The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1884-07-03

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" me- fulluuma is tNr address ur vul-
'u.mr delivered hN
nos, 900 uuUi y, Nl.UIiiuUl,
luuI,- uuu 1uU'' .Wuu.
Nineteen Nrur- ago Ihv last gun WIS
fired iu the Wur between the Ntutus, We
luuk around ~ aud save tho muullvriug
Qualifications and the manned forms
among ~, We luuk In vain for visible rN-
idrnrc uf one uf at the greatest and
tiCrrrst struggle, that ever durkcnrd
aud ulIright,d the face of the earth,
Not only have the outward signs of the
great contest faded from the face
of the land, hUI from the hearts of our
people has faded the luminosity cngCnd-
cred hy the strife. Tho time has NJ last
arrived when Judgment, no longer he
clOudCd hy passion, awards 10 every
man the luiticst position whether nc
buttlcd for the Union or against II, The
fact remains To history that the best ana
hrnVc>t throughout the Union stood In
the ranks of the contCnding armies.
The man from Maine and the man rom
Texas was each actuntcd by utmost
honesty of purpose and devotion Ia duty,
and alike deserves the applause and
gratitude of those for whom he barred
his breast tn the storm ot battle.
The brave soldiers of the Federal
army, who measured arms with Us upon
the field, rs ChcrrlmllN assert these
truths rs we do. None deny them cN-
ccpt the SoullcsS dcmagoguc,w who snui'cd
the battle from altar oil then, ana would
ride to power now 10y tanning with SAT-
religious hand the last Smouldcring en-
hlcms of political hate. For nineteen
wears the South has devoted herself as
Siduously To the arts OF peace, and
PEACE mNrIl IIEH VICTORIES
no loss renowned than war. Her cotton
fields have whtcucd and her grancrics
have grOancd wear after wear until Al
length the dCsoati0n, which oppressed
her and spread its pail ON every heart,
has been lifted and the new South stands
to-day clad in all her pristine strength
and beauty ludcr these favorable aus
pieces we assemble here To day. But let
not this reunion he misintcrprctcd. Let
no man misunderstood its meaning. II is
not Il revival of the war spirit. Bclicv-
ing implicitly that the general govern
mcnt was but delegated power and
that the sovereign States had right To
withdraw from the compact whenever
they deemed 1t for the best interest OF
their people to do so we appealed 10
force, the last argument of Sovcreigns
in dire extremity. How we maintained
that argument let the whole world bear
witness. The torch bla2cd in our midst
and the thundcrs of the conflict echoed
on all our hills from the Poto-
mac to the Rio Grandc and far
out upon the bosom Of the ocean
the war dogs growl told of carnage and
the waves were painted red with the
gallant blood of the Blue and the Gray
1t was truly war of giants! But we
were confronted by superior numbers
backed by infinitely superior resources
We were confronted by men whose an
cestors were brothers of our own. Con-
ironted by speaking people who
have never been conquered by any other
race from Julius Caesar to the present
time. They sometimes conquer one
another, and so it was with us.
The issues of the contest were two,
SECESSION and slavery. These issues were
decided against us and in all good taith
we accept the result. The issues involved
in that contest are res adjudicata lor-
ever.
Nor would have it otherwise. | he
licvc that but speak the sentiment of
the Confederate soldiers when ! declare
that | am glad that the
NEGROES ARE FREE
and am willing that they shall enjoy all
the political rights that | claim for my
self. And believe that | but speak the
same sentiment when | assert that |
rejoice that the great Union is forever
one and indivisiblc. The stars and stripes
people in this government than the
late soldiers of the Confederate army.
Yet. while we love the Union and the
Nag of our common country, ana STAND
ready to strike to the death any who
would insult it; we are not asked by amy
brave or generous soul
NORTH or SOUTH, TO FORGET OUR liz
LUsTRIOUS DEAD,
and we never will forget them.
Throughout the coming years, to the
last syllable Of recorded time, we VIII
teach our children to rise up and call
Southern people should ever cease to
drop tears of sorrow upon their graves
and to Irvine around their monuments
the rarest and brightest flowers OF our
own sunny cline. This valor is the
common property of the American
people, as is that of those who fought
them. And whether they sleep by the
riverside or on mountain height, by the
sea or meath the mourning pine, they
are all safe from oblivion. The stones
that mark their resting place may
crumble and pass away, yet in the hearts
of Il great people they live on through
the coming ages, cmbalmed with ther
love and admiration. we love them,
because they loved us and they died for
us.
But to speak more directly to the OBJ
iect of this Reunion. 1t is but natural,
that men who have been so
closely associated in camp and
upon the field for long years
should desire to meet again. And
when they do meet, they are irresistabiy
carried back to the scenes of the past.
What a theme, in that past, have the
survivors of Hoods brigade. They talk
of Eltham's Landing, Seven Pines,
Gaines Mills, Malvern Hill, Second
Manassas, South Mountain, Sharpsburg,
Fredericksburg, Gettysburg. Chlcka-
manga, Knoxville, The Wilderness,
Spotsylvania Courthouse, Hanover
junction, Cold Harbor,
THE SIEGE or PETERSBURG
and Fort Harrison. These are but the
leading features. All! my countrymenn,
what record is that. | assert in all
candor and without enthusiasm that the
record of Hoods Brigade is the brightest
page in the military history of the world.
The Macedonian .phalanX and the
These men fought their. equals
in birth and their superiorss in
equipment. Napoleon's Old Guard
fur isles no such record. The nearest
approach to il is by the troops of the
Great Carthagenian in the valley OF
Italy.
We Texans celebrate the battle of San
Jacinto. The anniversary is made a
legal holiday by the law of the land.
And | would not pluck nerlaurel from
the brow of the heroes of San Jacinto.
Yet in the history of Hoods Brigade
that battle would scarcely. rise
above the dignity of Il skirmish.
They displayed on a hundred battle
fields the same yalor that characterized
our veterans at San Jacinto.
Brave men all over the world have
followed gallant leaders into the very