Bradford County telegraph., 1906-06-15

ne WAS III uO Wlbo ioSpOheA Ss ~soe
cause was lost and our peop, drJ Aed to
the dregs the bitter cup O. sorrr:w, but
more than all others on. gr 2 . leader,
in prison and in shac' les. was the
vicarious sufferer for hi pr ople, which
drew him closer to their hearts. Though
feeble ia body, his proud spirit n0t Tor
one minute wavered or luailed before
those who tried to numilitate and
crush him. He passed unblemished
through the fiery ordeal OF persecution,
the pnre gold of his character all the
more .esplendent therefor. NOtwith-
standing he has been maligned and
traduced, he was in fact one OF the
greatest, nOblest and purest OF men who
ever illumined the history Of this or any
other country. That great Georgian
the silver-tongued Ben Hill, said OF him:
II con- detain you all night correcting
false i npressiOns which havo lseen in
dustri usly made against this great ard
good ian. knew jefferson Davis ~ /
knew 'ew men. have beeI 'ear him
in his public duties, have seen A.,
his p ivate fireside; have witnese.
his he nble Christian devotion, snd !
challe. ige the Judgment Of history w,.> :
/ say no people were ever led through
the Il, ry struggle for liberty by snobler,
truer mtriot, while the carnage Of war
and he trials Of public life never re-
veale, purer and more beautiful Chris
tian character. / would be
ashamed of my own unwos thines IL I
did n t venerate Lee. ! would scorn
my o en nature If did not love Davis.
| IwoLid question my own integrity aud
patriotism If ! did not honor and ed.
mire both. There are some " no AFFECT
to pr ise Lee aud condemn Davis. but
of all such Lee himself would be
ashamed. No two leaders eve, IeaI:sd
on each other in such beautifn. tr,ls.
and bsOlute confidence"
Afler his release from prison Nr.
Davis for years lived in quiet and dig-
nified retirement at Beauvoir, his home
on the beautiful Mississippi Sound. IL
was during this period that he prepared
and gave to the South and to the world
that great literary and historical wprk
"The Rise and Fall Of the Confedefate
Government, which from his knowl-
edge and ability he was 20 well quah,
fed to write.
In 1885 he made tour through Ala.
bama and Georgia: then Il swas,
wherever he went, the people, a. by one
spontaneous impulse Of love aud Cd
miratiOn Of their former chief. rpeo 70
do him honor. He was the defoated
leader Of lost cause, denied even the
right OF suffrage, privilege enjoyed BY
his former slaves. Yet no conQuering
hero ever received q grander ovation.
1t was the combined tribute to the man
and the cause which he represented.
II was my privilege to meet Mr..
Davis on two occasions, once In his
home ut Beauvior and again when he
visited Savannah. He was one az the
most entertaining and chArmiug men
that have ever met, and no one could
DO IN his presence without appreciatinR
the simplicity Of his nature and the
nobility Of his character. Il was also
my privilege, with other Southern
Governors, to participate in New
Oreans, IN that great demonstration OF
the sorrow and affection Of an afflicted
people who followed his remains 10 the
tomb. In an address to meeting OF
Confederate Veterans the night after
the funeral, used these words. which
! now reiterate: The name Of JefRersou
Davis will occupy q place among tie
greatest figures Of history. A distin.
tinguished soldier; an eminent states.
man; profound scholar and christian
gentleman; his life was as pure as the
whitest flower which loving hands
placed ON his bier. He served Iis couu.
try with fidelity and zeal and suffered
for ms people without complaint"
ana say to you now my friends, Lei
us never fail To revere aud cherish tht
memory OF Jefferson Davis, the hero
the pstriet, the statesman, who devoted
ms me aud great talents to his country,
NY comrades ann glad 10 know that
you propose To organize = camp aud
loan that great association. tbs Omitted
Uonfederate Veterans. There are some
tnough bat few, who afYeot 10 believe
thss such associations tend 20 eucouruat
disioyaity TO the g0vevnment 10 wi,icl
We now owe suegisnce Bat the objects
- expressed IN the constitution al th.
general organization best refut.s thal
suggestion, These are g follOws,
Ihs objects and pusposes a thi,
organisation shall be sfFieflv s6.c;sl
- i1,s'ary: en- Y aissosicA and Bsssvolsnt
q = e ssllp IL. .ons ssssu, yhd1e.Iio.