New-York tribune., 1878-05-04
TIE LECTURE.

Avn cor>rpvNyN. You asked me TO select as
my theme this evening Tie Confederate sol
der" and the deed was as manly ana gen
erous ip Won as Il WIS acceptable to me and to al
those who once bore that name II s wecomedhs soo'
omen Of better days TO come. It is accepted as tne
crowrine evidence OF real sincere determination on the
mart of those who fought for national uhS
10 obIiterato every yestge OF stcuona Icei
ing Now and then. but less aud less frequently donna
goeues for sinister purposes. make spaSmodc efforts
10 rekndlo tho dying embers Of our late oonhagrau"h
INT pubc sentiment condemns all such efforts and they
will soon cease altogether Your invitation, and my
presence here evening In answer 10 H. furnish inc
strongest proof the capital for that trade is tA
hausted II has been carried on on bOih SIDES, phc
pally 10y men who whatever else they may have she'd
id not spi an alarming quantity OF blood during the
war and are not recognized by their countrymen as
heroes OF the civil strife. lApplauseI
The Confederate soldier aud the male citizen of the
Confederate states nearly absolutely synonymous
forms No other Government was ever charged "lth
robbiug the cradle and grave to recruit its melt
ing armies The question has been asked thousand
times how it could happen that people who were SO
opposed 20 secession III March, ls6l should III May
following have been enthusiastic in their determination
20 resist 10 the last extremity the power
of the Federal Government The answer to TINS
ouestion is very simple; it contains tho whole
philosophy OF the Confederate struggle. 1t is
this. While the people differed to the abstract
right Of state to withdraw the Union, they were
almost unanimous in tb conviction that II sta'c uid
secede the other bad right to use armed iorce
TO hold her. the first duty of citizen IN such
case was to his own State This had been the political
education Of Of all parties hence the COnieoerae
soldier
There have been and still arc very erroneous ideas as
IN the motives which Influenced these men to take mp
arms Among them the idea that they were inspired
by fanatCal love Of the institution OF slavery Net
only small portion Of the people Of the South owned
prywitia ms GNH IL
ern man will deny, that not one man in one hundred
living there at that time. and perhaps not one in
tbousand would have shed drop OF his blood SIMPLY
10 save that institution [Applause IhOnesty believe
land base my judgment upon historical facts as well as
personal observaOu) that but for the agitation OF that
question for years previous to the war; gradual emnci
nation under the pressure Of public opinion III
the South alone would have been inevitable.
The Confederate soldier fought strange as may sound
TO for exactly what you fought "i-i9VG oI
country and constitutional liberty How ne lCGShl u-
ing those four wears of horror you may be the judges
How he suffered through what priyations ne passed
bUt lion GcaTt-from battlefield to battlefield Of that
stricken land, none but God and his comrades WI" eve
You overthrow him. and returned amid the acclamn-.
tlOns of rejoicing millions, to happy and PROSPEROUS
solitary chimney where his cabin stood ana to KISS DE-
ragged children, who cried lor brca. het t, "ftTl
pusG,b tS hnf If was never made sickcning by
~ Robart r. lee 10 the surren Tered remnant OF his
~ human calamity" touched the heart Of the
Southern people, the blast OF Bessemer furnace
transforms the softened metal, steeled 1t against az
yersv They went work with the same spirit which
animated them during the war, exhibiting recupera
tive power at which you were amazed ana 'IeI touu
try then utterly desoate, smiled again with bounteous
haTvests and despite every obstacle mas steaey au
Yanced toward prosperity ana power IN tns iI"teli @
development OF that portion OF your country, Mo"
SUS Sm%n. "s AND Tie lille to which each can lay claim
with highest pride Is. 81 an American solder
matters OF history. You know, do, that II the set
temeni Of the questions resulting from the war hha peen
Stn oSt fI Las beSn n chronic disease in our body
noifc rake ont like the measles an over the country
and kent il IN state of constant irritation iOt some
SS1bI be erl %asS Of the Pcope throughout the South
were convinced that they would succeCdup to Juy -
news from ycksburg and Gettysburg that fatal day,
an uneasy suspicion as 10 the hnal result bSEan
was no dmiuution Of courage, for frequently after
that they fought magnicenty even more u.SPsIdicS
than ever They were REGARDED as an lhuooIt p"IOIf
ate people, whose enthusiasm would soon burh u,ci
out ID Tie presence Of continuous hard work Tnose
who entertained this conception OF mem ma e Il" %
apce for the combined influences OF caste ana lcpub
institutons in tho formation OF national ana ndydua
character. The result was sOcIety w Wi1c u @ Maa IN r
tive Of type OF men eminenty quaned 10 eAcc III war
Gratis leading the four millions Of Southern people blndy
into rebellion Is the merest stuff and diye II IS an III
and an utter peryerson of the truth If the masses Of
The people had not fully sympathzed with the move
been a failure from the beginning.
PECULIARITII.s OF THE SOUTHERN ARMY
There was one poculariy about the Confederate Army
OF which mention is seldom made. but which was very
significant 1t was almost entirely without suffers sul
tmapaed TO got along and TO win battles. When
nav-day came which occurred seml-OccasionallY II a
man wanted buy anything hetound thalt wOnd oan6-
disgustcd YOU used to be when you captured one one
of commissaIy WAGONS As to cot4Rg, t9e man w9 @
was caught with bled shrt on Hldh laIc as wen
as 'bl0ated bondholder" IN grecnback campaign, or
a doorkccperln In the present Congress- lLaughterl II
amusing 60 look back TO ls6l and recall te Or
caujzation aud equipment OF some OF the COnIcuer''
troops and aere let me say nat dty wofo T % oI @ thc
scions OF what called 'tle slave arstocracy: In my
which were ofiicered by appointment the Governor
the company and hed officers were eectea tue FORMER
by the rank and file, and the latter by me company
SieVs was The general rule in the service. There
were consequently, thousands of the best-edncaed
and woallhicst young men Oh tne sVu'H n d, dn ore
whte remember very WELL and which was terribly cut
10 pjees i'm their first fight which represented millions,
ana there hardly man IN 1t over thirty years o
age saw II Is amusing to ;all the organization ana
equipment Of Of them The eagerness to get Into
an actual fact that one regiment which wa.
ogaud and hurried on t to t9s nTs hy a asqs brave
cOlone.--who kiled-and charged battery Dy the
flank in column OF Ours. There happened to DO an old
soldier In II VINO usurped authority 9hu ole ID ~ no
before the guns trained on the head OF the cclu
One fellow anxious that whom his cOmradts faseu
shout, he Indignantly eAclIuleI' Al 9Vu ~ uV4 & ~ ,
Your fuss you'll scare em oil and we wont get SHOT,
He got several after that. 49,, -
0f conrse alter the development OF settled purpose
on the part the Northern people TO prosecute tue war
10 successful conclusion, evidenced Oy constant
increas se of their immense armies and unlimited
cumuation Of all the armament aud supplies on Ihhu
and sea necessary TO the accomplishment Oi ther puf-
pose, It became only question OF une now
long the COnfederates could mold out Ihey dld holu
out 10 the uttermOSt verge Of absolute exhaustion
The slow and painful task Of restoring wasted and 70
prosperity is now going Chastened and purlned Dy
the free through which he has passed, the Confederate
soldier Will redeem the land he loved 50 wen, ana III
spired by wisdom born Of hard experience, VIII so
chan her
ere long gladly acknowledge that her ways are ways OF
pleasantness aud all her paths are peace" CtZen-sol
d.. aIluI nuil unnIr mt 81