Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-05-20
1.-THE Lost Cause"

The following prize oration was deliver
Ell by Master George W. Johnston, son of
COL Stoddard Johnston. at the recent cele-
bmtion of the junior class of Yale College
The civil war Of 1861 was a trial of
strength between North and South. and the
weaker fell. II was the inel table culmina-
tiOn of a century's diScord. The sound ofpo-
litical strife. from Washington to Lincoln,
foretold Il contest ruder than that of words,
as faint suDtcrrancan mutterinws Indicate
volcanic forces and predict their violeuce.
Inc eruption came, wrought its devastation
ana ceased. Years have cooled the lava
streams. Believing that the war is truly
over, and that there now exists in regard TO
1t 4 rerjudgment than once was possible,
ask your attention to the people whose
cause in that war lacks the persuasive ar~u-
mcnt Of success.
1T Is not my purpose to review dead is
sues by cndearoring to justify secession
Ny lect is the South which lost. What
matters today the cry that she was wrong?
demand Il recognition of her devotion to
that which she deemed her duty.
"Affectionate pride loves to recall the he
ruism by which the South proved the SIM
ccrity of her motives. All was energy, dar-
moro brave than tho sons If N-irrri., Si ,nI
Nississinni TT,,.n com,n,ndor. So ,.n. ,'' '.','
moro ulirr more freo from mnrson,1 @ ,n,i>;t;"'
lan Ice and lack k.on > Tbnro Wow, r,'
pe:tcd the virtues of Morions Sumntnrs
and Iiuht-horsr Horrys of tLn po,nlntirn
In the cavalry charges of Stuart Enwl,nI
saw the fiery yalor Of 4 R,1pert imnrlleG L,.
the con, 'ctious ofa Hamndrn Tn rbo h,t.
tie of the Wilderness France witnes ;ed :,
courage no less GLORIOUS than that which I'M
mortnlizCd Nap0leon's Guard
'.What availcd the devotion of tho South
the, fearless spjrit of her soldiers rho n,tinnt
denial of her women wbo r,vn so mnrh to
thc land thrv loyrd9 Rnf Tho anil ;s s;,,,r', w
Iariv traric. Gettysb,rn is over and T 500
slowly Withdrawing across the potomac thc
bleeding fragments of an army which once
gained charlottesville and Il Fredericks-
burg. For the determination of this army
there follows another, enthusiastic wolf
equipped, overwhelming in numbers TLr
Chain sl,rroundinr thc South i tirh,rnnI
n I'll Il process of uttrition' is cmp)oTrd She
rcsists, but with what? Her COURAGE
il is true, knows no abatement But rnIIr-
a"c alone cannot draw resources from IN
exhausted land it cannot rcplctc An EMMY
trcasirv men can not live without food and
clothing: battles cannot be fought without
powder and ball. Still there is resistance.
Every nerve is stiflGncd with the resolution
to save the South or perish Thr r,r,rj
rroi,nrnts thin, rd bv dr,th ara GIlcJ T.;tI
bnys and th:r,cd n:r,in Nrrd n.n,,mrn
C,ninn nr.tilrnr,, hn,.n ,,,Jo or., o,,,., 'sIn
rinus Gnrm , II .,.Iatnn Vnt u ,,,.n,. So ,,,1
stril... with .,no;h ,m,r onorr,. E,',n,
inch nf ,rrornL IL sinhhnrnl, J;S,Mtod R,;t
tbn hnr;nnim,r nr r tI,o n,J hs,. '"r0' ' 1r,, u'
is = mick s,,crcssion nfattnrls amd ro,,rI.n. n.
, iin,I cnrcnrtoJ ,,n,.n,Mnmt Iar,.i t','u .',,I
p;rhwn,I i t,l.or 4 L,,,.;,I -, ''','
1,si cnHvuls;vr tLroh Of thn u..,staI I"I, h,d,, -
An tnnom,ttox mo s,on,I,rJ., tIn. L,,,.,'
nr ~ o,'% and ,rnmdi,. horno nr ..iIr invnrJ '.I
Thu South has faIlcn The raI,sr is lost
How differently nr,cc l.,mn In North ,rd
cnutb ~, thn nnn II ,,o.,t o>,lt,t;n,, a,.a,.
rintor r,t;on,I nrndit r,c"r,n,1 I1''' n o,n'
wv $500 n ,,,,.;,.nI Poon,;n,r onnnar ,,I ,o1i
;m. S,olls t,ld tho ',iod ,;j;"'nr ny" 'mu pI''n
'TETo TrIaM ,a'. Wv. 3.aI 'r w. r. " '.h
hr,l' JnT ,1ai "..H r. Lo,eh tt tb Ii oaIc
on;u5 to tLc ,a,,,nI of wsr In,an;n~ L"d
f,,, i =, l,nd Of nientv tha o,.cionn ,,,sl"J a
ord lef1 :, Land of run Hcr cities u.orn
saai-aJ Ir tbo v,llo,. nr tbn cha',on,,oni,
;n ~ Goor,ia and SoutL C,rnlina thorn U.nro
| devastated nl,nt,tions deserted VILLAGES
bi.cI oned bdons of once han ~hnmes NIL
;,m tho co rSo ~ She .ilnn;s rn:d or @ chor-
MANS I march Tho ,.~lec.ed 6nids bora M
| barvests ~ 4 close bIock ode had sbatternG
conmerre Willows and ornbans ware With. ~.
ont defenders and the South was bnponred
What hand was stretched ont to aid her .
When YOUR armies were returning. crowned
wi h triumph had YOU no thought. oh men
of the North, for the foe that had 50 bravely
onnospd vou9 The victory was vours b,i,
what had she9 Where we're the ends She
had sought to reach? Lost forever derided
and misrepre-ented becsrse defe ted Where
we're the ir epid armies she had sent forth;
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