Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-05-31

man NAV be free uoder 3 Government strong
enough 10 protect his freed u and pure eoough
to command bis love.
| l. will be d, fspse of our Revolutionary fore.
fathers oud of the Government they established,
uuder Which for three quarters OF Century
liberty Was protected. and peace AID prosperity
d1elt among US. Ii will establish our here
ditary claim to the Constitutional freedom, snd
cur fidelity alike to the teachings and TO the exam
pie Of our tires and demonstrate that the son-
who fell at Manassas aud 10 front OF Rich.
mord we're equal to the sir'a who fr.z, at Val
lev Forge and conquered at Y JrktoWn. Ii Will be
another proof that forms of government may be
q deception, and that iioerty is 10 dsoger-eveo
10 piles erected to her honor, and at affairs
where. priests minister 10 her pane.
ADD then when our historian uff,ids the
rolls Oh which are written the d eds AID sacrl-
fees OF those who loved this Constitutional lib
erty. this liberty regulated by ls~ and guarded
by sovereign States oonpsoted toto great con
federaoy, what touching. noble urd immorta!
story will entrance the world. Sad but Urluus
four years My tobguc caunot utter the prop
er requiem for the dead of those years for
the martyrs who died lie defeat; for the wo
men who gave their all to this conquered couc-
try. Have the story told 10 its simple and ia
ken truthfuluess, aud stand slleot as the world
listens tears will ruo down YOUR cheeks, grief
will wrlug your hearts, anguish may pale y ur
faces, but never blush will flush them. We
will have DO cause to hsog our beads DOR hide
our eyes, ard our heroes Gao stand covered 10
soy presence. As another has said, when
written history shall truly record the struggle
which ended thus. every leaf may be drippog
With the tears of grief and woe, but not page
will be stained with q stigma of shame"
The military part Of this story-the nsrrs
tIvs of the campoigo, march and eucampneot !;
OF battle, charge, retreat and victory |; IT halr
breadth escapes; Of dsshlng assault aod sturdy
Resistance {; vi raid by tight ard r-k By dag i;
. of splendid courage and uobier sacrifice OF
uucon paipiDg endurance and heroic death Of
!. The u6uttersble agony Of hospital and prison,
and all The incidents OF wsr-will be full Of
glory and add bright pages to ell that is told
OF man aud bis achievements. And, SIS We
merely utter the names Of our military chief
lain. with Lee AID the Johrs;oUs, Jackson,
ADD tbc Hills. aud their conrsdes so buDerpu,
and so koghtly. We can Anticipate the udg-
meDt of the word IS to the courage. skill sod
obivary OF those devoted armies. whose grave 8
are scattered over an entire cJuory
But when the more obscure story OF how this
Coofederaoy was organized, these armies we're
raised. clothed, armed, fed and transported ;
this war protracted aid civil law made domi
paut, and personal frec dom protected, is fully
told, another and xceedinQly glorious wreath
will be added TO our crown. and We confidently
predict that il will b, held that all that mao
Q, ud do, all thai was possible to be done, was
we'll done !; that the result was Inevitable.
AnG then when TO this is added some Just
representation OF what was dole AID suffered
by the women aod children Of the Sguth the
Industry, energy, courage. sacrifices, self de-
priva,ions the endurance which were shown by
every one duriog those four yuar.-all that ma
trun and virgin aud martyr have ever received
crowd for 10 the ages behind u.s. will b. found
tqualed, If not surpassed, by the Christ like
wrmen Of The South.
thank God that lived 10 the same geue.
ration with such Womeu, aud was 80 actor 10
the same Transactions with them. To have
known and lived and acted with such gives
KIDD Of Immortality. He was at Waterloo"
was diploma Of oobili'y. How much greater
The was the friend Of the mstroos OF the
South" He was the son of her who gave
her ALL" know of one mstron who gave six
sons and two soDs in laval she had and she
was but type of all her sex To be her SOD is
greater honor than to be col queror.
All that could be done, all that could be sui
fered was done with the matchless power Of
womsns love ; suffered with the sanity de.
mea0Or OF W0ma0 meaK0esS.
II may BIO too soon yet to estimate the re.
suits of that war. But it is necessary portion
Of our answer to set forth 10 measured but osu
did form the events following the surreod
aod dissolution of the Confederate armies, apd
| to ascertain Is best We can what we're and ore
| the legitimate effect and results of that wsr
! the effect Oh the States which formed the Con.
| fsderacy 90 the States which c)Jquered that
| CopfederaaY. aud 90 the reunited republic. al d
Oh liberty. The judgment Of pusteriy on the
| wisdom of our course will 10 part depeud
90 this very portion of our answer. The
world has already accepted among its he
roes and loved ones the chiefs of cur ar
mics and crowned with immortelIs our We
men aad private soldiers But it su.pends
judgment on our civil leaders aod on the justice
Of our Cause and the necessity of our war |
have already pointed cut my conception of the
necessity OF full history Of our American 10
stitutions and politics TO lust understanding
of the justice Of our war, aud DOW desire to
add that an equally full and severely Just nar.
ration of what followed that war, and wise
| and philosophical estimate of its results arc
also due from US as q vindication for he silly
| treasures and desperate venture 8 risked by US |
| 10 that great struggle. And this would be !
most valuable contribution to the needs and |
ppiIs OF the future; for We are not the lsst of
| our race, and dangers 10 Liberty and Free |
| Government lie 10 wait for our children
1t is that this history be written that plead |
| TO day. II know my OVID heart. it is the truth
desire written; 90 CLOSES, 90 attempt to pa
| late, to excuse, or to eIolsio. Let the word |
| and our children koow the truth. We were
but meu, aud our children will be bus ueo.-
We were Got sains DOR angels. Dor our adver.
sares devils. If in the midst Of so great peril-,
| with so much at stsk', with such epemies at
| our tkroels, with hosts Of loved oues 10 our
care, sugh was done which. ought not to have
been done, tell e out mautully, so that he who
is innocent may DOT be blamed with the guilty.
aud 30 that cur children. whrls they emulate
our V'r us, may svvld our err SO. too, 90
the bar hsod let Us be careful to tell the
truth Of those who oorqu I'd our armies. SET
icg down nsught 10 nac 80 that all rnst
WAS manly, h.r,ic and geo, us may be remem
bered and cherished.