Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-11-10
BRISTOL, VIRGINIA & TENNESSEE, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1874

and there's coming man, undoubt-
eddy, who will write it. This, indeed,
we can do, and it is due, to the dead
that we should do it. 1t is due, too, to
the living, many of whom | see here.
that it should be done. This is due
not only to ourselves, but to the world
There never was war whose history
will be read with more interest than
this. Of all contests, those between
the weak and strong interest us most,
if the weak stand up bravely and meet
their difficulties becOmingly. From
the day of David and Goliah down to
this war, such contests have always
enlisted human interest. Men do not
help the weak when they fear the
strong, but they always sympathise
with the weak who meet their trials
with courage and becoming fortiude
and patience. I think it may be
shown that no people ever encoun-
tered difficulties with greater courage
and patience than did our Southern
people in their recent contest. Let its
history he fairly written, and I believe
the world will accord with me. But
in commemorating ands and self-de-
denial of the men, we
MUST NOT FORGET THE WOMEN.
When did they ever fail to respond
promptly to any demand which was
made upon them for food, or raiment,
or anything they could furnish to our
men in the field? In how many in
stances did they rebuke desertion p
Or when were they heard to complain
of any sacrifices necessarily imposed
upon them by the war? 1t was one
of the last acts of the war when the
Confederate government appealed to
the women of Virginia for food for the
soldier. How cheerfully was it giveni
In how many instances did the wo-
men say, upon examining her stores,
II and my family will live upon the
bread, let the soldier have the meat;n
and at the time of Lees surrender
depOts were being formed in the State
which were wasted or destroyed with
out even helping those for whom they
were designed.
But the abolition of slavery was not
the only object sought by those who
chiefly provoked this cruel war. They
were anxious to centralize the Govern
ment, and as far as possible, concen
trate all essential power in the Fede-
raj Head. This probably was as much
desired by them as the abolition of
slavery itself For myself, it is an OBJ
ject of even more interest than the
emancipation policy. Virginia was
opposed to slavery, when it was forced
upon her. 1t was established in her
midst against her earnest remonstran-
ces. But when once forced upon her,
she was against tampering with it, ex-
cept at her own time and in her own
way. In this [ agreed with her. She
was fast
OUTGRoWING TIE INSTITUTION,
and believe. if left alone she would
have dealt with it herself But she
was not allowed to do this, and now |
have nothing more to say about it,
Slavery here is gone, and have no
moan to make on its loss. | believe it
it is true that it might have been man
aged much better for all concerned.
But the other is matter of everlast-
ing interest. Changes have taken
rlace ard are taking place that may
be fatal to our progress and happiness.
To what lengths they may so do not
pretend to fOresee. But when
change is once given by force to the
direction of governments they are apt
t. pursue it To the end. In the great
rebellion OF Great Bitain a democratic
tendency was given To their policy,
and this they have been pursuing
with but little intermission ever since,
until now it is obvious to all that an
entire change has been made in the
spirit Of her institutions. That Il cen
traliZing tendency has been given to
our policy by the late war very few
Will deney. That centraiisn in our
Government must end in despOtism.
is, | think, obvious to all. Despotism
may strengthen the government, but
it does so at the expense of the rights
of the people. The government may
grow stronger, but the people will
grow weaker morally and physically.
Society will cease to move with the
united intelligence, energies and re-
sources of the whole, but only with
what the government may exact from
it by force. No longer buOyant, self
reliant and inquisitive. no longer COM
manding the moral and physical re-
sources of every man and the love OF
every heart, the reliance of the gov
erning power must be mainly OIL the
fear OF the governed, which in times of
great trial is often a dependence poor
enough. Let the history of this con-
test between republican governments
be told. and then show the fierce par
allel, if any be found, in war of des-
pots. Take the greatest of them all,
Napoleon First, and l say his last
struggle on the soil of France, though
wonderful in point of genius. in the
union and devotion of the people, does
not compare with that of Lee in the
supreme hour of his trial. The
CONTEST BETWEEN LEE AND GRANT,
from the Wilderness to Cold Harbor,
so far as the former is concerned, will
compare well, when the comparative
resources of the two are considered,
with any struggle recorded in history.
Gentlemen, changes have been
forced upon US, Changes may yet be
forced upon us leading to consequent
ces which | do not pretend to foresee.
There is change Of growth-another
of decline. Which direction we are
now taking do not undertake to say.
But this l will say: Virginia has
nothing to do with any of them. She
resisted them with all her strength
she fought them to the last-she fought
them to the death-for we all knew
what victory in that contest by ma
jority might mean, until at last, with
out food, without arms, naked, but not
ashamed, she let fall the sword which
from pure exhaustion. she had no loD-
ger the strength to WELD. and resigned
the weapon, which, in the hands of
a Washington and Lee, had shone
with splendor that time cannot dim
nor defeat obscure. Worn down by
the unequal contest. when she could
no longer sustain it, she submitted
with a dignity so calm and bore un-
merited suffering and ungenerous per-
secution with patience so sublime,