American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-05-01

OIL our young men III uaN IL IS a
, lesson that they should Learn by
heart, the paramount claim of duty,
that word which cont aims the sum
OF all the glorious actions of the hu-
man race. Young men, We who are
to hold in your keeping the future
honor of Mississippi. study this les
sou well !: emulate the deeds OF your
: fathers who were actors at an epoch
in the history of the South, "when
patriotism was a passion, when de-
votion 10 great principles dwarfed
} all other considerations than thoss
OF truth and right, when duty WAS
felt to be the sublimest word i'll our
language, when sacrifice outweigh
ell selfishness, when human virtue
was equal to human calamity"
You, indeed, may never be called
upon to follow your cOuntry's flag
i'll defense of your homes and house
hold idOls,-pray God you may
never be--but you have a duty to
pertOrm-a duty as sacred as that
to the performance OF which those
whom we mourn to day dedicated
their foi tunes their honor, and their
lives. What ever of liberty is left
us, it is yours to preserve and guard
with fidelity that your fathers IL.
Illustrated by bravery, courage, a
fOrtitude unsurpassed in human ans
nals,-a bravery that dared assert
their rights in the face of over
whelming numbers; a courage that
met with mistaken firmness every
renewed assault /; fortitude that
bore With grand cOmpOsure every
disastrous defeat. Emulate we say,
their devotion to the central idea
of duty strive to be "worthy sons
of noble sires :" whatever your
hands find to do, do it quickly /;
listen to no syren song of idleness
and sloth remember that as green,
as lasting laurels await the pairs |
otto citizen who serves his country !
by building up her industries and
developing her resources as have
ever crowned the most valiant sol
der of the hottest cause.
But v bile we offer a tribute to
the memory of our gallant defend
era. and learn the lesson of duty
they so admirably illustrated in
life and de nth, let US not forget the
noble women of the South, whose
heroic conduct dur ing the war made
them the peers of those historic
matrons of the old Grecian days
whose exalted patriotism every
school boy has been taught to re-
we're. With fearful eye and sink
ing heart the South's fair daughters
sent forth from their clinging arms
father and brother, lover and nus
band, to save their country In it's Z
hour of peril. Day and night, at
the loom, in the hospital, even In i
the grain fields, they toiled for the
Of their country's defends
ers, thinking no task too arduous,
no service too mental, if it was ren- t
lered to contribute aid to the grand b
cause that all had at heart. Clio i
fious women Your offsprings can C
be heroes only. The bastard that b
would by driveling sloth or dishon- Z
sst conduct bring the blush of t
'hame to those fair checks, must be il
! craven indeed.
Though no eulOgium of ours can Il
i'd lustre to the bright halo of un- t,
aiding honor that encircles the fame
# the SOuth's purest and greatest
our hearts will not allow
Is to omit on this occasion to speak " ~
With fondest affection the name of
Sobert Edmund Lee. In the char \,
cter of this distinguished citizen l.
we're collected and crystaiized all II
he noble virtues that illustrate the II
highest type of Southern manhood. Ipl1
cnldenr hv n<I pf |
really devoted to the great COM d.
nOnweaith of Virglnia-at her =
call he resigned his ~ ~
Osition in the Federal army, and ee
nited his destiny with that Of the at
outhern cross. In the beautiful IS
lords of Father Ryan n,
orth from its scabbarl, pure and bright, so
Flashed the sword of Lee! ca
ar in the front of the deadly fight, on
y stainless sheen, like beacon light, trl
Led us to victory. ce
ut of it's scabbard, where full long Sc
1t slumbered peacefully d.
Oused from its rest by the battles song, mr.
fielding the feeble, shifting the strong, -
harding the right, avenging the wrong, c.j
Cleaned the sword OF Lee. cit
1t of its scabbardI Never hand
Waved sword from stain as free;
" purer sword led Drawer band,
" Drawer bled for brighter land, =
,r brighter land had a cause so grand,
Nor cause a chief like Lee
nth from its scabbard all in vain,
Brigh: flashed the sword of Lee!
3 shrouded now in its sheath again :
sleeps the sleep of onr noble slain OF
feated, yet without a stain iyE
Proudly and peacefully. aYi
But war, with: its sta rlling alarms th:
over: yol
he echoing sounds grow fainter and ~, ~
then cease; 81
i like a bell, with solemn sweet vlbra- S e."
tiOns, nj
hail once more the voice Of dovo-eyed l. sa !.
Peace"
In our prosperity, in the glorious
ure that we hope awaits our be- 1
ed land. let us never fol get the ~
istriOus dead but, annually, on me,
, recurrence of this hallOwed an syst
'ersary, let us assemble at those plet
ives "where Honor comes pill w nc'
IN gray" and wreathe them with cur.
til g choicest flowers. the
imp