The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-05-11

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ve'nal flowers, expressive of graft
tude renewable forever, and typical
ut the hope of a resurrection and re-
union where the wicked cease from
troubling and the weary are at rest.
To be remembered, honore,l, below
ed by their people in the reward be-
slowed on our Confederate dead. 1t
is the highest which a good and pure
ly patriotic man could desire. Should
it he asked, why then build this mon
nment the answer is, they do not
need it, but PROSPERITY may. 1t is not
their reward, but our debt. If the
greatest gift hero gives his race is
to have been a hero, in order that
this gift may be utilized to coming
generations it's appreciation by con
temporaries should be rendered az
visible and enduring as possible. Let
the monument rising from earth to.
ward heaven, lift the minds of those
! who come after rs to higher stand>
ard than the common test of success.
Let it teach that man is born for
duty, not for expediency that when
an attack is made on the community
to which he belongs, by which he is
protected, and to which his allegiance
is due, his first obligation is to de.
fend that community and that under
such conditions it is better to have
thought and lost, than never to have
fought at ALL" Let posterity learn
by this monument that you CONNIE
morate men who fought in a defen
sive war; that they did not, as has
been idly stated, submit to the ar
bitIament of arms the question at is
sue-Questions which involved the
inalienable rights inherited from their
posterity; bnt that they strove to
maintain the State sovereignty which
their fathers left them, and which
it was their dnty. if possible, to trans
init to their children.
Away then with such feeble excuse
for the abandonment of principles,
which may be crushed for while,
but which, possessing the eternal vi
tally of truth, must 10 its own good
time prevail over pprishable error.
Let this monument teach that he.
roism derives it's lustre from the jus.
tice of the cause 10 which it is dis
played, and let it mark the difference
between a war waged for the robber-
like purpose of conquest and one to
repel invasion-to defend a peoples
heartls, and affairs, and to maintain
their laws and liberties. Such was
the war in which our heroes fell, and
theirs is the crown which sparkles
with the gems of patriotism and right
eousness, with glory undimmed by
any motive of aggraDdisement or in
tent to inf1ict ruin on others. We
present them to posterity as examples
to be followed, and when knowledge
shall have dispelled misrepresenta.
ton aud deluslop. 1t is unreason-
able to hope that mature reflection
and 2 closer study of a political his
tory of the Union may yet restore the
rights Frustrated BY the passions de
veloped in our long and bloody war 7
If however, it should be other wise,
then from our heroes graves shall
come in mournfal tones the
"Answer fit:
Ard if our children must obey,
They must, but thinking on our day,
Twill less debase them to submit"
Yours, faithfully,
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
During the reading, almost at each
sentence would fall, the applause of
the assembled multitude would rise
upon the air.
Never will those who heard it for
get this letter. But stored away in
the treasury Of memory it will remain
diamond never to tarnisb, sealed
with the signet of Immortality. The
reader, too, who so eloquently gave
utterance to the words OF the absent
patriot will not be forgotten by those
for whom he once offered his life as a
sacrifice.