The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-06-21
Honoring the Confederate D.,a

CAMDEN, S. g., June 20.-The monument
erected by the women of Mershow county.
in memory of the Confederate dead, was
dedicated to-day by a grand military dem.
onstration, in which twenty companies mar.
tlcipated. Senators Hampton, Butler, and
other distinguished men were present.
The ceremonies of unveiling consisted of
artillery salute, dedicatory prayer, ode by
the ladies, Grafton by Hampton. Hamp.
ton paid tribute to the faith, devotion aud
patience of the southern women. and said
the war shall be written,
they would not only occupy the first place
in our hearts, but first In honor they
would always repel with scorn and indigna.
eion the imputation that monuments 10
Confederate dead marked the spot where
traitors slept; We. of the south, were moi
traitors or rebels, nor was our war In any
proper sense rebellion; 1t was strictly a
civil war, growing out OF conflicting inter.
ests and different construction of the consti-
tuition by opposing selections the country:
he maintained that the perfect union of
states contemplated by our fathers could
never be possible ifthe citizens of one nor.
tion Of the republic are to be kept in that
union merely on the sufferance tolerated.
but suspected OF contributing their full
share to the support Of the government. but
not participating in It's direction: bearing
It's burdens, but not sharing its honors. and
feeling that in the home OF their
fathers they are but unwelcome
intruders. He congratulated the country
that the future was auspicious. that the
scars were being oblterated by time and
demanded that our former enemies do ius.
tice TO our motives that inspired our con.
duct. He believed II the settlement OF the
war had been lett to the old soldiers the
country would have been saved the
shame and humiliation OF recon.
struction. lie counselled obedience to
the laws and TO the supremacy of
constitution, and said II requires onlv n
mutual forbearance, concession and gener
osity on the part Of the late contendinp sec.
tions to bring about this result, and surely
every statesman, every lover OF his couu.
try, desires this end reached, and II can be
attained without loss of self.respect BY any
honorable man north or south, without mn.
manly degradation, without the sacrifice of
one honest conviction or one cherished
principle. The great questions which were
at issue between the north and south and
which were left to arbitrament by the
war were decided against us,
but the sword never has
ueciueu ana never VIII decide the question
involving the great principle In the final
judgement, as to the motives and actions
OF man, 1t rests with higher tribunal than
any on this earth, and to that last great
court OF appeal must every question OF
right and wrong be submitted.
Our convictions were responsible
alone to our conscience and 10 our God
hence there Is no inconsistency In our civ.
Ing to the constitution and laws under
which We live an earnest, conscientious
support while We hold In tender reverence
the memory OF the men who died for the
cause We held to be just and right. The
Grafton was received with much enthu.
siasm.