Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-05-16

MmalamRw cmR MISS,
8 :.
i I sincsfkIy feefsk w
inability 10 Be- present At the laying Of
THE cofiisr stone of "a monument 70 be
erected at Macoh, Ca, IN honor Of eur
dead Confederate scldiers."a 4st sr
The event possesses every attraction
10 me; it Is inspired By the Ladies Me-
mortal Association; The monument i tn
Be located In the keystone state or the
ConIederafe arch; and to commemuraie
the sactiaees "a those who died In The
defence Of our inheriled and .:lnaliena.
ble'a rights. M4r III
vghss though We were overborns by
numbers, and accessories not less en-
ciena, truth i not 10 Be measured In
mainlaining q againsg force; nor is the
Glory less d him who upholds IL in the
lace Of unequal odds, but is Il not FatheR
more to bis credit that hp couBted all
else as dust In the balance wheh weighed
with honOfand duty. On nmany stFicken
fiel1 our soldiers stood few and faint,,
but fearless still, for they wore TIE
panoply Of unqueslioning eonhdence
In the rectitude oftheir cause, and knew
how 20 die, but not TO surrender. Let
not any of Their survivors impngn their
faith by Offering The peniteniial plea
thai s'they believed they were right.
Be e ours 70 transmit to posterity our
unequivocsl testimony 70 the justice .of
their eonvietions, 20 their virtues, and
the sanelity Of the motives by which
they were actuaied. 80 t-rr =
Ii is meet that ihis monument should
kave g6Fisi6ated with the ladies Of the
land, whose selE-denial was eonspieuous
through aII The trials and su6eFingp of
yer, whose gentle minissrations ia the
Hospitals, and at way-side refeetories,
so largely contributed % relieve, the
sick and the wounded, and whose un.
falsefInR devotion o their countryss
cause IN the darkest hour of onr airugs
als. FIlnssfaf6a the ndeliky a lhe aex
Which was Isss ue The cross. and hrstsi
the sepulci1fe. - - -. - 80
; ri aaspgoGouhdly thankfuI 70 them Tor
inviting me 20 fepfesehk them, g. heir
ofatoG, on the approaching occasion.
Had il been practicable 70 accept. their
requesa would have been, 10 me, COM
mand, obeyed with no other reluctance
than TIE eonscionsness ofinability 10 do
Justice 20 the theme. s. -,
Thanks to the merits Of our ConFed-
erAte dead, they needneither orator nor
bard 10 commend tneiE deeds 20 the
present generation Of their countrymen.
Many Eell far from home and kindred,
and sleep in unmarked graves; but alI
are gathered in the love Of those for
whom they died, and their memories
are haIlowed in the hearts Of al true
CoDfederates.'s
By. the pious Efforts of our people,
many humble cemeteries such o. in
their impoveFishment, werei possible,
have been prepared, and the COnfeder-
ate dead have been collected ia them,
from neighboring battle-feIds. There
annually, with Eeverenlial Affection, The
graves. alike fthe, known ana the7un-
known, are decked wish vernal 6Ows
ers; expressive Ol gratitude reuexablsl
forever, snd typical Of the hope Of q
resurrection and reunion where the
wicked cease from troubli0g and'the
weary are at rest - -iai eh ~ =
!. To be remembered, honored, beloved
by their people j. the reward bestowed
On Our Conlederate dead. 10 IL the
highest which : good and paEely pstu.
oisc man could desire. Should q be
asked, Why thea build this monument }
the answeF Il, they De nnt need q, bot
pOsteFity may. Il % not thess reward
but eur debt. If the greatest gin hesO
gives his race, is 10 baye been heros
a order tlsl This gin may be utilized 10
coming generations, iis appFeciaaiom by
eontemporaries should be TendeEed -
visible and enduring IS possible. let
the monument, rising from earth toward
heaven IiEs The minds Of tbose who
come after as. 70 higher standard tbsn
the. common test d success. Let q
teaeh that man 4. bora fog duty, not for
expedieney: that when - attack -
made on the community b which he
belongs, BY which be % protected and
20 which his allegiance is due bis lrsE
obBigstion y 70 delend thst eoInmuBiiy;
and that uadeF such eonditians q i bss=
Ter to have 'slosght and losl. Thar nereE
10 have IoaghE at aIl,si Let posteBity
learn by tbs monument that you eofn-
1nemorate men who died u slae6snsita
war; lhsf hey did not, - has bees idly
stated, submit % The abitFament pgaIfns
the questions at tissue-questions which
involved the inslienabse rights inheF;.
ted from thtir aneesloss, and held IL
ssasl fog tLeif posteritY; but that they.
strpEe % maintsin the State sovereignty
mhseh sheir fnkhefs Ieft shen. aBd which
= wss their d6ly 4 p6asibis lo transmit
% their ghlIdren. -
Away thea win saet feeble exrnse
logthe sbshdoAas sbs d psineiples, which
mny be crushed f6Sa While. bak which,
possessing the eternal vitality Of tEuths
must ~ iis own COED time prevail ever
perishable error.