Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-01

1-2 slg,a,A
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ont knowing, perhaps, that Washing
ton ever us-d the expression. said if he
could reach the mountains of Virginia
be could continue the war for twenty
years but when he found the line which
obstructed his retreat could not be
broken, he said there was nothing to
do but surrender. BE it remembered,
boweeer, that Lee was not man who
contemplated surrender as long as he
had the power to fight or retreat, and
when he came to the last moment Of
surrender be said to General Grant
~ have come to treat with you for the
purpose Of surrender. but, General
Grant, understand / will surrender no.
thing that reflects upon the honor of
my army" Grant, like man, said
he wanted nothing that would have
that effect, and that Lee might draw
up the papers himself. 1t is not my
purpose either to discuss the political
questions on which my views have else
where and in other times been freely
expressed, or to review the past except
in vindication Of the character and con-
duct of those to whom it is proposed to
do honor on this occasion. That we
may not be misunderstood by such as are
not wilfully blind, it may be proper to
state in the foreground that we have no
desire to feed the fires Of sectional hate,
while we do not seek to avoid whatever
responsibility attaches to belief in the
righteousness Of our cause and the vir-
tue of those who risked their lives to
defend it. Long applause and cheers.l
Revenge is not the sentiment OF chval-
rous people, and the apOthegm that for
giveness is more easy to the injured than
to those who inhict injury has never
had more powerful illustration than in
the present attitude Of the two sections
towards one another. Policy, in the
absence Of magnanimity, would have
indicated that in the restored Union
Of the States there should have
been q full restoration Of equality,
privileges, and benefits as they had
pIe-existed. Though this has not
been the case, yet you have faithfully
kept your resumed obligations as citi-
zens, and in your impoyerishment have
borne equal burdens without equal
benefits. | am proud Of you, my
country men, for this additional proof
of your fidelity, and pray God to give
you grace to suffer and be strong.
When your children's children shall
ask what means this monument, there
will be the enduring answer, at COM
memorates the deeds Of AlAbama's
sons, who died that you a1d your de.
scendants should be what your fathers
in the war Of Independence left you"
Alabama asserted the right proclaimedin
the Declaration Of independence as be-
longing to every people. She found
that the compact ofthe Union had been
broken on one side, and was therefore
annulled that the Government Of the
United States did not answer the ends
for which it was instituted, and with
others Of like mind proceeded to form
new confederation, organizing its
powers in the language of the Declara-
tion of Independence in such form as
seemed to them most likely to effect
their safety and happiness. This was
not revolution, because the State gov
eminent having charge of all domestic az
fairs, both ofperson and Of property, re-
manned unchanged. To call it revolution
is gross solicism lapplausel, as sover-
eigns never rebel, and as only sovereigns
can form a national league. If the
States had not been sovereigns there
could not have been compact of union.
[Applausel That the South did not
anticipate, much less desire war, is
shown by the absence Of preparation
for it, as well as by the efforts made to
secure peaceful separation. The sue.
cessful party always hold the defeated
responsible for war, but when passion
shall have subsidized and reason shall
have resumed her domain it must be
decided that the General Government
had no constitutional power to coerce
State aud that State had the right to
repel invasion. 1t was a national and
constitutional right. [Applause.l
From the early part Of the century
there had been prophesies and threats
of dissolution of the Union. These
began at the North on the question Of
the balance of power, and
eliminated during the war Of 1912, on
the decline of their trade, though the
war was waged for the protection Of
sailors rights. In the course of years
the balance of power passed to the
North, and that power was so used
that the South, despairing Of the peace
ful enjoyment Of her constitutional
rights in the Union, decided to with
draw from it this without injury to
her late associates. The right to
withdraw was denied, and the North
made ready for war. The distant nut
terings of the storm were readily I'M
derstood by the people Of Alabama.
Gray haired sires and beardless boys,
all upprepared as they were, went forth
to meet the storm ere it burst
upon their homes and their affairs. 1t
required no Demosthenes to arouse them
to the duty Of resisting the invaders; no
Patrick Henry to prepare them for the
Of liberty or death. 1t was
the people, not the leaders, who resolved
and acted. One sentiment inspired all
Yet l believe there we're very
few who did not regret the necessity
which left them no alternative between
lighting for their State or against it.
wives, and daughters, choking