The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-06-15
Memorial Day.
OF THE CONFEDERATE DEAD-ADDRESS
OF COL. O'FERRALL.

OF COL. O'FERRALL.
Friday last was the day appointed for
'trewing with flowers the graves of the
soldier dead. Appropriate ceremonies were
leld in Staunton. The procession formed
Of the military and citizens marched from
he City Hall to the cemetery in the fol-
owing order Stonewall Brigade Band;
West Augusta Guard; Staunton Artillery
carriage containing the President of the
Assoc iation, Orator OF the Day, Chaplain
and Mayor; the Star Guards, Il juvenile
organ ization, and long line of carriage
and horsemen. The marshals in charge
were Col. j. ID. Lilley. Capt. c. b. koiner,
G. w. Swoope, Elliot Fishburne, Samuel
McCue and Frank S. Bell.
The procession and large concourse of
citizens formed around the platform. Al
ter an eloquent and beautiful prayer by Rev.
w. Q. Hullihen, pastor OfTrinity Church,
DIR. A. NJ. Fauntleroy,i in appropriate terms,
introduced the orator of the occasion, Col. G.
r. O'Ferrall, of HarrisOnhurg.
Col. O'Ferrall spoke about one hour
We regret that want of space forbids the
publication of more of his address than the
following extracts
He commenced by saying
Mr. President Ladies' and Gentlemen -
thank my friend for his kind words. ! am
here. as he has told you, by invitation OF the
Augusta Memorial Association to deliver the
annual memorial address. When L received
this invitation, my mind commenced to wan.
der back,-back over the past. L remembered
that ON the 10th day of May, 1867. by like in
yitation, Ideli vered similar address here. Yes,
a little more than fifteen years ago. Time had
NOT then frosted these locks. 1 stood then .'in
the morn and liquid dew of my early man
hood" The trials, troubles, and tr1Dulatlons
of life had not then made their impress upon
me. Many of these fair maidens who come now
with their flowers had then scarcely learned to
lisp name of their country's heroes, while
many who with moistened eye-lids participa-
ted on that occasion have since crossed over
the river, and like the model hero, are resting
under the shade of the trees. Oh how wildly
do recall that occasion. 1t stands out In liv-
ing light before me. 1t seemed to me then and
1t seems to me now as look back upon 1t, that
every matron, every maiden was clad in mourn
ing, while sadness rested upon every brow
At my side sat Augustus illustrious son-one
whom she ever delighted to honor, and whose
memory all Virginia reveres-whose brow was
sncircled with a wreath, whose leaves still
flourish and look green l need not say that 1
refer to the almost peerless John B. Baldwin
Near me, also, sat that pure and upright man,
Nicholas K. Trout, who, dying since, left be-
hind him a name which shines as bright as the
brightest star that lighters in the noon OF
night" Occupying prominent position IN
the audience was that man OF iron nerve and
Napoleonic will-the benefactor OF your beau
tiful little hill city-Col. NJ. q. Hartman. who
has since been cut down by the mighty Power
that created him without moments o warn arm,
grand and superb old mantle Nestor 0f the
Bar-whose like God max es but seldom-Thom-
as ]. Niche. whose pure soul mas since been
waited to realms of eternal bliss. And then
clustered about the stand and dotted here and
there in the audience were many gallant fell
lows who had faced death an hundred times,
whose warrior spirits have since taken their
flight to meet q warriors God.
Oh how, after the lapse of SO many years,
repeat that scene returns with all the vivid
ness OF yesterday, bringing with 1t a train OF
emotions which darkens to me the golden hue
OF life and spreads sable pail over my joys
Rude were the mounds and unturfed the plats
and unnamed the graves beneath and In which
rested on yon hilltop that army of heroes. who
ever sprang to their places and whose eyes ever
flashed at the sound of the long-roll, and for
whom their living comrades responded when
their names were last called, dead, dead at
the post OF duty"
Stepping with the tap of the mutfied drum,
keeping time with the music OF the funeral
march, we proceed to the city OF the Confeder-
ate dead. and while the band gave forth It's
dirge-iike notes the noble women OF Old Au-
Susa covered each grave WIN ab t
their tears. Yes. this was Is years ago,-but
thank God time has wrought no change in the
devotion of the true sons and fair daughters OF
old Augusta to the memory of the Confederate
dead. Mothers OF Is years ago, you have trained
your sons and daughters Alright. lou have
taught them to honor and revere the memory
OF the men who went forth to march, and
marching TO fight. and lighting to die In de-
fence of the cause which Virginia espoused.-
You have taught them that Jackson. and Stu
art, and Ashby. and those who following their
star or plume, fell In the battle front M patri-
eot Won. lnyrn frbttr hAf
old rusty gray jacket, that rested upon the
shoulders of their fathers. and which Is now
packed away where moths cannot reach II. Is
souvenir of honor, glory, and patriotism. You
have taught them that The old sword that hangs
en- your home wall, deep down in Its scabbard.
once flashed In the sunlight OF patriotic Valor
You have taught them that the old flag that you
have laid away with woman's love was once
the proud emblem of a cause around which
OF Virginia's truest and best; and that It's folds
once rustled In the breezes above that army,
Pennsylvania mountains to the gate of our own
capital city and dipped its cOnquering banner
On the bleed OF eight and twenty sangninary
plats. crop down the noxious weeds, scatter
fhe flowers of Spring. plant the rose. the holly,
the cypress. and the bay, where our martyred
dead sleep, and invite to this sacred retreat the
robin and the hooking Bird
s.To MARBLE their sweetest lays and pour forth
In profuse strains of unprecedented art.
How thankful he should be that his lot has
been cast in such a land. surrounded by plenty
and with the right to secure an indefeasible
interest in the soil, and he should never fall
before closing his eyes in sleep, though wearied
with the tolls and bending under the cares of
TIE day. to return his h tnank ha 20 6ae throne
safed unto him by the Mighty Ruer OF the
universe
patty for those less favored of other chimes:
And In speaking Of the chimes less favored
than ours, trust you will pardon me by reason
OF the pride L feel in the stock from which l
sprang and La the blood that courses in my
veins, when speak Of that land of song and
<sfary and brave men, yes of that
"Fairest isle that spreads
Its bright green mantle to the Celtic seas"
The history of Ireland is one long-drawn.
continued story of wrong and oppression.
Home, home with the humble Irishman in
his native land is
IA name without thing!
Like cen as lonely bird,
Whose home il on the wing"
He has no spot on Gods green earth upon
which he can plant his foot and oall IL home.
He can acquire no interest, however industri-
Gus and frugal he may be, In the soil of his ma
tive land except me LILLE SPOT IN e WHICH me ne
f1tfuI. feverish brow is cold. and death claims
him as his OWE.
voted. his sweat and toll arc given in support
OF his task -masters who make their levles up
ON him while they revel In riches and roll in
iuxuries. Yet in spite OF all these things-in
spite Of oppression and tyranny and blood, and
sweat, and tOil-he stands forth the admira-
ton OF the world. For the courage, the valor
the Spirit the manhood. the patriotism OF an
Irtshman have never tagged but he walks his
native peat with his head az erect, and his step
as proud, the same flash In his eye and the
same resolution in his cOuntenance AS when
more than $40 years ago he went forth to meet
and drive for the last time the Danish tnvad-
ers at the battle of CentarI Yes. proudly does
he step. for the memory and traditions of Ire
land make him proud. He loves her with
that beautiful tenderness which poetic fancy
has immortalized and If there is but one
prayer that an Irishman ever offers, that prayer
Is, "God save, God bless old Ireland"
His privations and wants; his sufferings and
wrongs have made it second nature to him
ever to relieve the distressed and to feel for the
O pressed.
show me true Irishman and will show you
a man who has a heart to feel for the woes OF
his fellow-man, and an arm TO strike in de-
fence of the down-trodden and the right.
Show me true Irishman and | will show
you man whose hand is ever open to the calls
of charity, and whose ties of friendship are
like hooks of steel-standing by his friends
amid the froWns and sneers and even curses of
the world.
Oh !! that the spirit of our free Institutions
could hover like a white-winged angel of love,
tranquility. and peace over this now distracted
In contemplating the dark. dismal land of
the shamrock. 1 repeat, how thankful we
should be that our lot is cast In land like this.
And Ia speaking of this brave and chiValrous
people, Ii time allowed would like to speak
OF that number, who as Union and Confeder-
ate soldiers. lock ed bayOnets and strewed their
dead from the heights of Gettysburg to the
plains OF Texas. would like to speak of James
$hields, who, linking his fortunes with the
North In the late struggle between the States
and rallying the Irishmen of his section, went
forth to battle for the cause he had expoused:
OF the gallant and intrepid Pat. Cleburne, who
gathering about him an Iish brigade. I'M
and fell with the Flagstaff of the Southern
cross in his hand and over whose grave lau-