The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-03-07
GOVERNOR LEE.
HISADDRESS BEFORE THE NEW
YORK THERN SOCIETY.
The Course of the South Fully Vindi-
cated-Ths Race Problem Admirably
Presented

cated-Ths Race Problem Admirably
Presented.
Govelnor Lee of Virginia was one
Of the speakers at tine meeting of the
Southern Society in New York City
on tie evening of Feb. Il. In the
course of his remarks he said:
| am glad to meet the gentlemen of
the Southern Society of New York,
and to bring them the greeting of the
Old Commonwealth of Virginia. x x
The demands of life and the interests
of bsuiness may have brought you to
dwell in this great city, but l am sure
there is not a member of your organi-
zation whose blood does not circulate
more rapidly in his veins, or whose
pulse does not throb quicker when
memory is touched by the hand of
time, bringing his,hone IN the South
ern land before him again, where, per-
haps, sleep those who are nearest and
dearest to him-why the very rivers
whose mouths mingle with the wave
that breaks into scattered fragments
upon the shores of old ocean, the
mountains whose Heaven kissing sum-
nlts glow in the suns golden light,
and the broad plains, and the beauti-
full valleys of our Southland all sur
round us at this hour with a halo of
recollections that are true and sacred
to every heart and to every breast,
and we all must feel the struggle for
utterance of the words " God bless the
South" What of her tonight? When
the eagle of America trumphantly
surveyed the historic scene and saw
the eyes Of the British lion close for
ever on this continent at Yorktown he
saw, too, that the event which trans
ferred power from kings to the people
had taken place on Southern soil, and
that from the uncrowned brow of the
Southern men was reflected the rays Of
the glorious victory.
Twelve O'Clock, and a cloudy morn
ing. Cornwal'is taken,' shouted
the watchman one night on the streets
of Philadelphia; and on The morning
a happy North and a happy South
were bound closely together by the
living links of the chain of a blessed
peace.
The hand, too, of Southern man
guided the pen that traced the Decla-
ration of independence, " that govern
ments derive their just powers from the
consent of the governed" and that
"whenever any form Of government
becomes destructive to these ends, it is
the right of the people to altar or
abolish ii"
To the intelligent labors of another
Southerner, both in and out of the
National Convention, was due more
than to any other one man, that the
Constitution replaced the old articles
of confederation which, already weak,
were growing weaker, and then when
the great American Ship of State was
enabled to bravely run to- its masthead
the Stars and Stripes, under the name
of the Star Spangled Banner, it was
immortalized in splendid verse by a
son Of Maryland. And SO with flag
flying and the crew pledging THEN
lives and fortunes to each other, this
American vessel, freighted with the
problem of human government, was
launched anew upon its untried and
experimental !. /. voyage.
Touching the ratification of the
Federal Constitution, giving in detail
a history of its origination and the
men who figured most conspicuously
in framing the memorable document
and the further question OF States
rights, Gov. Lee said:
The Constitution was the result of {
compromise of opinions. The decis
ION of the withdrawal of State wa
left 10 the future, and a different con
structon of their powers by the State
themselves, brought war and its at
tendant horrors upon the land.
To-day the South cannot aCknowl
edge that she violated one line of tha
instrument in the exercise of her right
as construed by her greatest statesmen
and she points with pride to the devo
ton and the heroism of her sons, VIII,
fought SO bravely in the unequal con
test to defend her action. But to-da
she admits that the disturbing ques
ton was settled by the sword, ant
now putting all the past behind; sh
recollects the great part taken by he
in establishing this great republic sh
remembers what she has done IN tn
past to contribute to- its prosperity
and asks that she may again be per
mitted to do her full duty in promo'
ing its power, its growth, and ii
grandeur. Like the eagle, she is re
newing her strength, and the stronge
she grows the stronger grows tn
whole country.
THE RACE PROBLEM.
! She does not forget that from I7S
to 1861, a period covering two-third
of the life of the republic, nine of til
fifteen Presidents in that interval wei