The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-08-01
DELIVERED At THE GRAND TOURNAMENT AT
NAvAsorA, TEXAS, ON THE 9th or jusE,
1866.

tain III OpSH COUlUdt INC CullSC vi SlTtuH anu
Of right, enforced the teachings Of a high
morality, and often ilust, ated the pure
prpcepis OF their Divine Grand Maste:.
During the dark and eventfal period Of
violence. which for centuries after the pow.
er Of Rome had been broken, settled upon
Europe, learning existed only in the cloister,
and the orders Of Knighthood, which prop.
ped the thrones Of rival princes, embraced
all who were conspicuous for honor, courle-
sy and gai|antry.
The end otfeudaliam, though marked with
violence and oppression, had its blessings in
e'evating mans appreciation Of woman
The feudal lord, immured. with her in his
castle, learned 10 appreciate her lofty devo-
lion. Her soothing aud ennobling influence
was aided by the pious Efforts Of her confes-
sor, and when her lord sailed from BIZ
stronghold with his armed re.ainers, he
knew that his cause was just. for lie sough,
adventure fur the love Of .Jctl and the ladies.
The nations which issued from the forests oil
Germany, and The north Of Europe, always
held woman in peculiar veneration. unknown
to the Greeks and Romans but it remain
I'd for the spirit Of chivary to recognize and
maintain her superior cluims to every virtue
and to receive from her in return those en-.
nobling impulses which constituted the
chief merit.
The love of truth, hatred Of oppression
love of God aud OF his lady, made the creed
Of the true knight; but while he bowed be
fore the shrine Of beauty with blind idolatry
even the lady of his love was for time
abandoned when he was summoned by the
blessed cross to make bis martial pilgrimage
to the tomb Of the Redeemer. A loft,
courtesy, high courage, magnanimity anG
hospitality, eere the virtues which chivalry
anght and pracliced. The word Of .
knight, when Pledged, was sacred. and tht
captive Was often permitted to revisit his
friends and country to arrage for his ransom
with no other security but his word. that i
he failed he would return to captivity.
The religious devotee, practicing in seclu
sion the precepts Of Christianity, was The
spiritual guide and teacher OF tie knigh,
and thus through darkness aud gloon, did the
church preserve the beautiful lessons o
Christianity to later and mole favored times
The true knight bowed before the Hol,
Gross with the trusting faith Of childhood
aud his bugle note, never summoned his
retainers to tie charge until his cause hac
been consecrated by the vicegerent of God
and his conscience purified by The confession
of his sine. The darkness Of ignorance anl
barbarism had not been dispeled from Eu
rope, when o voice was heard calling it,
chivalry to rescue the tomb of Christ from
the polluting tread of the Infdel. This i.
not the occasion, nor is there time. to repeal
the story of the Crnsades. but the wopderu
influence which the religious sentiment exer
csed over the knights Of Europe an be e.
timaied, when we consider that for twt
hundred years they battled to posses thu
sepnlchre OF their Savior, until nearly 6v.
million Of lives were sacrificed on the plain.
Of Asia. Led on by Richard Of the Liol
Heart, Phiiip of France, Tancred, and Bohe
mond, Hugh the Great. and Godfrey, the,
watered with their tears and blood the Hill
and plains Of Palestine. Though no lasting
enefts crowned their efforts, they ilustra
ttda chapter in the history of man which
the philosophic student will love 10 contem
plate, for they show what heroic efforts maj
can snstain when he feels that religion hui
aancti6ed his cause.
The crusader has passed to his rest
Prince and palladin, knight and retainer NJ
longer shout their battle cries around tn
heights Of Calvary. The mailed warrio
and the peerless beauty whose charms Ii
maintained in the lists against all new com
|'rs. are no longer seen; bat the spirikEhic1
animated to high endeavor. the lefty e0urte
sy and spotless honor, which %ere worn a
a crown in the olden times, is not dead; 8
long as gal'antry is admired Upon earth; 8
long as honor aud courtesy and the street oh
servauce Of plighted laiih shall ennobte man
so long will you, The children of the OF,
brigades. be honored. The record OF you
sufferings aud Of your achievements canno
be hidden from coming ages and your chi
dren, robed with the Unborn majesty witt
which nature crowns her mobiles, will b
proudly claimed as their favored kindred b
the posterity Of those who defeated you.
The time has passed when it was eithe
profitable or instructive to discuss the cues
tions which plunged this land in fractricIla
war. They have been settled BY the arbi
trament OF the sw,id, and it is folly to dis
cnss what reason was powerless TO adjust
The struggle for power has passed, and i
| is the part Of wisdom to a|lay the bitterness
Of feeling which ensenaered it, and to en-
courage cheerful acceptance of our new
destiny. iu the hope that statemauship ma,
yet supp ant fansticism.
The fields ID which these knights, who ar
soon to enter the lists, won their spurs, wer
fought over d flerepces Of opinion which la
their origin with the birth of the republic
aud though our hopes were crncifed by thei
decision, let US hope for The sake of peac
and our posterily that they are settled fol
ever. Let no captious critic assail the me
tiyes. or naisrcmesent the spirit, with whic
these knights have assembled to take part /
this manly pageant. Gentlemen wlro on
hundred fields have followed the banner {
their choice. will not in the hour of thei
misfortune and overthrow lalsify their pIigh,
I'd faiti, nor prove recreant to the ob!igs
ton that new loyalty imposes. In sorro,
aad 10 sadness You have folded away foreve
the cherished ensign which for season 70
upheld through sunshine and through storm
until your proves was the wonder and &C
misstiOn 0t the world; and when its star
iadtd and grew dim, you saw in its piac,
mot the crowned Zion and Unicorn on
crimson field FIT emblem oflegitimac5-b
the flag anaer v hich ytar fathers had Tough
The oyerpowefing host that tridmphed ove
Jon, fought you at least in the name OF fri
gov rnHlpnt, and the sting Of defeat almo,
lost its pain when yon remember that 70
were defeated by your own race, and til;
yOn yielded only to superior numbers. whr
yor were exhausted by your own vctorie
To foster q spirit Of concord and harmon,
Erepair your shattered fortunes, restore col
hdence, promote peace, ard above all thiuf