The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-05-29

] IunutlcN nnu inc Oh poNtl, W pei
vert the true history of our noble struggle
its causes and its consequences but not b.
the gallant men who fought us in the fielt
and tried our mettle they fought to pre-
serve the Union, with Its powers as the.
understood then, and but few of them ar
among our slanderers, and we canno
blame them for 1t. All these false teach
ings, and baneful influences must be met
counteracted, and made to recoil upon TIM
heads of those who like wolves and vulture
followed in the wake of battle to fatten OF
its spells, and who like miserable politica
miscreants would have others keep tht
bayonet to our breasts, when the swort
and banner should be put away, and the
voice sounds of peace and restoration
alone should be heard through the land.
We know that so much depends on men
own appreciation of themselves, that II we
sleep ON our cause, Judgment goes againsl
us by default; then let us look to inc
duties which devOlve on us rs veteran
survivors of our late revolution.
We are but repeating to-day the history
of men in all ages, who have fought and
failed; we are recognized as the repre-
sentative men of our people, both in oul
own country and abroad in the world aho
we are to-day shaping the destiny OF THESE
States, no less than in the late past when
we were their armed defenders in the field
| then how important that we discharge the
duties which devolve on us, with scrupu-
| lous care.
1t was said by the worlds great poet
philosopher, ''To thine own self be true;
and it must follow, as the night the day,
"Thou canst not then be false to any man"
We are not called upon by the innovations
that have followed in the wake of our late
revolution to abiure our manhood; nor can
poverty, prescription, nor contumely COM
pei us to admit that we have done the great
wrongs that are charged against us.
We embarked in n revolution, not to de-
stroy, but to preserve what we believed TO
be the essential principles of our govern
ment; nor was ours an effort to set up a
new, or destroy an established dynasty, as
was the case of most revolutions preceding
il, nor vet even an effort to change the
form of our government, for we set up our
selves another, similar in form to that one
we had sought to leave, so the conclusion
is plainly written in the history OF our
struggle, that it was no effort to tear down
or destroy, but to avert danger WHICH
threatened us.
But my comrades we failed, and it is but
common candor to say that our failure
precipitated to the great calamities we
sought to avert caamities which l shall
not attempt to portray or stop to mourn,
but leave to history, and trust to the great
Creator and pr0vider.
The question which presents itself to us
is, what shall we do amid the wreck of
fortunes, manners, customs and insttu-
tons of Il century's building 1t seems
to me the answer in brief would be to obey
the laws of our country, and in return, de-
mand every right of an American citizen;
to participate actively in all that pertains
to her present welfare or future develop
ment. We must be the pioneers of our
loved South in her second growth; we
l., Ia hon, md
yastations, and mature into maturity such
laws, and develop such resources rs will
make her once more the home of noble,
proud and prosperous people.
''Let us then be up and doing,
With heart for any fate,
Still achieving, still pursuing
Learn to labor and to wait"
Let each move abreast with every good
work, whether North or South, to repair
the ruins, and learn the great lessons of
our war, and we may yet be yindlcated, as
the true eXpounders of Il constitution,
whose wisdom and blessings peopled and
civilized II continent, and whose subyer-
sion shocked the civilized world.
But if we being beaten in battle, should
turn in bitterness and reproach upon those
who sent us, we would betray trust placed
in our charge with their substance and
their souls sincere progress, ana would De
doubly traitors traitors to our cause and
traitors to those who trusted us with their
fortunes and their sacred honor. Then let
us be of one mind, peaceful, firm and
patriotic Cincinnati of the South, ever ready |
to yindicatc and maintain the supremacy
we know we are entitled to in our native
land, alone with the constitution of our
country, and noble social elevation and
purity, which was ever the pride of our
people. Let each one ask himself contin-
ually what best cOmpONs with his charac-
ter as IL Southerner; what is his duty to his
people. While we entertain these natural
sentiments, let us remember that there are
sentiments and suspicious, equally natu-
'ul to our late adversaries in the strife, and
stand ever ready to grasp the hand OF re-
and replace the elements of
prosperity. As our war was not
or conquest, let there be no Norman and
saxon hate for generations marring the
harmony and checking the progress of our
people; as there were no warning dynas-
les to triumph or 90 down in our struggle,
ct us not have the miseries of Belle France
II Bonnie Scotland repeated here; as
here was no provincial subjugation i'll it,
ct not the history of suffering Ireland be
epeated in America. Let us stand to, and
demand the terms Of written constitution,
he spirit and covenants of formal sur
ender, and strive to multiply and enjoy
lie blessings Ol II
Let there be no idea OF subOrdinatiOn, i'll
uence our policy, but strive for the CO.
quality of the States of this great conted-
ration, for it is us natural to-day for cor
upt usurper, or uncurbed oligarchy to as
llme the mastery over people they were.
hosen, to represent as it was, when These
$ in Attca consolidated the twelve mag
'tracies of that people into one, and
rOught them under his own control; or as
tbor fl,n tntp n IN I'm SioS I'M
some great national cause, broke down
ne barriers between the people and their /
ulers, when the crisis passed, found their
'eedOm gone. I
In our great national struggle, my COM
ldes, by no fault of ours, we were the
rincipal sufferers, and just in proportion {
) our loss is greater should we use the
reatest effort to retrieve what is lost. |
We were with those who bore the brunt I
fthis great calamity,who stood like wall I
fire for four long years, from the ATTAIN
C to the Pacific slope, and in the heat of 7
lat great conflict we knew for what we !
'ught, and we knew the gravamen of our r
cause. !
On our side it was Il struggle for the aU-
'nomy, the integrity, the sovereignty of
lese States, i'll the exercise of powers we
elieved were reserved to them in the ere
ion of the government. On their part, it
as II struggle for the exercise of such pow
$ as the federal government thought best
+ all the States. So surely then rs this
eat question was unsettled in 1861, are )
e vindicated in the noble defence which
C made of that view of it, which alone S
Ould preserve our rights. S
These thoughts, my comrades, are not in
nded so much rs an argument at this late
" upon the cause of our war, as to add 3
If mite of influence if it may be to remove T
G great burden of dependency which 7
lumny added to defeat, has laid upon our
uls with crushing weight, and to keep It
otless from its touch the memory OF our r
bile dead. r
Though We may consider the great ques- =
IN upon which we fought, practically II
tiled against us, yet we owe to the mem u
Y of our fallen comrades to see to it, that
cir names fill no traitors place in history,
t enshrine them in its brightest pages,
d commemorate their noble deeds in
etry, Grafton and song.
Thus far, my comrades, l have endeav-
ed to vindicate in a general way, some of
. duties we owe to the living, and the W
we owe to our children.
Iet us not fail, with reverence and affec- W
N, to remember the dead. Iii right that
keen tlp mpmorV Of our nroI6 faIlnvy- NJ