Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-01

rom religious lhllAttOtoili. -AAtCI al IN
successful experiment in Holland the,
emigrated 10 the new world, whore they
became EXTREMIST bigots and practicedthv
utmost intolerance.
They not only had an interest in Afri
can and Indian slavery, but burneS
witches and prosecuted Quakers, Catho
| lies and Baptists when they could fine
them. These things are referred to in Ii,
ungracious or unkind spirit but merely I,
draw 9 parallel with slavery, and 20 i'm
press upon the minds Of Southern youth
| the fact that their ancestry is fully 81
worthy 10 fall back upon as any othel
that can be given as reference in thi
country. The fact that cotton, sugar ans
rice cannot be probably cultivated II
some parts Of the United states haStenel
the abolition of slavery more than all th'
Wilberforces, Garisons and Uncle Toms
Cabins Of the times When the war long
threatened and unexpected, really began
there was hardly enough religion to quar-
rel over, and certainly not enough L
keep the country together. Each sid,
appealed to the god of battles to lend
helping hand.
1t is nearly the period of a generation'i
growth since these scenes were enacted
yet il Is not improbable to refer TO them
now. There are witnesses and survivor:
vet With strong srms and buoyanty hearts
Some Of them are here to-day; they are
seen in the daily walks Of life, but their
number is diminishing year by year, and
soon they will be seen no more forever
We are assembled near a consecrated spot
10 pay tribute to those who saw not the
end Of the great struggle in which they
were engaged. That ordeal was spared
them. To those who survived, time
has brought its c0mpensations and philo-
SOphical reflections. Better times have
dawned, and Every man can sit In his
own door and sing the song Of peace to
hisneighbor."
The men Of the South, as class, went
out in the flush ofyouth and vigor Of man.
hood representing the best types Of Ameri-
can citizenship. Their ancestors blazed out
the paths Of civilization in the wilderness,
fought the battles of the Revolution, sub
dued wild beasts and savages, reclaimed
the primeval forest, builded highways,
churches and schOolhouses, opened chan
nels Of commerce and set up God and lib
erty in their homes. Without these early
settlers in the South the American col
onies would have been hedged in if not
divided BY the Mother country. the Span
ish, French and Indians, and The Ameri-
can Union would have been an impossi-
bility without successive revolutions, The
decisive battle Of the Revolutionary war
was fought at Kings Mountain By South
ern volunteers, whose descendants are be-
fore me to-day, and their success led TO
to the surrender Of Lord CORVALLIS and
10 the end of the war. American proves
was Yindicsted in that war of
independence, by Southern men when
their services were most needed. 1t Is not
necessary on such an occasion to enlarge
upon this historical fact familiar to all,
but we may refer 10 q common heritage
Of courage and responsibility and glorious
deeds, and draw from il great moral
lesson today. History will deal with
these questions as they deserve We have
nothing 70 fesr from the result The
most men who wore the gray, whether
they flashed a sword in the sunlight OF
bore q musket on the long weary tramp
and in the gloom Of battle were true to
the dictates of conscience and the noblest
impulses Of their nature, / need
not tell you that it was an I'M
happy fratricidal war which the
genius Of Christianity and statesmanship
exerted on both sides might have pre-
vented. In the abundance Of our pros
perity we forgot the history Of dead en-
pires, Of Thsbes and Palmyra, of Jerusa-
lem, Babylon and Rome, and the God OIL
nations seemed for time TO give rs over
TO destruction. Those were dark and ter.
rible days. A never ending night seemed
TO set in, But in all that trying period
men who felt that they were fighting fol
home and for the rights guaranteed in tbs
constitution Of the United States, and be
queathed them by their fathers, neve
quailed or lost hope Even 10 the las
they illustrated the old Latin saying 81
is sweet 10 die for ones country" and thu
last charge that was made by Johnston
skeleton regiments and divisions down II
| North Carolina, we're as impetuous a
fresh legions unused to war. The war wa
| fought out TO the bitter end and many o
it's useless sacrifices as they appeared at
terward, its waste Of precious life anG
property as well might be criticized now
Yet it should be borne in mind that
feebler struggle or a compromise, will
unconquered armies still in the felt
would have left the question at issue un
decided and the way open for anothe
struggle But as il is, the result-bitte
and humiliating as il was at the time-i
a fnality. The dream Of a Southern Con
| federacy, uEsubstantial as the baseles
| fabric Of vision. is gone forever Wit
it what hopes and joys persisted, what tie
severed, families broken up, Whist preciou
blood poured out to enrich the soil, wha
tears Of widows and orphans and broke
hearts what woes indescribable and brood
ing despair God only knows. Let Us than
Him that we have lived to enjoy grea
blessings where misfortune has laid
heavy kand and wrecked our fondes
hopes. A common country and com
mon flag had been visited with rare prot
perity.
The Lost Cause went down in blood an
chaos and its banners were furled for
ever; but its tender and glorious memo
ries are not dead; they are ours to cheris
and transmit 10 our children and chi
dren's children, even unto many generl
tons. No selfish purpose or sordid mOtiv
guided the men who fell in that unequi
contest. They went 10 death az cheerful
AS the old Reformers, who sang a hymn
: on the eve Of battle, or our forefather
: who fought for the broad principles ,
, liberty at the battles Of Cowpens. King
: Mountain and Yorktown, over hundre
years ago They were Of the same kit
! and kin as the men who fought the bait
! Of New Orleans, under General jackson
and those who marched across the aka
: plains Of Mexico and planted the sta
] and stripes on the halls Of the Montezl
mas. Who can say that our fallen con
rAdes were less patriotic or entitled 10 le
] honor
No costly Enclosure, no glittering shat
, no forms IN marble, moulded by the ella
. sic hand Of art, marks their last restir
9 place, No sentries save the trees thi
4 grow in Gods free air and the starr th
! glitter In the heavens at night, kes
. watch over their lowly graves. Thebir,
3 that sing in the tree toJ :, the insects Oh
}. chirp in the grass, the soft Southel
l. breezes that bearing fragrance gent
Q sigh-these be their requiem D
d thetic and beautiful dirge. II Is well
, recall their deeds Of daring. their splend
IL aualitiaa ae ruan and holdf,rs Haeof, a.