Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-05-06
The Confederate Soldier.

| The Confederate Soldier.
Alfred NJ. Wadde Of North Carolina, do
livered lecture 10 Steinway Hall last evening
entitled The Confederate Soldier" Me-.
Waddell is q member Of Congress and tho
chairman OF the Committee on Post Offices and
Post Roads 10 tho House Of Representatives.
The proceeds Of the lecture arc to be for the
benefit Of the Veteran corps of the Forty
seventh regiment New York Volunteers, ct
| which Private Miles o. REILLY was member:
On tho platform we're cx Gov. Hoffman, May.
or Ely, Gen. Smith, Rev. IL. Garnett colortd
ex Lieut.. Gov. Woodford, Thurlow Weed. Gen,
Veil, DR.. Deems, Gen. Martin MoMahors
| Postmaster James, Postmaster McL2cr, OF
| Brooklyo, and Col. Pcton. Music was fur
| nisbcd by the Governors Island band and ty
MIR. Pratt, organist Mr.. Joseph ". Parker,
| President of the Veteran corps OF tho tJvty'
seventh regiment, introduced Mr.. Waddtl!,
who spoke as follows -
Soldiers of the Union--My Fronds and
Countrymen The man VINO could wi llhou'
misgi7iogs occupy the position assigned lne
this evening would be indced u1envlabc.-
frankly coufcss that this is to mo one OF Tie most
trying, es it is one Of the most gratifying, &C
casions 10 my experience. You asked mo to Sc
lect as MY theme this evening The Conted.
crate Soldior," and the deed was as manly ant
generous in you as it was acceptable to NE and
to all those who once bore that name. Coutede'
rate soldier and tho malo cltiZon OF the Cop'
federate States we're nearly Synonymous terms.
10 DO other country, with such population. anu
territory, was there ever such an approXlma:
ton to universal soldierhood as was exhibited
there. No other government was ever charged
with 'robbing the cradle and tho grave" to re-
cruit its armies. In tho good old conservative
State in which | live-and which was 80 aVersc
to the cophct before it was begun-the number
of soldiers exceeded the number OF voters ty
G.0O0-a fact which | believe is without
parallel.
From the first fight at Bethel to the last ono
at Bentonviile she was in the front line all the
time, and her list of k:!led exceeds that Of any
other State on either side; yet this was State
that voted down secession by decided msJori|
ty. All this was, and with some OF the Northern
people, perhaps, is still, mystery. The answer
is that whilo the people differed as to the at.
straot right OF State to secede, majority
doubling, if not deoyiog such right, and while
they all loved the Union, they were almost
unanimous in the conviction that it a State did
sccadc tho other States had no right to use
armed force to hold her, and that the first duty
of citiz N in suoh case was to bis own State,
This had been the political education OF ncc
Of all parties. Holding these opinions in regard
to other States, they did not hesitate, on au
issue, to take a similar position. Hencs tho
Confederate soldier. Tho Southern people did
not want an arisocratic government, because
they adopted the Constitution Of the United
States almost verbatim, only Incorporating into
| it a clearer statement OF the relative rights
of the States aud the general government.
and fixing tho term of the Executive at Six
years and declaring his ineligitility to second
term. Another erroneous idea was that they
loved slavery and were determined to risk
everything for it, and great stress was laid upon
the uttcrance attributed to distinguished
G.orgiao, but which was gross mlsrepresenta'
tiou, that the new government was to bn found
cd upon slavery as lts corner stone. Ict only
q small portion OF tue people Of the South own'
| cd slaves, and assert here now as fact which
no Southern man will deny, that not ono man
10 one hundred living there at that time, aod
perhaps not one 10 q thousand, would have
shed one drop of his blood simply to save that
| institution. A private soldier, gentleman OF
education, assured me during the war that his
association with his comrades satisfied him that
| if the coul CT terminated successfully tor the
| Copfedcraoy tho rank and GIe Of tho army would
demand the abolition Of slavery 10 some way.
The Confederate soldier left his Gresde to fight
through long ard weary years for (strange as il
NAV sound TO some cars, love OF country and
constitutional liberty. lie believed nc was do
| fcndiog his homo against au Invader who was
bent upon his sui jugation and degradation. -
lie was lust as sincero and honest as you were,
aad at the bar Of conscience, and before the
Righteous Judge, at whose tribunal w1 mast
all appear, he will stand acquitted OF any offence
10 this respect
! You overthrow him. aud returned, amid the
accamatons OF rejoicing millions, to happy and
n,ospcrous homes lie went back through d
Wilderness to find solitary chimney whore hH
cabin stood, and to kiss his ragged children
who cried for bread Your homeward marcl
was along path strcwcd with Rarands aut
| plsddoned with songs Of triumph; his Vas troc
silently through land OF tears
The lecturer related many anecdotes and Lis
torioal incidents to illustrate the heroic virtue
of the soldiers CT both sdcs. lie said that tht
great masses Of the South never doubted tina
thew would succeed until the 4,h Of July, 1869
when the news from VickSburg and 6 Gettysburg
came over the wires. The Union soldiers wcr
warmly eulogzsd, and in closing the orato
quoted the song
i BY the flow of the inland river,
el Whence the fleets of iron have fad,
Where the blades of tho grave grass qulVe'
Asleep on tho ranks CT tho dead
Il Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the JUDI gment Day;
Upder tie one the blue; ..
Under the other the gray.
nj Ex-Governor Woodford followed with an et
d thusiastio little speech, in which be said tbs
they had come together again as citizens OF
= common flag, and then extending bis hand 40
y clasping that Of MIR. Waddell, he said. "W
- shake hands across the bloody chasm. lures
applause.) And VIC will ill the chasm wit