Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-06-18
Address of WI. Wilson, ESQ.,,
At ..ShePhssrrdsstose4, june .lst, 1S12..

Address OF w. L. Wilson, ESQ.,,
-At 'SAel2YA.sSrestgsgg, ~ June 4 Is, 1871.
ladies Of The Memorial Association -
obedlent to your summons, we are gathered.
to offer incense at the shrine of Southern
heroism. In accordance with that simple and
touching ceremony, which has so deservedly
become custom among among US, we bring
flowers torithe graves of our dead, and for
their memories, tribute of love and of graf
itude
To the brave and the true among men, the
grave OF the heroic soldier, wherever it NAV
be- is hallowed ground, his memory precious
inheritance but for US who gather to this
service, there are voices from these graves
which no other ears can hear, there are
memories in them, which no other hearts can
feel. The living were ours, of us and from
US, hound to US in life, by the ties of kinship.
OF friendship, of sympathy, of assertion in
suffering and danger; and the dead are ours,
ours not more their treasured dust, gathered
into this peaceful cemetery, than all the
thronging' glorious memories, that spring i'm.
mortal from that dust.
Holy indeed was the love, kindled Mt the
altar of womans devotion, which, ere the
echoes of war had died iu the land. and when
gloom and dismay wers brooding over all
things. sought out, before time could lay his
edaclnS hand upon them, the graves of our
fallen soldiers, whether they lay upon the field
OF battle. along the weary highway, within
the shadow of the hospital or in tho lonely
forest, gathered their ashes, as so many
treasures saved from the general wreck guard
ed them from desecration, and with tenderest
care deposited them in safe and appropriate
burial places; beautiful indeed has been the
impuIsive affection that, each returning season
has strewn their graves with raro and
fragrant flowers and high and sacred is the
duty. now resting upon us their survivors and
friends, to guard well their reputation, to
cherish their memories, and to preserve, for
ourselves and for prosperity, all the heritage
of glory and of goodness those memories con
tain. And by the fortune of war this is. at
present, our exclusive trust, tor to us alone.
among men, was it granted to behold. with
our own eyes, the unveiled spiendor of those
qualities which even through the gloom of
defeat, and the clouds of passion and preiu>
dice, awakened the wonder aud claimed the
admirng respect of mankind False shall
we be to the dead. doubly false to ourselves,
II we fail or refuse, on any fitting occasion. TO
recall and commemorate whatever was true
and good and great in them. as we'll for the
Information of history as for our own inspirn-
tion and encouragement To the outside
world, these are the graves of soldiers who
fought and fell i'll unsuccessful war whose
valor and zeal Won the ephemeraI applause of
their fellow men, but failed to achieve the
substantial rewards of victory and SUCCESS.
but we know that with these dead the mortal
powers and heroic valor. conspicuous and
dashing as they we're, were but the necessary
and incidental adornments of virtues. which,
in peace as in war, the foundations of all
true manhood. the springs of all true life
Theirs indeed was the courage which blazed
IN the face of DANGER but theirs also was the
mndesty, that could perform heroic deeds and
spurn the fame "f their achievement: theirs
indeed, was the zeal that overcame suffering
and sacrifice. but theirs also the unseIfshness
that could lay upon the altar of its faith. com
fort and wealth, reputa ion and life all tlriIpS
that men most eagerly cnvet and strive alter
in this world, without murmur, aud without
a boast OF sacrifice; and theirs also the un-
shrinking devotion to duty that made this
lie OF danger. suffering and sacrifice a courted
destiny. These are the memories which we
are permitted to recall on such day as this,
for these we're the qualities with which the
dead were invested when they moved in life
among US, qualities so rare among men that
the world can afford to lose no manifestation
of them.
Is it mere sentiment that brings ms to
these services Are there no LESSONS for the
living to be learned at the graves of the dead?
When the bands of earthly kinship and sym
Pathy are suudered, are not the Influences of
such place and such day. so many incen-
tIves to urge US to seek kinship aud sympa-
thy With their noble qualities and their un-
suilied virtues? Ah !! we need such shrines
as these ;-more and more, each passing wear.
we need such lessons to be urged upon us by
voices we cannot refuse to hear Amid the
hustle and tumult, amid the rivalry and con-
tention, amid the vain and hot pursuits of
busy life, the whisperi1gs of modesty, the
tender pleadibgs of uuselishuess, the clarion
voice of duty are unheeded unheard; aud !
happy is the people which as the air thickeus
with the exhalations of moral and political !
decay as gross and naked selfshuess be-
comes the sole commended and recognized
law of human intercourse /; as the blight of
rnsterialisn hardens and desdens every high
and generous IMPULSE of NUNS spiritual be-
ing. as the duties of patriots in the ties of
blood. the honor of family. the. confidential
trusts of life, are rated at a price in the cur
rent coin of the day happy. indeed. is the
people that can aud viii gather 20 such spot
this, bringing the flowers that fade, with
the mozrow's sun and taking hence garland