The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1870-11-12

AGOc, tcllS tudt IL was tlllS >Out UlaItL luHt
wrought the revolution of 1916. APP
plauSc. We we're the heirs Of all the
glory OF that immortal struggle. 1t was
purchased with our blood with the blood
of our fathers, which yet t}ows IN these
veins, and which we desire to transmit,
pure and consecrated, to the sons that
arc born to our lions. [Applause.] The
traditions of the past sixty Years were a
portion of our heritage. and it never was
easy for any great heart and reflective
mind even to seem to part with that her
itage to enter upon thu pefilous effort of
establishing ii new nationality.
Mr.. President, it was my privilege
once to be thrilled in d short speech, ut
tered 10y onca,f the nobIest names clus-
tering upon the roll of South Carolina
for, sir. South Carolina was Viryinia'S
sister, and South Carolina stood 10y Vir-
ginia in the old struggle as Virginia
stood 10y South Carolina in the new, APP
plausr] and the little State, small rs
Greece, barren in resources, but great
only in the grandeur OF the men, in their
gigantic proportions. whom she like
Virginia, was permitted to prodlce-I
heard, sir, one of South C:rolillas SONS
speak once thus II walked through the
Tower ofLondon, that grand repository
where are gathered the memorials of
England's martial prnwess, and when
the guide, in the pride OF his English
heart. pointed to the 'spolls of war col
ltrtcd through centuries OF the past
: said this speaker, lifting himself upon
..:n toe that he might reach his greatest
height. Il said 'you cannot point to one
single trophy from my people, or my
country, though Eng land engaged in
two disastrous wars with her" .Ap
rlauSc.1 Sir, this was the sentiment.
We loved every inch of American solI'
and loved every part of that canvas
.Nointing to the Stars and Stripes above
him) which, as Il symbol of power and
authority, foated from the spires ants
from the mastheads of our vessels; and
it was after the anguish OF II woman in
birth that this land that now lies in her
sorrow and ruin took upon herself that
great peril; hut it is emblcmatizcd in
the regret experienced by him whose
praises are upon our ps, and who. like
the English Nelson, recognized duty en-
grav,d in letters of light as the only ell
sign he could follow, and vino, tca,ing
away from all the associations of early
life, and abandoning the reputation gain
ed in the old service, made up his mind
to embark in the new, and with that
modesty and that tirmness belonging
only to the truly great expressed his
| Willingness to live and die in the posi-
ton assigned to him.
And, sir, accept this noble chieftain
equally as the representative of this
Southland III the spirit of his retirement
from the struggle. 1t could not escape
any speaker upon this platform to al
Jude to -he dignity of that retirement
how from the moment he surrendered,
he Withdrew from observations holding
aloof from all POLITICAL complications.
aud devoting his entire eneVgivS to the
work he had undertaken to discharge.
| In this lie represents the true attitude OF
| the South since the close of the war-a'l
attitude of quiet submission to the con
Quering power, and of obedience to all
cxactions-but without recoiling from
those great principles which were EN-
halked in the struggle. and which, aS
the convictions of IA lifetime, no honest
mind could release. Applause.
Sir. all over this land of ours there arc
men like Lee-not as great, not as SYM
metrical In development of character
not as grand in the proportions tEey
have reached. but who, like him, are
slecping upon memories that are as death
and who, amidst all reproach, appeal
to the future, and to the tribunal of his.
tory. when she shall render her final yer.
dict in reference to the struggle closed
for the yindicatioH embalmed in that
struggle. [Applause.] We are silent
resigned, Obedient, and thoughtful, sleep
ing upon solemn memories, Mr.. Presl
dent; but as said by the poet preacher
in the Good Book, II sleep, but my hear
waketh' looking upon the future that il
to come. and powerless in everything
except to pray to Almighty God wh'
; rules the dpstinies of nations, that those
who have the power may at last have tn
grace given them to preserve the consti.
tutonal principles which we endeavore'
, to maintain. Applause.] And, sir
were it my privilege to speak in th
hearing of the entire nation, | would Mt
, ter with the profoundest emphasis thi
, pregnant truth: that no people eve
, traversed those moral ideas which TN
f derlie its character, its constitution, it
, institutions and it's laws, that did no
, in the end perish in disaster, in sham
, and dishonor. Applause.] Whateve
be the glory, the material civilization
| which it may boast, it still holds tru
that the truth is immortal, and that idea
] rule the world.
, And now. sir, have but single wore
| to say, and that is, that the grave of thI
! hero is bedewed with the most telde
, and sacred tears ever shed upon a human
, tomb.
, was thinking in my study this after
r noon, striving tD strike out something
! might utter on this platform, and TIN
parallel between the first Washingto
: and the second occurred to me. l aske
, my own heart the question, would yo
E not accept the fame, and the glory an
. the career of Robert E. Lee just as SO"
as accept the glory and the carce
+ of the immortal man who wa
his predecessor. Sir, there is patho
in fallen fortunes which stirs the sens
r bilities and touches the very fountain {
: human feeling. am not sure that
I this moment Napoleon, the enforce