U.S. District Judge, District Attorney and Marshal had resigned. All had arisen to their feet, and several, including the Judge, exclaimed: "they did right." Major Perry, standing erect, and taller than the others, exclaimed: "I say they did wrong, and it's on the road to ruin." His appearance and manner of expression impressed me more of his greatness of character, which I shall never forget. I thought of it frequently during the last days of the Confederacy in the spring of 1865, when the limits of our then country were being rapidly drawing in daily, and our flags as well as our uniforms were fading and becoming tattered in sympathy with it. In common with my countrymen I should add, that I differed with him on that occasion, and helped to bring on the ruin which followed.
August 7, 1870. "On another occasion, and that was the morning after I had seen you on the stage in the memorable Convention, standing with folded arms and head erect, facing the throng of hissers, who with yelling and hideous noise attempted to put you down, and at length were silenced no doubt by a desire to hear what one solitary individual would say in opposition to such a united assembly. And when you were allowed to speak, you with outstretched arm and warning finger, pointed out the natural effects of such madness as they have so fearfully and sadly realized since.
"If I possessed the artist's power, and could use his pencil, then would I paint that picture. It will ever
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Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information:
Book title: Biographical Sketches of Eminent American Statesmen, with Speeches, Addresses and Letters.
Contributors: B. F. Perry - Author.
Publisher: The Ferree Press.
Place of publication: Philadelphia.
Publication year: 1887.
Page number: 602.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.
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