Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1866-12-22

FelloD. soldiers and citizens, my fan
c0nntryvomen, Mr. President and gentle
men If me Historical and Monumental
association You have called mo from m,
pa PIT end pastoral work to bear my par
10 these concentrating rites, 10 wbiel
you are, to-day, embnlmlng tho deeds o
your noble dead; and ulier the words o
introduction with which my friend, you
Marshal, has presented me, | feel that
am at home aud among friends, and tina
you cx'enJ 10 me that welcoming reception
that ls the offering of kindred sympah les
and common affection For our hearts
beat together as we recall our struggle
and our defeat, and many OF your dead
whom you bury alresh to-day, were very
dear TO me; knew their worth and Shar
ed their sutlerlDgs, and, with you, share
their loss And, in calling me 10 this duty,
YOU have, in my person, invoked the min
IlsrrleS OF that religion whose sublime reve.
la!ons have opened to The virluOus and
The good those heavens toward which the
shaft of this monumental stone will point,
a symbolic token Of their aspirations al
ter u better world and truer life.
The fair giVers Of this draped banner
aud this cornerstone, and these young
men, your own sons, who have received
these generous gifts, the offerings of a
brave man to the brave spirits who sealed
Their courage with their lives, in true and
Thrilling words have moved your hearts
and molstened your eyes with their glow
ing tributes to your loved and lost No
words Of miae can add tina, Impression.
Nor is II well to linger too long about
oar graves, feeding our sorrows with mem.
ores OF our desoIations. Let me rather
bid you look up, hitting the heads that
hang down, ano nerVlng anew souls that
are depressed, as we contemplate the clear
Icompensatons and strong consultations that
are to be placed over against these losses,
and minister comfort IN these bsreaV.
menls
And the first thought which, in this
spirit, shall offer, is this: That those
generations OF nation whose chief expe
Hence - adversely, who know sufferngs
i Impressions and bereaVments, often live [,
higher purposes, and work out noble re
suits, Than Other generations of the SAM
people, whose experiences are prosperity
and success. And, for proof, turn to lh,
Ipa't, to Inc nations the clear shining O
whose records lights up the path Of tn
e present, and crowns with a beckoIlng gIor
2 neadIands OF hope in The future. Take
t 10 Illustration, that people whose hstor
is The oldest and the grandest-the lsrael
ties. Why are we not dolators to day
Because three centuries OF the biltere:
' bondage kept the Jews, as they altaine
their national growth, acquiring be learl
my aud skill ard arts of the first people {
that period; KEEP them from acceptn!
t with these great gains, heir customs an
e worship. Isolated and protected by hi
o very oppression, they preserved and tran,
mirted the knowledge and worship OF tn
one God, The one only, the living and tn
true. Again, The generation of that sam
. people that died n ne wilderness betwee
20 Egypt and CaHaan, received from Go
Al 'nc gave 10 man tho Two tables Of The as
thst are 10 this day the bases of truth
le 1S'ice and right throughout chrstendOn
,r y 4 not such grand results repay oppre.
4 slon> and wanderlngsl Again, there ar
-; the martyrs, OF whom Paul writes "tht
me world was not worthy" and OF who's
J" N,llou sings, asking 10 that noble SOME
a. that Their mariyred blood and ashes ma
r. be Sown DER all the Italian fields" The
d. 1rank adVarsl'y's dregs, ct are they III
a. borch's crown and glory. And the &
r. ers o.! our land, who 5attled against Bri
70 tsh power, ah! we uncover our heads
Of mat noble yet suffering generation.
=, Wy second thought is this: that Poop
. cast down by conquest, overwhelmed an
d IdespoIled, are not, therefore, either DE-
re slroyed or doomed. all the great nalor
it have known just such vicIsstudes. Eng
a. an" has been thrice conquered; the Dam
\. the Saxon, the Mormon, have in tur
pressed her beneath their feet. Ever
continental capital saw the flag of IN
great French conquerer Haunting vclor
. from us spires aud domes; all these ban
'S ners 10 turn floated over his. And sti
y another turn las come with cycling time
e Brl'ain chained that great vIclor in a roc
c bound, sea glrt prison, and there he frelte
his mighty heart away. Yet aiterward
his LAND gave him kingIy burial; and hi
SIMPLE name gave that land lord, VIII
Is ands to-day 10 The fore front OF tn
earth's emprrors. Look at Scotland
England lorded il again and again owe
her Lowlond plains ard her Highlan
crags Yet, alter ages OF strife, she CAV
her Tree assent tcher made equal, and be