The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-10-28
The Southern Historical Society.
Second AnHunl Meestng--A BfffaienE
Assembsage-Intc Addresses
by Hon. Y. n. r. Hunter And
General JuIsal q. Early.
REPORTS OF THE SECRETARY AND
$. TREASURER. f IS, ss 5;s Z

I
80 go ssss9ss
REPORTS OF THE SECRETARY AND Il
Il TREASURES. sss
Prospects or che Society, dc &c., DC.
There assembled in the hall Of the House
Of Delegates last night such an audience as,
the second annual meeting Of the Southern
Historical Society might be expected TO at.
tract. Ex-Confedera.e officers, sr1en who
figured in the civil history Of the COnfeds-
racy. the men Of the rank and file who fol-
4 lowed the 'stars and bars some OF our
best citizens and fairest women, honored the
occasion with their presence, and the hall
was TILED Its utmost capacity.
DISTINGUISHES. AssEaBLAGs.
Governor J.. L. Kemper. Ex-Governor
John Letcher, General J.. A. Early, General
Dabney Fl. Maury, General e. u. Walker,
Hon. r. NJ Z. Hunter, General Fiiz Leo,
General F. II. Smith, General j. r. Ander-
son, Rev. DR.. j. Il. Edwards, Rev. DR. Jeter,
Rev. DR.. Curry. Hon. Jere. Morton, General
W. FL. F. Lee, General II. Heth. aud MIN.
Der Of other men OF mark We're noted among
those present in the audience.
After a most appropriate prayer by Rev.
DR.. j. B. Jeter, General j. A. Early made
few remarks, IN which he addressed the
ladies as well rs the gentlemen, & as they
were
DEMONSTRATORS IN TIE NEW REBELLION
| Which, it is charged. has been inauguraied."
4 He stated that although the Society had
been inaugurated under very lntaYorable
circumstances they had collected vast
amount of most valuable material. They had
Il a. tni a rob Ia Of N.
than could have been expected under all of
the circumstances. But there is yet vast
amount of material to be collected before it
perishes forever. He was not willing that
the other side should write the history. This
Society only seeks to elicit the truth. 1t bad
been stated ia the resolution which passed
The Legislature that this Society sis not Sec
tional." This is emphatiealIy true, for the
Society only seeks The truth, and the truth Is
never sectional.
After statement of the terms of member
ship and the importance Of securing new
members, General Early announced that
distinguished gentleman would address the
Society.
General Elrly said that it would he abb
surd in him before an audience assembled in
the capital of Virginia to speak words of
eu,ogy concerning him, who was known and
honored throughout the whole country.
| He would only announce the name Of Hon.
L. NJ. Il. Hunter.
Mr.. Hunter was received with loud ap-
pause, and without manuscript, and To that
style peculiar to this distinguished states
man, delivered tue address of the occasion.
ADDRESS OF HON. n. NJ. T. HgSTER.
we have met here to review the tics which bind
and common suiferngs. We have come to weave
again, and still more irmly the bonds OF an oiden
Fellowship which bind us to each other, and which
we are proud to remember. May neither rivalry
nor resentment fret those bonds asunder l nave
onss the s surssors Of the British army which
| was engaged at Waterloo, composed OF omcerS OF
certain rank, who were to meet ANNUALLY 10 ssie
numbers tlinncd SO rapidly that their ilcetihsss
became better calculated TO celebrate the death OF
amongst the living. SO melancholy became those
meetings that members OF al ranks were admitted
the an n W ge sh Iepg befofe we shall Be
| subjected to this catastrophe, we draw from so
much larger numbers, ana descend SO mmcn lower WEI,
ranks bus still Nature will hold Its course ana inc
when s or ws pesn
stand 1t Is our chief purpose to collect the matraiS
from these who were actors In thescenes and afnrs
pose is the great object of this Association, and well
does 1t beoove us to accomplishit we have heln pea
written For wee to the people who leave Il to their
conGucrors to write the history Of the contest. The
il seems to be dliicuft to resist them Already we
hear boasts of victories which no contemporaries or
those events expected to hear claimed 6raaas az
great victory over Lee at Appomattox. IL ne DIS
no substantial claims 10 military fame than
this prelcnsUn slender indeed Is tho founnntlon on
when 1t rests. When Lee left Petersburg In retreat
he had but AZ, 600 men, Ms distinguished member
of this body assures he had 10 from his own llpsy
in opposition TO 100000 under Grant. md when
he surrendered, according to SwInton, their own
ssr hand Whilst the reesdus little than
, 10000 were wandering about III pursuit OF 1000,
without srs, without food almost ~it9as ctSn s
aud the most necessary things OF life: When Dcath
threatens us under The pomp ana circumstances OF
war manhood resists him, ami the brave give nut
little heed TO bis menaces. But when ne comes ON
the pale horse, with famine and exhaustion on
either hand, II Is not In human nature 70 Draye Did:
he Goldes then We m ny Ill ga sys
and children also. Poor, indeed must DC inc cnIon-
Gle of heroic achieve ments Ia the life OF man VINO
Is forced to boast Of such riumphs as these In ordef
10 make any show atall. But conqueroFs oil much
higher type not always to be trusted 70 recount
the great julius did entire Justice TO the Grave Gaul
| whom ne suuuued, aud whom, with want Of mat
maguaIhuiity which, more than sli things, honors
the brave. he led up In cruei triumph anu Vht W
Tie rciiiied and subtle Greek must have tried
mems pa.enc. soreiy by bis books aud narratives
when even Juvenai was forced 10 make BIS indig-
| naut protest against outs qua MeaItGr Gf4cuitS
.ver made 80 monsrous boast Us that " Grants
victory over Lac at the surrender or App0mattox.
Perhaps there are men mere WHO Eiil ses tns asy
Feier victories unless something Is done TO yinai-
cate the truth or history. Iinysef have heard The
former called mere panic. 1t was, Indeed. panicS
| but lie succeeded, ana did not prcctde, victory.
GenrlemcD, we must collect the m1ieri8t ior
truthful story of this iniahty struggts IN al ns
him bear the penalty before the world. Here Is
tribunal to WHICH none can except Bat srtnfn d
ne To- the ler 1ic dead who aIeep on many battle
fields, and died In the hops that tier deeds
&c or y q sec sae not
disappointed. il Is due TO The great mens who go
Ssa a den 'l Cannot ee teselve, tSai an
appropriate niche in the teInpi. OF fame
secured to them IhsS are sas e 70 ,d ae
Of their countrynen. Let US make goo their
claims. II Is due to the crest eause which was 80
OF naIriotsm in the defeaie-a war for which It 10
hard 10 find para In history. Let US record its
origin, lis progress Its decline and ia, ina sp,r.it
keep alive enmttie5 and ngimosities; nos 10 stsr
upsectonal disaffecion not 70 make two people OF
Ss p1y a1 progress Of ali, and VINO win Be ons
IL TIE pledges re ;ccmed-as they VIII De II met
In the spirit In which they were offered. susn q
due, Loo, TO the pest interests of The eotfuerthg
party that they should see what thing iseyu war,
and anxieties, AID understaad how dsn-
grrous It. is 10 SOW The spirit q, Ms-5
secon TO the whole n any SETON 20 ~ sRa
est interests Of human nature are ihoseof truth. t
Is history which makes tie lessons OF the past auSe-
full guidance for conduct In the future. W nhout
history there can be no advancement In kn9wlsdxes
no prcgre6 In niznktnd. -. &
truth is the champion and history me uu1pes5
4 before wIcsp blsSs5 the battieIcDfs Of error fat
whether reared in bgotrF or ,gnofznst Attex ~,
100 history IS grear ro.eetlon 10 weak agtnee
the strong 4 respect The verdict os Fupnc
! opinion Al that great bar everything ospenos
spon the tsurh Of the pleaetngs IL great pH