"I heard him at Macon, Ga., in October, 1887, utter a sentiment, in response to an address by the leader of a company composed of the sons of Confederate soldiers, who presented him with a badge, which showed his pride in the progress and development of the South since the end of the war. He said: 'My young friends, I am glad to hear you say there is no New South. There is no New South! No, it is the Old South rehabilitated and revivified by the energy and virtues of Southern men.' He then gave a very vivid description of the funeral obsequies in Now Orleans, closing his speech, which elicited frequent applause, as follows: "As the funeral cortege passed along the crowded streets of New Orleans, from the City Hall, by the statue of Robert E. Lee, to Metaire Cemetery, two hundred thousand people, with sorrowful faces, witnessed its slow and solemn movement. Every public building, and, it seemed to me, every private house in the city, was draped in the habiliments of the deepest sorrow. The procession was three miles long, and as it marched minute guns were fired and martial music lent its mournful strains to solemnify the grand occasion. 'Without undertaking to describe further the solemn scene—my powers are wholly inadequate to do it justice-there were two things which impressed me above all others. As the procession passed the equestrian statue of Albert Sydney Johnston every beholder was struck with its appearance. It was draped in mourning from the top to the bottom. I could not repress the emotion which swelled my heart. I felt that the spirit of the dead hero had left its mansion in the skies and had come down to earth to pay sorrowful homage to its dead friend. " "Just as the casket was about to be placed in the vault under the statue of Stonewall Jackson-after all the ceremonies were concluded--and just as the rays of the setting sun were gilding the solemn scene with their mellow lustre, twenty-four young choristers of the Episcopal Church, clad in uniform, led by the clarionet's melodious tones, sang the old familiar song, 'Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me.' The whole concourse of people, with tears trickling down each face, joined in the song. "As I stood there, with the houses of the dead like a city of marble palaces, I felt proud of Alabama; I felt proud of the South; I felt proud of the United States. I felt proud that I was an Alabamian; proud that I was a Southern man; proud that I was a citizen of the United States; and, if possible, I felt prouder still that I was the friend of Jefferson Davis and humble follower of the 'Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me,' and for all mankind.” And now we can only mention that appropriate and feeling memorial services were held, with resolutions, speeches, &c., all over the State. Mobile, Birmingham, Eufaula, Selma, Marion, Greenville, Brewton, Tuscaloosa, Ozark, Troy, Tuskegec, Union Springs, Auburn, Anniston, Talladega, Sheffield, Camden, Sumter county, Russell county, Batesville, Bibb county, and many other places vied with each other in paying loving tribute to our dead President, and Alabama showed that she honored him now, as she had bravely followed him in the "days which tried men's souls." GEORGIA'S TRIBUTE. The first announcement of the death of Mr. Davis made to Atlanta and Georgia, was the following editorial in the Constitution, which was written at 2:30 o'clock in the morning by the gifted and lamented Henry W. Grady, who rose from his bed in order that his graceful pen might thus record the promptings of his loving heart: "At 12:45 o'clock this morning a great heart ceased to beat-a stainless life was closed! "Jefferson Davis, first and last President of the Southern Confederacy, is dead! As we write these words, a thousand miles away, the body of the puissant chieftain, from which the breath has scarcely parted, lies mute and motionless beneath the touch of reverential hands, while in the regions of the blest the great soul, weary of the fretting hindrances of the flesh, greets friends and comrades gone before! "And now has passed away the last of the mighty leaders of the Lost Cause! Cobb, Stephens, the kingly Toombs, and the steadfast Hill; Yancey, the impetuous gentleman; Lee, the paladin of battle, and Jackson, who ruled its storm-gone-all gone! Gone to the great tribunal before which all things are judged, and to Him who searcheth all hearts and measureth to victor and beaten in infinite mercy and infinite justice. Closed the drama amid which they fought or plead as heroes-sheathed the sword, furled the banner, sealed the record—and their dear names and fame, but a memory and a heritage to their people! With Him who doeth all things well they rest at last! "Jefferson Davis will be mourned in millions of hearts this day. Government will not render to him the pomp and circumstance of a great death; but his people will give to him a tribute of love and tears surpassing all that government could do, and honoring his memory as earthly parade could not do! He is our dead! And from Maryland to Texas, wherever in other States or in other lands his people may have wandered-wherever dauntless courage is or stainless honor has made friends-wherever they who have suffered are loved, and superb fortitude may touch the heart or dim the eye-there Jefferson Davis-God bless his name as we write it—will be honored and mourned to-day! If amid the winds of the new morning into which his soul has entered the grief of this world may come, he will be content to know that his people love him, and loving, mourn! Greater honor than is his this people hath given, and can give no more!" Another gifted writer on the Constitution staff wrote, at the same hour, the following: "Davis is dead!' the message read; The night was waning fast; Came gushing forth at last! "Davis is dead!' the message read; "Davis is dead!' the message read⚫ God keep his noble name! The deeds of those who fought and bled With his undying fame! "Davis is dead!' the message read; Though lowly lies his crownless head, “2:30 A. M., December 6." -Montgomery M. Folsom. Governor John B. Gordon issued the following proclamation: "STATE OF GEORGIA, EXECUTIVe Department, “Atlanta, Ga., December 6, 1889. “By J. B. Gordon, Governor: "Jefferson Davis is dead! He will be buried on Wednesday, the 11th instant, at noon. The South mourns her hero. His memory will be enshrined in the hearts of her children, and the spotless record of his long and eventful career will be cherished by them to the remotest generation, as their most valued heritage and noblest inspiration. His compatriots who loved and honored him as the vicarious sufferer for the action of his people, will confidently confide his character and career to the judgment of impartial history. "To mark our respect for the illustrious dead, and to furnish occasion for an expression of our admiration and love, I, J. B. Gordon, governor of Georgia, do issue this my proclamation, inviting the people of the different communities of this State to assemble together at the hour of Mr. Davis's funeral at 12 M., Wednesday, the 11th instant, and unite in suitable and solemn memorial services. "Given under my hand and the seal of the executive department, at Atlanta, this 6th day of December, 1889. "J. B. GORDON, Governor." Governor Gordon also telegraphed to the other governors of the old Confederate States, suggesting that they also issue proclamations, arranging for memorial services the day of the funeral, and as commander of the United Confederate Veterans, he issued an order for them to provide for collections for the benefit of the family, at all of the memorial services. Mayor Glenn issued the following: "MAYOR'S OFFICE, "December 6, 1889. In respect to the memory of Jefferson Davis, the first and only President of the Confederate States, and who carries to the grave the esteem and love fo the Southern people, it is ordered that the public buildings of the city be draped in mourning for thirty days, and that the city offices be closed from eleven o'clock on the day of his funeral. “John T. Glenn, Mayor.” The Confederate Veterans packed their hall on the night of December eth, in response to the following call: "HEADQUARTERS CONFEDERATE VETERANS' ASSOCIATION, FULTON COUNTY, “ATLANTA, Ga., December 6, 1889. "The president of the confederacy, the knightliest and most chivalric, the truest and most faithful and amid the suffering of an unexampled oppression, the most patient son of the South, and an honorary member of this association, has gently and peacefully passed away to that better and brighter world where' war shall be no more;' neither sorrow, nor tears, nor death. It is fitting that proper action should be taken in relation to this, the saddest event in our history, and I therefore, call a meeting of the association at 7:30 o'clock this evening, at Confederate hall, to provide therefor and in compliance with the order of John B. Gordon, general commanding the United Confederate Veterans, to arrange for suitable memorial exercises and raise a fund for the widow and daughter of Mr. Davis, at the hour to be appointed for his funeral. "W. L. CALHOUN, "President and Commander." Judge Calhoun, in calling the meeting to order, paid a brief but eloquent tribute to our great commander. The committee presented the following resolutions which were adopted by a unanimous and enthusiastic vote-after earnest and enthusiastically applauded speeches by Dr. J. William Jones, Capt. Evan P. Howell, and Hon. A. H. Cox. "Whereas we have heard with profound sorrow of the death in New Orleans, at 12:45 this morning, of President Jefferson Davis-our grand old chief, our peerless leader-and deem it proper to put on record some expression of our feelings, some poor tribute to his worth; therefore, "Resolved by the Fulton County Confederate Veterans, 1. That, with grateful hearts to Almighty God, we acknowledge His goodness in sparing to us so long this grand old man that he might prove that human virtue can be equal to human calamity-that he might show himself even grander in peace than in war-and that he might illustrate in the evening of his life those beauties of character which adorn the Christian gentleman. "2. That while we bow with humble submission to this decree of a loving Father, who has called His servant to 'come up higher' and recognize the good Providence by which the toiling workman has 'ceased from his labors' and 'entered into his rest,' and the soldier, after his weary march, has gone into bivouac, we deem it not wrong to mourn that our leader, father, friend, will appear among us no more on earth, and to mingle our tears with loved ones who weep that the happy circle in the home beside the gulf has been thus rudely broken. "3. That leaving to others his appropriate and fitting eulogy, we desire here merely to put on record a brief expression of the honor in which his old soldiers held Jefferson Davis-the high estimate they had of him as statesman, soldier, patriot, and gentleman, and the love they cherished for him as their old commander. "4. That while we would not revive at this time 'bitter memories of a stormy past,' or uncover buried issues-while we would, on the contrary, 'gathering around this royal corpse, proclaim perpetual truce to battle'—yet we would proudly point to his brave, patient life, his unswerving devotion to truth and duty, and his self-sacrificing patriotism, as the most conclusive refutation of the slanders uttered against him—and we would reply to the charge of 'Treason' by looking the world squarely in the face and proclaiming that that cause for which such stainless gentlemen, such incorruptible patriots as Sidney Johnston, and Stonewall Jackson, and Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis lived and died cannot be treason, and their followers cannot be traitors. "5. That we tender Mrs. Davis, the noble 'woman who was worthy to share the home of this great and good man, and her daughters our profoundest sympathies. "6. That we heartily approve and will bear our full share in any effort to provide for the widow and daughter. “7. That a committee be appointed by our president to attend the funeral. "J. William Jones, Evan P. Howell, W. W. Hulburt, George Hillyer, P. M. B. Young, W. L. Calhoun." There was read to the meeting, and received with loud applause, the following poem, which Mrs. Davis made special request should be published in the "Memorial Volume," and concerning which we have received the same request from a number of friends in different States: |