The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-05-01

Jus tfa1lhs uiAuo AZ the COLONIZATION 81 the
Lexinalon and Concord Centennial, by
Gen. Vim. = Bartlett, OF Mas, who was
a gallant soldier during the late war. III
rcspons to the ioass, North aud South y
Gen, W. T. Bartlett, ul piasGeld, made
the following excellent speech
Mn, PREsInENr: --0f the relations Of
the NORTH Ia the South | am not 40 un.
prejudice,l observer. On tbs contrary, |
have a prejudice, which Is shared By an
soldiers, In favor Of peace, aud think
NAY safely say that between the soldiers
Of the two great sections Of our great
country, irateFnal relations were establish.
ed long ago. I have alsa u strong ,,rpjn.
Dice against any man or mcn who would
divide OF destroy, or resard the prosperity
and progress OF the nation whose corner
Stone was laid in the blood Of our fathers
100 years ago to-day, Moved by this
prejudice, fourteen years ago, | opposed
the men who preferred disunion to death
True to this prejudice to-day despise the
inen who woald for the sake of self or
party stand in the way Of reconciliation
and united country. The distinguished
soldier who is your chief guest to-day
never came nearer bo the hearts Of the
people than when he said, "Let as have
peace; and, Sir, the only really bclligerent
people in the country to day, North and
South, are those who, while the war lasted,
followed carefully the paths Of peace. Do
not believe that the light aud dirty froth
which is blown northward and scattered
over the land, oftcn.imes for malicious
purposes, represents the true current Of
public opinion at the South Look to their
heroes, their leaders, their Gordons, their
Lees, their Jehnsons, their Lamar, Ran
som and Ripley, and tell inc if you find
in their utterances anything bat renewed
loyalty and devotion to united country.
These are the men, as our great and good
Gov. Andrew told you at the close Of the
war-these are the men by whom aud
through whom you must restore the South,
instead OF the ineaner men for whom power
IS only synonym for plumber, As l
begged you last Summer l entreat you
again, do not repel the returning love Of
these men by suspicion or indifference.
II you cannot in forgiveness skill the
fatted calf" do not with GOODNESS 'kill the
prod;gal.' When the Fifty-fourth Mas
sachusetts Regiment made its gallant at.
tack on Fort Wagner in July, 1863, it
lost, with hundreds OF It's brave men, its
heroic leader and its colors. A few weeks
ago that flag was gracefully returned to
the Governor Of Massachusetts, By that
officer who took it in action with these
noble words
Under the existing state Of things deem
i decorous, If not positive duty, to promote
the oblivion Of animosities which led to and
we're engendered by the war. Iprefer to look
upon such trophies Ms mementoes of the gal
liant conduct OF men, who, like Shaw, Putnam,
and other sons Of Massachusetts, sealed with
their lives their devotion to the cause which
they adopted, rather than as evidences Of
proves on the one side or the other. The
custodians OF such memento should be the
authorities of the State honored by those gal.
liant men, and therefore transmit the flag to
your Excelleney for such disposition as the
authorities OF Massachusetts, shall determine.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
II. S. RirLEY.
No one but soldier can know how he
would cling to trophy that he had taken
in honorable battle. No one but a soldier
knows what it would cost to give it up,
unless compelled by loftier motives Of
chiyalrous patriotism, aud when General
Ripley wrote that letter he thought not Of
self, nor Of South Carolina, nor Of Massa-
chusetts, but of restored and united
country. There are tattered flags in that
sacred hall in yonder capitol around which,
in the shock of battle, | have seen dear
friends aud brave men fall like autumn
leaves; there are flags there that | cannot
look upon without tears of pride and sor-
row; but there is no flag there which has
to-day for us a deeper significance, or that
bears within its folds brighter omen Of
Peace on earth, good will to mel" than
that battle stained emblem SO tenderly re.
stored by n son Of South Carolina, whom
here in the name Of the soldiers of Massa-
chusetts | thank and greet as a brother. |
And am proud that he was an American |
soldier As an American | am as proud |
of the men who charged so brayely with |
Pickett's Division on our lines at Gettys-
burg, as | am Of the men who bravely met
and repulsed them there. Men cannot
always choose the right cause, but when,
having chosen that which conscience die
tates, they are ready to die for it, if they
justify not their cause, they at least emo
BILE themselves, and the men who for con-
science sake fought against their Govern
mcnt at Gettysburg ought easily to be for
given by the sons of the men who for
conscience sake fought against the Gov
eminent at Lexington aud Bunker Hill.
Oh, Sir, as Massachusetts, was first in war,
50 let her be ia peace, and she shall for
ever be first in the hearts Of her country
men. And let us here resolve that, true
TO her ancient motto while in war, ease
petit ptdcidaBi, in peace she demands not
only for herself but tor every inch Of this
great county, SUD iibertate quietam.
As fit accompaniment TO tue speech
IF Gen. Bartlett, We add the following ac-
count Of Memorial Day at Augusta, Ga.
April 26, aud an abstract Of the speech Of
zen. Evans, whore the ladies' decorated
with flowers the graves Of the federal and
'oufedcrate dead alike, showing that the
passions Of the war have died ont, and are
no longer felt in the South.
AUGUSTA, Ga, April 26.--aIemorial
lay was observed here with unusually i'm
posing ceremonies; there was large parade
and procession. The cornerstone Of the
monument was laid. Ia his
speech Gen. Evans said: ssLet us do
nothing to keep alive the passions Of war,
To study its lessons is prudence, to profit
BY its teaching is wisdom, but to stir up
the old animosties is madness. The voice
Of this monument will not be for war but
for peace. II viii say to US the Confeder.
acy has expired. Its great life went GU,
on the purple tide Of blood that flowed
from the hearts Of its sons. We have
buried Il; we don't intend to exhune its +,
remains. We were utterly defeated, and
VIC dismiss our rcsentments. Sadly We