Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-07-08

1t is exceedingly pleasant, in these
days, when men arc so prone to pander te
place and power, to hear such manly utter
ances as those which emanated from Gen
Wade Hampton, on the occasion of unveil-
ing the statue, recently erected by the Wash
lngton Light Infantry. Of Charleston, to
their comrades. who fell in the late war.
They nre but reflex of the sentiments Of
the many who went into, aided, or sympa-
thized with the ''Lost Cause and their
candid avowment will create pleasurable
emotion in the breast Of all who read them
That our readers may enjoy like pleasure
with us in their perusal, we copy the follow
ing extract from Gen. Hampton's address f:
Let US, then my friends and comrades,
cling with unrelaxing grasp and mistaken
confidence to the faith that is in u.s. Let
not the angry threats Of oppression or the
syren voice Of temptation drive or allure us
to forsake it. Above all, be not misled by
that unmeaning jargon which tells you that
your cause was submitted to the arbitrament
Of arms, and that the sword has decided that
cause against you. The sword has never,
nor will it ever, decide a principle or estab-
lish truth 1t can, as it has often done,
overthrow just cause and make might take
the place of right; but it can never revise
the immutable laws Of God, make what is
evil appear right in His sight. A noble
cause, upheld heroically by honor, courage
and patriotism may die along with its sup
porters. A great truth never dies but,
eternal as the God-head from which it lives
forever, amid all the changes Of dynasties,
the wreck Of empires. and the death of ma
tons 1t is too, as false in fact as IN logic
to assert that the sword can OF does decide
Justly between right and wrong. With the
sword the Goths and Vandals drenched
the fair field of Italy with the best blood of
Of her sons 1t gave nearly half the world
to Mahomet It allowed the Turks to tram
pie out the civilization Of Greece. Its keen
edge has d;smernbered Poland. 1t has left
Hungary bleeding at the feet Of the opposer.
It has turned over Spain and Portugal to
| to the tender mercies Of the Saracen, and on
this continent and in our day, directed by
| INSCRIPTIONS power against the Threats of
PROSTATE States, reeking with parricidal
blood, it enforces the laws which it alone
has made. Tell me not, then, that the
| sword can rightfully turn the scales of JUS
tice. 1t is the exponent of tyranny, not
the arbitrator of truth-the badge of the
tyrant and the executioner, not the symbol
Of justice. Il is not at all inconsistent with
these views that we, as conquered people,
should observe scrupulously the terms die
tated by the sword and accepted by us. We
can do this and should do it, in perfect good
faith but we should claim and exercise
the God given right of freedom of opinion.
We acknowledge that the cause for which
these men died is lost, but we should be false
to that cause, were we to admit that they
we're, because of failure, necessarily wrong.
We believe that they were right, and we
therefore honor and respect their memory
If they were right, time will vindicate the
action and accord their fame. If wrong,
'It Was grieyous fault,
And grievousy have they answered if"