The Portland daily press., 1880-09-24
Southern Aspirations Frankly Ex-

The extract which follows is from speech
| by General Wade Hampton before the South
| ern Historical Society, In the Senate Chamber
at Richmond, Va, October 30. 1873
AS it was the duty Of every man to devote
himself to the service of his country in tho
great struggle which has just ended so disas-
trously, not only TO the South, but to the cause
OF Constitutional government under republi-
can institutions in the New World, so now.
when that country is PROSTATE in the dust.
weeping for her dead, who died in vain to save
her liberties, every patriotic impulse should
great principles for which she fought.
CHILDREN TO BE TAUGHT TO FIGHT FOR THE
"LosL CAUSE"
These are the imperative duties imposed up-
on us of the South; and the chief peril of the
times is that In our despair at the evil that has
iailen on us, we forget those obligations to the
eternal principle for which we fought; to the
martyred dead who gave up their lives for
who should be taught to cling to them with
unswerving fidelity If those who are to come
after us, and to whose hands the destinies Of
our country soon to be committed, are
properly instructed in the theory and practice
OF republican institutions; il they are made to
comprehend the origin, progress and culmina.
tlon OF that great controversy between the an.
tagonistic sections Of the continent, which be-
gan In the convention of 1887, and ended for
the time being at Appomattox in 1865 they
cannot fail to see that truth, right, justice,
were on the side OF their fathers. and they will
surely strive to bring back to the Republic
those cardinal principles on which it was
founded, and on which alone it can exist.
HOW SUCCESS is To BE SECURED.
Our care should be to bring her [the repub-
llcl back TO her old and safe anchorage.
1t is amid these gloomy surroundings and sad
forebodings, gentlemen of the Historical Soci-
ETY., that we who have not lost all hope and
faith are met to take counsel together We
may be able, it is true to save but little from
the general wreck, but we can, at least leave
to future generations the true record OF our
struggle in righteous cause.
IhiS society proposes TO publish regularly
and systematically, all contributions which
elucidate the truth, reflect the glory aud main
tain the principles involved in the late war,
and 1T calls upon all who are not lost to honor
to aid in this landable undertaking. 1t wishes
to enroll not only every true man, but every
true woman, in its ranks. :. .
Maid, mother, wife, gave freely TO that
country the most cherished objects of their af-
fections 1t was wisely done, there
fore to invoke their aid in behalf of our socie-
ty. 1t is theirs to teach our children
that their fathers were neither traitors nor
rebels; that we believed as firmly as in the eter-
nal Word OF God that we were in the right.
and that we have a settled faith which no tri-
al can shake, that in His own good time the
right will be made manifest.
These are the lessons our children should
learn from their mothers. Nor are these the
only ones which should be inculcated, for
the pages of history furnish many which
should not be overlooked These
teach, in the clearest and most emphatic man
ner, that there is ALWAYS hope for a people who
cherish the spirit of freedom, who will not
tamely give up their rights, and who. amid ali
the changes of time, the trials of adversity, re-
main steadfast to their convictions that liberty
is their birthrght.
THE SOUTH COMPARED TO PRUSSIA AND THE
NORTH TO FRANCE.
When Napoleon in that wonderful campaign
of jena struck down in few weeks the whole
military strength of Prussia, destroyed that
army with which the great Frederick had held
at bay the combined forces Of Europe, and
crushed out, apparently forever, the liberties,
seemingly the very existence, of that great
State, but one hope of her disenthralment and
regeneration was left her-the unconquered
and unconquerable patriotism Of her sons
As far as human foresight could penetrate the
future, this hope appeared but a vain and de-
lusive one; yet only few years passed before
her troops turned the scale of victory at Water
loo, and the treaty of Paris atoned in part for
the modification of that of Tilst.
She educated her children by system which
made them good citizens in peace and for
midable soldiers in war; she kindled and kept
alive the sacred fire of patriotism; she woke
the slumbering spirit of the fatherland; and
what has been the result of this self-devotion
OF whole people for half century? Single
handed she has Just met her old antagonist;
the shame of her defeats of yore has been
wiped out by glorious victories; the contribu-
tions extorted from her have been more than
repaid; her insults have been avenged, and
her victorious eagles sweeping over the broken
lilies of her enen,y, waved in triumph from
the walls of conquered Paris, while she die
tated peace to PROSTATE and humbled France
Is not the moral to be drawn from this noble
dedication of people to the interests and
honor of their country worth remembering?
Hungary, in her recent struggle to throw off
the yoke of Austria, was crushed to the earth,
and yet TO-DAY the Hungarians, as citizens of
Austria, exercise a controlling power in that
great empire.
Mr.. President and gentlemen of the society,
the task assigned to me b.. your partial kind
ness has been discharged.
1t seemed to me not inappropriate, while OK
planning the purposes of the society, to show TO
you how important are the objects il contem-
plates how vital to the future condition of our
people, and how vast the influence it may ex-
ercise if properly directed. History repeats
itself, and history is philosophy teaching by
example. If the examples presented to you
have kinded any zeal in behalf of your suffer-
ing country, if they have inspired in your
hearts any ray of hope for its redemption, my
efforts have not been in vain.