Year: 1875

'


in Boston, and was encouraged to believ,


that II the people Of Massachusetts, anC


Memphis could thus vie with each Other


in generous rivalry in the good work o


nurying the past, it might READILY e


permitted him to accept the proffered


courtesies Of the people Of Illinois, and


so contribute his share TO the end that


VIII never be accomplished until


this senseless persecution OF him


ceases. The people of the north; or


such proportion Of them as yet believe


IN the brutal taunting Of Mr.. Davis with


crimes that csnnCt be in truth laid to his


door msy as well understand that his


cause Is ouTs, made so because he WIS


our chosen leader, and is thus set up5B,


because sc that leader, be held the Con-


federste States together long after hore


had left their cOnGnCs. As time recedes,


aud We in the south divest ourselves Of


the pTejudices Of locality or party, aud
/ dismiss the fears thai bec.Cuded our re-
Prospective vision, we realize and know


how valuable was his labor, how cor


summate the work he did. We can


weigh to thei= worth, too, the unselfish


services which, to the BEST of confess


edly great ability, he eXsrted in our


behalf, counting no cost Of time


or effort too great to be exerted Ia the


cause to which he had dedicated the bf At
years Of his life and sunk his hopes Of a
promising future. We appreciate, honor
and respect the man who served Us with
such fidelity, and in proportion as he is
perEecuted or abused is the increase in
that appreciation, honor and respect.
We know him well and thoroughly, and |
his career is before Us, and we know that |
while he may have made mistakes as |
President Of the Confederate States, no |
dishorOr or crime can be laid at his
door; least Of all can it be truthfuly
charged that he was in any way respon-
sible for the treatment Of the prisoners
at AndersOnvilIe, or anywhere else in the
south. We know how earnestly he strove
to effect an exchange of prisoners, and
so do away with apy necessity for
prisons; and we also know that his ev-
cry such effort was thwarted by the Fed
eral government, upon the plea that
they could afford to lose the services of
an army Of prisoners when by doing so
they could deny to the south an army of
equal numbers whose places we had no
emigTaLts to fill. We also remember
that the per centage Of losses among pris-
oners OF war was greater in the northern
than the southern prisons, even by admis
sion OF Secretary Stanton, although the
great abundance o! food, clothing
and medicines cOatrasted widely
with the want Of all three at
he south. But enough. History Will vim
iicste him as already it Is vindicstlng
Lee and the ether generals whose names
ire like his endeared to the people OF
he south. 1t will recount how he took
lis place at Montgomery, without |
money, without troops, without any
ven OF the machinery of civil govern {
nent, without navy, and L
mid the distractions incident t
o the chaos and confusion out c
. which the Confederacy wss 4
volved and organized in the teeth OF d
he Federal States government that \
Dr. four years and a half defied and {
ought the enemy in the field and main. E
aimed itself against internal ca5aIs. It .
,ill treat of him from q loftier plain Il
han the rabid Winnebagoes or Inter- t,
'cean editors will ever reach, and will o
lark him for slltime as one Of the few q
tho can truthfully lay claim to the a
ignity and belongings Of the statesman. Il
4 that belief let US rest and dismiss for f.
yer the savage WinnebagOes. b.