert
ed which distinctly set forth the prin-
ciple of the complete sovereignty of
the states. The action of Georgia soon
after the constitution had been rati-
fled showed that this power was rec
ognized.
Principle Was Recognized.
This principle was recognized, he said,
even to the time that war was de-
| clared between the states. Attention
had been peacefully accomplished, and
all the powers of government were be-
ing exercised by the states, when war
was declared, the result of the firing
on Fort Sumter.
The politicians of the North and
particularly Lincoln and Seward, were
| roundly scored. 1t was through their
Vaccinations, chicanery, and utter lack
of good faith said Mr. Charlton, that
the people of South Carolina were COM
PEELED to fire on the flag that waved
over Sumter. This forcing of the firing
was the plan by which they hoped to
united-and succeeded-the people of
the North.
Closing Tribute to Davis.
In a series of vivid word paintings
the speaker then pictured the closing
events of the most momentuous and
tremendous struggle in history. He
| pictured the men of the South. the
ideal citizens, transforming themselves
into soldiery which for four long
years baff1ed the force of a govern
ment with the resources of all Europe
| at its back.
The last surrender, the arrest of
| Davis, the ignominy he was compelled
| to suffer, the refusal to grant him
| speedy trial, his final release on bail
his triumphant march through the
streets of Richmond where the peo-
pie of Virginia stood with barred heads
TO do him honor, were all rapidly
| sketched
Protect Memory of Davis.
He closed with an earnest plea to
the people of the South to protect the
memory of this noble, representative
Southerner, the man to whom they had
entrusted their honor and who had kept
the trust, from the attacks of the
| hatred and malignity of the Northern
ers and the renegades of the South
At the conclusion of the address,
round after round of vigorous applause
testified to the appreciation of the au-
dience. When quiet had been restored.
| veteran jumped to his feet and NOV
| ed that the thanks of the audience be
| given the speaker. The motion was
put by Capt. l.. G. Young. and en-
Enthusiastically carried. AS Mr.. Charlton
| arose to thank the audience, he was
greeted with a second burst of ap-
| plause.