The ninety-third anniversary of the birth of Pres. Jefferson Davis.
Celebrated by various organizations of Southern women at New Orleans, La., June 3, 1901, with the eloquent oration of Hon. Charles E. Fenner.
[from the New Orleans, La., Picayune, June 4, 1901.]
The ninety-third anniversary of the birthday of
Jefferson Davis, the great leader of the
Confederacy, whose memory is enshrined in thousands of hearts throughout the
South, was celebrated in a fitting manner in New Orleans yesterday.
Some weeks ago the loyal daughters of
Louisiana undertook to make the day the occasion of a demonstration of love and devotion to the memory of
Jefferson Davis, and a beautiful all-day celebration was planned, which for patriotism and loyalty has seldom been equaled in the
South.
The sun shone in all its brilliancy yesterday, out in the meadows the flowers were blooming, and over in Metairie cemetery, where for two years the remains of the
South's great hero reposed, flowers placed by loving hands marked the spot henceforth sacred to his name alone.
The old veterans assembled at different hours during the day to honor the great chieftain.
At 11 o'clock the celebration began by a memorial meeting in the banquet hall of the
St. Charles Hotel.
It was held under the auspices of the
Jefferson Davis Monument Association, of which
Mrs. A. W. Roberts is president.
At Memorial Hall, at 3 o'clock, the
New Orleans Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy held their celebration.
This was the occasion also of the presentation of a badge of honor to
General Joseph Adolph Chalaron, whose gallant services during the war and unswerving
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faithfulness to the cause ever since entitled him to this distinction from the chapter.
At both these celebrations the venerable Confederate chaplain,
Dr. B. M. Palmer, was present, and delivered the prayer.
The presence of this faithful Confederate hero is always the occasion of joy and loyal demonstration from the men who followed him in the dark days of ‘61 and
‘65, and whose love has grown stronger as the years have rolled away.
At night the day closed with a magnificent celebration at Memorial Hall.
It was fitting, indeed, that the
Ladies' Confederate Memorial Association of New Orleans, the oldest of all the
Confederate organizations of women in the
South, should close the celebration.
The devotion of these women to the cause which, though lost, is not dead, was never more truly exemplified than in the programme they prepared for the birthday of their martyr president.
From beginning to end it glowed with the truth and eternal strength of the cause for which their husbands, fathers and relatives fought through fire and blood, and for which thousands of the noblest of the
South laid down their lives.
The feature of the opening was the grand oration on the ‘Life of
Jefferson Davis,’ delivered by
Judge Charles E. Fenner, the distinguished
Southerner and jurist, at whose residence
Mr. Davis passed from earth to the eternal camping grounds above.
Another interesting feature was the presentation to Memorial Hall of the sword of a private soldier who laid down his life on the field of
Shiloh.
With this sword the box containing the
Confederate relics was opened in the presence of the assembly.
In this beautiful ceremony the memory of the private soldier, no less than the memory of the great leader, was beautifully combined, for the one led, the other followed, and no one paid more glorious tribute to the worth of the
Confederate private than the immortal
Jefferson Davis.
So the day was kept; it was fragrant with love and flowers, and rich in precious memories.
But no thought was more beautiful than that which closed the day, and which showed that the loyal daughters of the
South, while honoring the memory of their greatest hero, do not forget the men whose deathless deeds crowned even him with glory—the
Confederate private.
