The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1877-06-22

to you, TO be for awhile your foes. For
them, too, let the flowers of your sym
patty, your compassion, your generous
affection be shed. They, too, were your
brothers. They, too, were citizens OF
the republic. They, too, believed that
they were in the right, and that their
cause wa the cause Of justice and free
dom. Submitted TO the stern arbitra-
ment of war, the issue has been decided
against them. They met their doom,
and there they lie in death. But time
is merciful, it considers circumstances,
makes allowance for motives, mitigates
the sentence and strips it OF dishonor.
There is great virtue in time. 1T heals
many a wound, dries many a tear, and
teaches men the blessed lesson of forgive
ness. Time has quenchcd all The lire OF
ancient anger. The common sense, the
~magnanimity, the instructive statesman
ship of the people have recovered their
sway, and reconciliation, long delayed,
is now not only a virtue, it has become a
necessity. The horrid nightmare, the
dark fever of strife and struggle, with
all their bitter memories have vanished
ia the returning light of day, and all
men, north, south, east, ana west, nave
awakened to the consciousness that we
are all one in destiny, united in Joy or IN
sorrow, for triumph or defeat one in
language, in culture, in traditio and
structure of law, and that the blow
which strikes one section, one class, one
race, one city, one village or hamlet in
the Land sends the shock vibrating
through it all.
Take, then, that palmetto tree, and set
it, with all reverence, on the confederate
soldiers grave. He lived where 1t grew.
He was, ! doubt not, a brave and faith,
full man, loyal to the cause he loved and
which he believed was worthy OF his
love. May the tree grow and flourish
and spread far its bounteous shade. And
SO, rich in its elevating, purifying, and
ennoblinginfuences, let this day OF com
memoration be passed through all the
land. May no word be spoken that could
arouse ancient unkinduess, or stir the
embers of an angry thought.
The soldiers, by whose groves we
stand, had little anger in their hearts. ]
have been told, that in the midst of bat
tie, in the very heat and fire of conflict,
federal and confederate soldiers have
been known to pause for awhile by mu-
tual consent, lay down their arms, drink
at the same brook, out Of the same cup,
exchange friendly courtesies, and, for the
time forget the deadly work which but a
few moments before had set them in arms
against one another. Could it be that
we, after sixteen long years of peace,
have failed to acquire the same mag
nanimity which they, in the short
breathing times of battle, were used to
display? The experience of all lite
teaches us no worthier lesson than the
wisdom of forgiveness, Look there on
the graves, and receive the silent admo-
milton of death. There at last, the
soldier of the north and the soldier OF
the south are comrades, and sleep side
by side, On their graves falls the same
sunlight. They are wet by the same
dew, covered now by the same verdue,
clothed in winter by the same mantle OF
snow. Their battle is all over their
life's campaign is done, and with equal
and devotion we pray tor them
all: "May they restin peace"