Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-04-28

the Conquered Banner was tiirled aud
| the last tattoo was beat for the slaugh-
tered armies Of the SouthS / think not.
This world is too busy; It's cares too
pressing its rust and canker too cor
rupting it's selfshness too ready to cast
q pail Of oblivion over the past, for on
idle aud unmeaning ceremony to sum-
mon you here to-day. You come forth
year by year, from your homes, and
gather about the gates of the city of the
dead, to weave the wreath and garland,
to scatter the lily and the rose, to Irvine
the cypress and the laurel, you meet
with swelling hearts, with friendly and
fraternai handclasps, with noistened
eye, to reach back across the chasm OF
years and place your tribute of gratitude
and affection on the graves Of the noble
dead.
No, this Is not an idle, nor an nm
meaning ceremony. Its significance is
as deep as the fathomless fountain Of
tears it is as the eternal, unquenehable
love of the human heart it is as faithful
of good ms those miracles of healing
which gave sight to the blind and health
to the afflicted.
What is the significance of this sol.
emn gatherings Why do you strew
these flowers? Why do you make green
again the memories of these dead Why
do you burn incense to their names, ant
find in the recollections of their great
sacrifice balm, for the crushed and sor-
rowing hearts
1t is because you have right to be
proud Of these men--of their deeds, OF
! their lives, and of their deaths. Who
! were these men, Soldiers who bore the
| brunt of the battles shock undauntei
and unmoyed, Who, when the wedge
of war was driven ut their lines of bat.
tie, turned its edge like very heart Of
oak, invulnerable; and who, when
their coors well welded by u master
hand, went like a Damascus blade
through coat of mail and heart of man.
irresistible. | see the stout infantry o
Louisiana sweeping the green valley OF
Virginia under St0newall Jackson and
Dick Taylor, or charging in the Seven
Days Fight for Richmond and at Gettys-
burg, see them under the hero Prclatc
the warrior Bishop--Polk, or the grim
patriot, at Perryville and Murtrees
boro, and Bragg at Chiclkamauga, ant
Frankin-in half hundred battles,
winning imperishable renown
| see your cavalry, circling like falcol
in its fight, and swooping down ION the
foe. see, again, your famous artillery
AZ saw it Of yore, dealing its destruc
ton and pouring its iron hail on the en-
envy; and everywhere see the soldiers
of Louisiana meeting death as if it were
not the end bat an episode Of the sol
| dier'S career, an adventure, not the sol
emn sleep that knows no waking, Oh
they were gay brothers, they were gal
liant gentlemen they were splendid he.
roes, they were martyrs. Yes, martyrs
They died for you; and greater low
hath no man than this. that Il man may
lay down his life for his friend" There
fore you reverence them,
Therefore, you decorate their graves
Therefore, you keep green their mem
Ories.
Therefore, you raise up your children
to follow III their footsteps and initiate
their example
Yes, those dead were martyrs.
! Neither was the cause for which the
fought and fell unworthy of the sacrifice
they made, The historian will not re
cord that this costly and desolating wa
was begun and maintained by us in tin
Interests Of human slavery, That was
commercial question, one ofdollars an,
cents, and every one knew that thu
cheapest and surest adjustment Of sucl
a question was in peace, in compromise
in submission even, not in war, with it
armies of liberation and its calls to in
surrecton. No, my friends, the princi
pie for which we fought was broade
and more fundamental one than chatte
slavery, which in the nature of things
was transitory. The principle for whicl
our soldiers fought and died was TIL
right of self-government and resistance
to q crushing Capitalization. Do no
fear that they died in vain. The idea 70
which they struggled may have suffered
q temporary cclipse-may assume an
other form, but it does not die, Slavery
is dead, but liberty lives. Secession ha
persisted, but the right of revolution sur
wives, and the spirit of local and mum
cipal institutions the right of a people
to govern themselves--is not dead. Bay
onets may thrust your State legislator
from its halls; but all the power of TIN
greatest government on earth cannot
did not--could not-and will never b.
able to subordinate your right to sell
government to an alien and delegate
authority--to the deputies, civil or mill
itary, of any power on earth. You hav
weathered the storm. You have reache
safe harbor. Beware now hereafter G
pirates and buccaneers.
As have said so much, may sa
more. | trust no one will imagine ths
in what | have said instill any counst
of reprisal or revenge, of hatred or iea
ousy or animoslty. We have met muc
cruelty, malignity and unjust and falls
abuse since the war, enough to curdle a
the milk of human kindness in yol
hearts. 1t is the stock in trade of
great party. But so persuaded am
, the divine origin of that doctrine of low
: and charity-of peace on earth and soc
will to men-taught by our Lord an
Master, and that tell you here to-da,
in all the solemnity of this hour, not