The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-06-07

41S uESI &Q0ISSS WAS w 1oFcAASi
Claude A. Swanson. Of Virginia. The
speech of Governor Swanson was a
welcome to all veterans to Richmond
and Virginia.
The governor closed with a touch
ing tribute to southern womanhoo1
which made the Davis memorial Jos
sibIe.
Governor Swanson was followed by
Mayor Carlton Mccarthy. OF Rich
mond, who introduced General Evans
as orator of the day.
General Evans began his address
with a tribute to the women of the
south, through whose efforts the statue
to Mr.. Davis had been erected. Taking
up then the Influence which moulded
the life of the future president of the
confederacy the speaker traced his I'm
cage from English ancestors. His
father and grandfather on his fathers
side, had fought in the revolutionary
wal and three older brothers had borne
arms in the war Of 1912. The speaker
pointed out how Mr.. Davis after a ser
vice Of eve years in Indian cam
paigns during which he won fame
which his country gladly gave him and
should not forget now returned TO
his Mississippi home: served in on
gress; led a regiment Of Mississippi
rifles in the Mexican war; rendering
brilliant service at Monterey and
Buena Vista and later served in the
United States senate and the cabinet.
Gen. Evans discussed the issues which
led to the civil war. mainly the right
of secession. He said:
Mr.. Davis accepted the ideas Of the
eminent makers of the constitution
and believed that they had ordained
and established a general government
which had ample powers to conouct
the states to the broadest and Hottest
national glory, without having confer
red a grant of even n power to op-
press a citizen or class of citizens, nor
to discriminate against a section or
scourge a state.r He quoted Mr.. Davis
OANC. n lohS oS a. AC4d q SCoS Ia
the senate my best efforts were direct
ed to the maintenance of the consti-
tuition and the union resulting from
it, and to make the general govern
ment an effective agent for it's pre-
scrfbed purposes. AS so0n as the par
amount of allegiance due to Mississippi
forbade a continuance of these efforts,
| withdrew from the position"
The civil war and Mr.. Davis oon-
nectlon with the leadership of the con-
federate government and armies was
considered at length, and coming t O
the results of that war. ITO the Grill
cisms hat were passed OF the defeated
leader, Gen. Evans said.
He outlived ob1oquy; he saw de-
traction die by it's Owl sting; he saw
vicious censures put to shame; he be-
held resentments of south and north
whitening in stem and root, leaving no
seed. He was not faultless in judg-
ment, but he was upright, brave, fair
and absolutely incorruptihle. He is
entitled to the generous American
judgment of the present sober age.
which will be rendered on considera-
ton of the facts of his whole career.
History will surely give him an hon
orable and distinguished place among
the noble characters of past times.
"All the elements of greatness were
components OF his life and it cannot
be insisted that success in his last
service Of his people was necessary to
make him truly great, although had
pendence. his fame would have filled
the world as the Father Of the New
American Republic"
At the conclusion of this address
behalf Of Richmond the sacred trust
imposed upon it by the whole south.
Mrs. J. A. Hayes. of Colorado Springs,
Colo, daughter of Mr.. Davis then pull
ed gently the cord that held the can
vas shrOud which covered the bronze
statue. Her two young sons, the
grandsOns of the confederate president
caught the two cords used to complete
the unwilling. The moment was one Of
acknowledgements impressiveness.
One moment of absolute silence and
then cheering burst forth, bands play
ed and the Richmond Howitzers began
firing the presidential salute.
The bronze figure of Mr.. Davis
stands on a great block Of granite in
front of the column and about twelve
feet above the roadway. The presi-
dent is represented in a standing posi-
ton as though addressing an audience
with his right hand resting on the
| open book of history.
Arnrnd the nnn1ldinC iS tracol q