Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-07-03

lie, with roads suitable for military trans
portation at all seasons, and supplies much /
beyond other sections along the border, 20
say nothing of strategical points, this Valley
invited contending armies, and was dotted all
over with blue and gray in franatic move
ment1or IN lnapimate silence for tour of the
most eventfu years of modern times 1t
was here chat Jackson more thoroughly en-
bodyings the spirit of the revolution than any
of It's great captains. first began that brilliant
course which illustrated the highest civic vir-
tues, and greatest military talents. The i'm
mense forces necessary to enable the enemy
to contend, with any hope of success, against
this leader, SO fertile in resources, so indefat-
igabie in energy and no less respected than
feared by his adyersaries, had accumulated
here vast armies who from bullets and bayo
nets in the field. and disease in the camp and
hospital, had left behind them thousands eff
dead and dying who having played their
parts, lay down to restin the earth made his.
toric by their deeds.
They sleep their last sleep, they have
fought their last battle, no sound shall awake
them to glory again"
To collect the remains of these our brave
men, and offer them such memorials as cir
cumstances permit, is the great duty of the
present hour In the institution and per-
| formance of these solemn rites the country
is mainly indebted to the women of the South,
who throughout the war displayed selfsac-
rifcing devotion, an unwavering faith and an
unquenchable spirit, rivaiIg that OF the Spar
tan mother, who in sending her sons to.battIe,
| CHARGED them to bear their shields before
them, or be borne back upon. them. You
will at once acquit me, [ am sure, from in
sduIgingin trite compliments or empty. fItte-
ries on an occasion when the h ,art is stirred
to its deepest depth, and therefore | utter the
truth OF history without preface. IF abound
ing and abiding faith, tenacity, fortitude, en-
ergy and selt-re4iance, made heroes of our
| soldiers, how much the more did they make
hereines of our women. No war ever developed
these great moral qualities in so eminent a
degree, and the historian, who writes of these
transactions, will illuminate his pages with in
Vulnerable instances of them. When com.
merclal intercourse was cut off and first the
! iuXuries and comforts to which she had been
accustomed began to be desired, how grace.
fully did she yield to the necessity thus i'm
posed upon her, and willingly exchange the
fabrics of Lyons and Brussels for the cDarser
| products OF her own manufacture. Did her
wants become more pressing STILL and hun
gers gaunt form keep watch over her d.
minished and diminishing stores? With
what accomplishing submssveness would
she trusSin God, and arouse her energies into
greater efforts. Did our Generals demand
Who so active as she. in devising schemes for
supplying them. Did gloom ever overcast the
political Heavens? Twas hers to dspel it with
words OF announcement and OF hope Did
war or disease PROSTATE a Southern soldier
on a bed of sickness? Twas she who with sleep-
less vigilence watched by his couch an angel
OF mercy IN tenderest minstrations In the
midst of disasters, when she heard our retir-
ing guns, and saw th;unel ranks retreat.
IntP hpfO vHOl--
closing scene of the last act of the Revou,
ton, when violence reiyued throughout our
borders, and scarcely ten thousand muskets
rallied around the defiant banner of Lee She
IN the truSttutness of her continuing faith
still prayed tor succor aud chcered for vic.
tory.
1t may be truthfully said, therefore, that
the iustrc of our arms reflects at once the
virtues OF our women, and the valor of our
men, and in this blended light tn y will
pass into history till the last sv!abe of re-
corded time" In tenderness. in devotion. in
constancy, in forLitudc, in faith and in mer-
cy she tar surpasses man, 1t was Mary Mag
dalane who washed the feet of the Saviour
with penltcntial tears and wiped them 18th her
hair, while Peter declared he knew not the
man. Woman was first at the Cross and
last at the Tomb, and from her faithful vigils
did even the Apostles learn the resurrection
of the Redeemer.
Passing, then, from sacred to profane his
| tory, nothing can be more in consonance
with her character than that she who first
| girded on her sons armor for battle should
be the last to leave the precincts halluwed bv
ms death. In. her memory this scene will
be joy forever. The gratitude and affec>
ton ola whole people cons pre to rescue from
torSettpness the noble army of martyrs, who
laid down their lives in defence Of their
country, multitudes of whom :. in the pride
and pomp and circumstance of war; sank
into the earth unknown, unhonorcd and un-
| sung.
! But while we thus do homage to the il
lustrious dead, let US not be unmindful of
our living heroes, some of whom languish in
prisons, others in exile; many under civil
disabilities, all sought to be DISTINGUISHED
and dishonored. When will conoIerors
learn that magnanmity to II fallen toe adorns
victory more than the spoils of many prov>
lnces The captivity of Francis the First
dlmmed the glories of Pavia, and Waterloo
shines the less resplendentIy that Napoleon
was chained to a st.anchored isle in the
! ocean.
In all great commissions where the inter
ests OF the State are homogeneous, violent
dIsplacements of capital and labor usually oc-
cur, which sap the foundations and dry nm
the source of wealth. But here where wc
had different social systems, and political in
terests in antagonism to those of the North.
failure on our part brought wide spread ruin
| and lndlscrmlnate suffering But the forms
and habits of society being adjusted to the
conservative elements of our Confederate
Government we have not witnessed Those
marked social changes which usually attend
the revolutionary movements of other coun
tries. There they have followed the course
OF political events, and the form of society