The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-27
Cannon Ranked Davis Fourth
in Period of Civil
War.
NOT IN cOUNTRY's HISTORY
Says Any One Who Denies
Ability Of Lee and Davis
Is an Ass.

DOuy seeks 20 Nehy that fNODeIb r. boo
and Jefferson Davis We're men of great
ability he writes himself down an ass.
This is ex-Speaker Cannon's response
% any criticism of the speech which he
made in the House of Representatives
in advocacy of the proposed Lincoln
memorial in Washington. In that speech
Mr.. Cannon said there were four great
characters in the Civil War contest for
the preservation OF the L nion-Abra-
ham Lincoln. General Grant. General
Lee and jefferson Favis. Some reports
of Mr.. CannOn's speech carried the
impression that he expressed the opin-
ion that jefferson Davis was the fourth
greatest man the country had Produced
Consequently, Mr.. Cannon was asked
10 explain in what manner Davis per-
formed great service to the republic and
excelled more popular heroes such as
jefferson. Grant. Hamilton, Webster.
Clay and others.
oh, said Mr.. Cannon. when his at
/ tention was called to the matter, Il
never said jefferson Davis was the
I fourth greatest man the country had
( produced. My remarks speak for them
/ selves, and if any man would do me the
Justice to read them II will not be neces-
sary for me to make any explanation
/ touching that speech. | do not care to
edit my remarks when they speak for
Z themselves. What I did say was that
d
great contest--the Civil War contest
for the preservation of the Union
Lincoln, Grant, Lee and Jefferson
Davis
There was nothing in my remarks
that involved an Endorsement of the
action of Lee and Davis. l spoke OF
them Just as they were. great men, who
acted from their standpoint of patriotic
duty.
THEY were leaders for the founding
and preservation of the new Confed-
crate States republic. Lincoln was
leader on the other side of that propo-
sition and also Grant, the greatest
of all the generals. The Union was
preserved Lee and jefferson Davis
failed in the effort to establish and pre-
serve the proposed new republic. In
common with all those who believed
in the preservation of the Union. all
those who are now in existence. both
North and South, are glad that the
Union was preserved.
IF YOU will do me the favor to print
the eight minute speech which l made
in the House. what / said would need
no explanation. 1 might go farther
and say that the Union Is fully re-
stored There are many more Con-
federate officers in the House of Rep
/ esentatives and in the Senate or the
| United States than there are those who
were officers of the Union army. Com
/
restored to all those who cast their
lots on the Confederate side for its
! establishment
THE Chief Justice of the Supreme
/ Court of the United states. Mr.. White,
and an Associate Justice of the Supreme
/ Court. Mr. Lurton, of Tennessee, were
| soldiers in the Confederate army, both
Young men at the time. Lamar,
another Justice of that same court, IS
of the family of that name which cast
its lot in that great struggle with the
Confederates-
This great struggle closed fifty
wears ago, and the survivors on ootn
sides and their children. and their
grandchildren are all American citi-
zens They with US. and we with tnem'
all have a common interest IN the
support and maintenance OF the Union
Our descendants must live with US
and we with them. In the future
history of the republic our descendants.
in the main. will have for their forbears
the people who made the great contest
between the North and the South the
preservation of this Union
Mr.. Cannon's eight-minute speech
appeared IN the SOhsIeSSiOhdi I'oSo1u
as follows:
Now. a word as to the Lincoln mon
urnent There were four great char
acters in that great contest Tor the pre-
seryation of the Union-Ab raham Lin
coin. General Grant. General Lee. and
Jefferson Davis. 1t Is all behind U.s.
Arlington. the home of Lee, is now
the burial place for Union soldiers and
/ Confederate soldiers monument tnat
will stand forever across the Potomac
in the state of Virginia on. MI Speak
er | stand here a Representative from
Illinois I had personal acquaintance
witb Abraham Lincoln when l was
Young man and came on the sphere OF
action l loved Abraham Lincoln per-
sonallv [ loved his magnificent service
in the preservation OF the union-the
great. wise strong. charitable, patriotic
man. Speaking respectfully. to my
mind il is the prostitution OF that great
mans name when you speak OF using
il as an argument for the promotion
and construction of good roads
4 am willing to assist and have the
Federal Treasury assist properly toward
their construction as post roads, or in
aid of their construction With the
washington Monument standing there.
as Il will stand through the ages. Is
there a man within the SOUND OF my
voice. is there a man IN Congress, IS
there a man North or South. that would
purchase the construction OF = road
from here 20 Gettysburg. or rom here
TO Richmond. the price thereof beng
the pulling down Of the Washington
Monument Not one. not one- Talk
about utility there are certain great
I Characters that viii dwell IN the his
tory Of the country. First and barely
arst. Washington. second. Lincoins
third. Lee. a great man. great general,
Who did his duty from his patriotic
standpoint. fourth. Jefferson Davis, q
goat man performing great service
Tor a proposed new republic as he saw
has duty.
a hundred years from now the ordi-
narv reader viii recall this period. and
there viii be IN the mouths OF the school
children tho names % Washington
ffr-oin. Grant. Lee and Jefferson
Davis Bu- you viii have 20 search the
Conversational Record AID the ency-
comedies 90 and out about he balance
81 us. VINO have been Speakers. ex-
Sneakers. Members % Congress In
tfe House and senate. Take Mr..
cannon. for instance. 1 have been
speaker Tor eight years. they VIII
cav. IL does appear that there was
4 man from Illinois ~ IRE rarsc OF
cannon. but don't know much about
him. There was another man 81 the
name % Cannon IN Congress from
Utah. and o. was said thaf = had
seven wives And. gentlemen. ] trust
That the washington Morument aud