The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-05-12

i!'ihS Is siieiI wInle we gather in eth
city OF the'dead." Let us always low,
them thus, cherish the memory of thei
noble deeds, and never cease to remem
Der, through all the changes and vicis
STUDIES of our natural as we'll as Doliti
cal existence, that
Though right trampled be counted Al
wrong,
And that pass for right, which is evil
victorious,
Here, when virtue is feeble and villain,
strong,
Ills the cause, not the fate Of a caise
that is glorious"
And with these objects inview. of which
| have thus been requested to- speak, and
as a part of the ceremonies of this solemn
occasion, | take pleasure in introducing tc
you one who, with eloquence %aprpropriat,
to the subject, and in "words that burn
like their noble deeds, will tell of the
sacred cause for which they fought the
heroism they displayed, and the duty We
owe their memories throughout all coming
time. ! Introduce to you, ladies and gen.
tlsman, Col. Fl. D. ID. Twiggs.
+ Col: Twiggs appeared on the platform
anu aluIeSSeu bIic dSStnIDldHc III IUe IOl-
lowing eloquent remarks:
We have assembled together this beau
tifuI April day, my fhends, to do honor to
our dead-Our Confederate Dead. True,
we bow before no time-honored shrine
the custom we commemorate is almost as
fresh and new as the. garlands which sur
round ms. No herald proclaims it's advent
by the flourish of ttumpets! No martial
music floats upon the solemn airl No
Haunting banners are fling to the evening
breeze! The thunder of artillery falls not
upon the ear of the aged sire to tell him of
the day. No gala sohnds greet the widow
and orphan. A Weeping. laid; bereaved of
her children, needs no record to keep
alive the memories Of the glorious past
no bidding to do reverence at a nations
grave. This day four years ago a new star
in the galaxy of nations welt out The
tattered BANNER of six million freedmen
baptized in the blood of heroes, was furled
upon its broken staff forever. All that
is lett CT the lost cause are the memories
Of the gallant dead who sleep around us.
That for which they fought Has persisted,
and they quietly sleep beneath the sod
they died to defend.
t'They have fought their last fight,
They have won their, last battle, S,
No sound can awake them to glory again.
Throughout this broad land, from the
Potomac to the Rio Grande. this day is
honored and revered, the hum of business
ceases everywhere, and a grateful people
solemnly dnd %toichingly pay tribute to the
honored, dead. Thousands of faif hands
have been engaged in weaving bright
chaplets to deck the graves ofSpartan men,
who in the majesty Of true manhood, laid
down their lives a willing sacrifice upon
the altar of their country. How hallowed.
then, this day! How solemn its dnties +!
How touching this tribu tie !! 1t is. meet
that beauty and virtue should strew flowers
upon the green mounds which hide such
high resolve. t.L4't EN5.Etf
Every grave, however lowly the soldier
boy who fills tits narrow bed. or how exalted
the warrior chieftain sleep in death, has re-
ceived this day a fresh tribute of immortals
fashioied by the fair hands of beauty.
"Bring, them, your laurels, lilies roses.
Bind them into sweetest posias,l c.
Strew them where in d. ath reposes;
The dear. precious dust.
OF our braves, the true and k~nightly,
Ger each hallowed grave tread lightly
IT'S q sacred trlst
Thus to scatter flowers above
Lowly graves of those we love"
No belted knight ehr buckled on his
armor. in a higher, nobler cause than that
they died to defend, the memory of which
we live to honor, revere and perpetuete
We were a prosperous. a happy, d united
people,, a bountiful Providence had
lavished it's gifts upon US. Nature sur
rounded MS by lovely homes and smiling
fields. The temperate zone Of the earth
blooming with Natures rarest fruits and
choicest flowers, with d soil pnequalled
upon the face OF the globe, yielding per
%renniai treasures TO the hand Of man, ant
containing vast mines of mineral wealth
within its bright bosom. Above all {
noble manhood, sons of gallant sires who
bequeathed Gods brightest gifts, ,chiyalrots
honor; undying patriotism, and christian
virtue. Marked by an individuality cap
%tivatins to the traveller, characterized by {
unity Indicative of that bond of noble chart
ty and generous hospitality, which distin
guished them from all the world beside
IA'elorious, q noble, a heroic race. One ir
etheir history and traditions, sublime in ther
Isuffering and peerless in their heroisln.
| Dwelling here upon the bosom of thi:
beautiful land--at peace with themselves
and all mankind, nothing tended to disturb
their repose, until an insolent people, bloat
ed with power; invaded the sanctuary o
her honor. Twas then that her avengins
sword leapt from It's %scabbards and an out
ragged people, true to the ancestral courage
of this sunny land, made no c%ompromis'
between honor and ruin. Standing alon'
and fr;endless among the nations of tht
earth, she bore the shock of war, and liftin.
her young and trusting heart to the God Q
Battles, she Joined in a dark and dubioul
strife, No yioce Of sympathy spared he
on to action, but with high and sublime
intrepidity, she formed a horrid battle front
and when the ~blatkeniug pillows of inva
sion poured upon herfromr every quarter o
the habitable' globe, with calm and daunt
less mfeu she died besides the flashing o
her gunss We are not here to-day, m.
friends, 80 deal in elimination or. recrimi
nate. We are not here to enumerate count
less wrongs familiar to you all /; upon
solemn day like this, heart-burning and pas
sion should not rule the hour. Let evel
the quick, beating of manly hearts stitre'
by better memories. be stilled as we stan,
here in this City Of the Dead: but Will
we bow submissively to the mysteriou
dispensation Of a Divine Providence, let Il
proclaim the justice of our cause, and lie
X not he with falterinp tongue, tremblin