The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-12
THE MEMORIAL ADDRESS.
DELIVERED BY MR.. CHARLES P. PRESS
LEY IN AUGUSTA.

DELIVERED BY MR.. CHARLhS r. fNhss'
LEY IN AUGUSTA.
An Able and Eloquent Orstion DE
Iivered OH the 26t!l Of April at tho
Soldiers, Section ia the City Gem
ctery.
Ladies of the Memorial IASsociation
Friends and Eellom-citizeas:
"Woman was last at the cross and first
at the grave" Such is the epitome OF hel
life during the late struggle which cullnl'
mated in the heart-rendering scene at Ap-
DomattoX, the Getksemane and Cavalry
of the Southern cause. During that
bloody strife the Southern wotaan, with
the fond devotion and confident hope of 4
Mary Magdalene, remained true to every
relation of life, and looked with anxious
ewes for the dawn Of better and bright
.er day. For every hero on the field there
was 4 heroine in the home, with sorrow
full, vet loval heart, the Southern woman
kept the lonely tireSde, provided with
eager hands for those who had gone ITO
the 'front.'" watched and ministered at the
bedside Of suffering, and assisted IN the
last sad rites around the graves OF our
heroic slain. When the ragged survivor,
u
scars, returned TO find his home heap OF
ruins, it was her bright smile and her
cheering voice which brought solace and
encouragelnen ent to crushed and diSheart-
ened people. On the 9th of April, lSS3,
when the curtain of darkness went down
ON the last act of the awful tragedy, when
the Lost Cause passed with wall into
history, when the hills and valleys of our
Southland were bleak and desolate, in
that midnight hour Of gloom, the eye Of
aler hope saw star, and the ear of her
faith heard the rustic of wing.
The observance of this as Il day Of me-
mortal is due to the thoughtful and loyal
heart Of Southern matron. 1t would be
u breach of gallantry and OF gratitude
were I to pass over in silence the precious
and priceless contributions which have
been made to the Southern cause by the
hand and heart of Southern women.
This is day of memories. The desire
to remember, as we'll as to be renemb ber-
ed, is sentiment comtncn to humanity.
Every civilized people pe-petuate in fit
ting memorial the illustrioNs characters
and decisive events in their history.
Egypt. has her Pyramids, France her
Pantheon and Arch eff Triumph, ana
England her Abbey. The graves Of the
buried are marked by modesty-inscribed
stone or the stately monument. The
very form and features of the great are
preserved in marble; their words and ac-
fi0ns survive upon the printed page.
The chiSei of the sculptor, the brush OF
the painter and the pen of the historian
have contributed their skill and knoWl-
edge to enshrine the virtues and heroic
achievements of the dead for the emula-
tion of the living.
The observance of q day, however. is
the most beautiful and the most impress
Sive Of all memorials. The granite shaft
IS cold. and void of sympathy or luspira-
tion. The marble column stands silent,
&,nd has no voice to tell the life OF the gal
lant hero whose name it bears. The
lnausoleum and the abbey are but the
mute and dismal witnesses Of death.
The page of history is chilled by the sim
ple garh Of letters and figures. On an oc-
UaSiOn like this, however a buried past is
revived in living. speaking present.
The names and deeds OF the illus.rous
dead are freShened in our memories, and
passion is rekindled, by minglinS our
hearts and voices with those that COM
lne.norate the fame and glory.of our ms
tory. The fcverel pulse OF business is
STAYED, and the great Soul OF the COM
lnuhtty throbs in harmony with the asso-
citations of Sainted past. Enthusiasm is
aronsed, and recollection stirred by the
sweet perfume OF flowers, the CLEAN OF
sabre and bayonet, the strains OF mar
tial music and nv the animated throEg OF
people from the highways of life. Eng
land commentaries the 2lSt Of OctoberaS
the day of Nelson and Trafalgar, and the
18th of June as the anniversary OF Wa
1erloo. France has her "Republic's
DAY." and the downfall Of the Bastie is
,,arpot,1 ,ta6 ,y, bo Of tho l4th
of July. Our country observes the 22d
pf February rs the birthday Of Washing
ton, and the 4th Of July is celebrated as
the day upon which the United States OF
America assumed their position in the
Sisterhood Of nations. The 30th Of May
is religiously kept by our brethren OF the
North for the decoration of the graves OF
the Federal dead. In 1856, through the
earnest efforts of Mrs. Charles J. Will
liams, of Columbus, Ga, this day was
set apart as perpetual and sacred memo
rial of the South. In many OF our South
ern cities there is a growing indifference
to the observance Of this custom. Such
q spirit is craven ald ungrateful. Let us
remem Der that this is the only day which
as commemorated by the South as peo-
pie. Are there no events in our history
worthy of such custom? Has the past
40 bright spot to which we may recur
with proud recollection? Have we no
heroes whose names and deeds are enti-
tied to our remembrance? Are we be-
coming fathleSs to the memory of cause
which was hallowed by the prayers Of
our mothers and cemented by the blood
of our fathers? Thank God that this one
day has been saved from oblivion and
conSecratcd to al unfortunate but 4 most
glorious struggle. With the staunchcst
devotion to a common country, let us
ever delight to observe this only South
ern anniversary. Shall we allow 1t to be-
cOlRe obsolete because it colnmemOrateS
Il strife in which we were overpowered
and overtErown? Are we to forget it
because it ,uingles memories Of defeat
with our feelings Of pride? Were those
heroes less heroic because they fell in bat
tie and sleep to-day in bloody graves
If the Mahometau can celebrate the flight
of his great prophet from Mecca to Me-
dina if the Hebrew can observe the day
upon which tho temple of his God was
destroyed, shall we not perpetuatc the
haloWed associations whch cluster
around the Southern cause?
Though Andrew Hater su ifered felon's
death in the service of his country, his
name is proudly preserved by the peas
ant of Tyrol, and Irmspouck has become
famous as the place of his burial.
Though Harold fell in defeat on the
heights of Senbac, his character and
achievements have become an Immortal
part Of English history. Though Will
liam Wallace died ut the block, the honor
and gallantry of his life are cherIshed
as a precious inspiration by Scotland's
doughty SONS Shall we be less loyal tc
our fallen heroes and the glorics OF our
history LET the chiyalry of Southern