The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1889-11-13
AN ELOQUENT SPEECH.
Gur Senator Edwards Pays q Beau.
tifuI Tribute to Southern No-
men and the Old South.

men ana TIC SAu JOutHs
The following is the beautiful.
and eloquent speech delivered by
Senator NJ. G. Edwards, of this
district, on the bill to set apart two
rooms in the new capitol for war
relics:
Mr.. President; When I INTRO,
duced this bill | had no particular
room in my minds eye. AS we
are so constantly and persistently
misrepresented by the north as to
a correct history of the late war, |
saw the necessity of some place of
deposit and preservation Of the
trophies and relies of the lost cause,
that we might the better transmit
TO after generations a true his DRY
of patriotic and chivalrous peo-
pie. AS the committee by request
Of the veterans OF Fulton county
has seen fit to amend the bill, /
heartily concur in the amendment.
The general assembly havinr
rendered the veterans of the state
this building for their reunions,
and as most veterans who come to
the city will come here to view
this capitol in all its magnificent
proportions, | thiak this tho place
for the cabinet. Then, Mr.. Presi-
dent, | ask in the neme Of the vet
Grams of Georgia these rooms be
set apart for their souvenirs. Let
all relics and trophies be there de-
posted, with true history ap
pended. Let the walls be hung
with the portraits of her heroes.
Let the private soldier, who has
achieved renown by Lis valor, be
placed there as well as the general. |
Mr.. President, in the annual
reunion this will be the room of
rooms to The ola soldier. Yes, let |
it be his meccs. and once year let
them assemble in It's walls and tall, |
over the trials # the war. As /
they look upon these relics anl the |
faces Of their Old commanders, let
them once more catch the inspira |
ton of the days of the sixties let
them feel themselves once more
shoulder to shoulder in line of bat
tie ; let them see the enemy as they |
wheel into liuc, in their front; let /
them see the couriers as they dash /
to and tro; let them feel that on.i
nous silence that ever settles upon
an army before the conflict begins;
let them hear the order to forward |
as it passes along the liues; let
them once more hear the rebel yell
that meant victory or death.
In the annual visits of the old
veterans, let them bring their chill
drcn and tleir grandchildren Will
them. As they assemble in this
room talking over the past, let
some old, 9ray-haired veteran take
Tor his text some relic in this col,
lection. | would suggest the flag
under which he fought. Let him
tell these children what beautiful |
asaiden or lively nation presented /
it to Ii S regiment. Tell them how |
that regiment pledged to guard it
with their lives. Repeat to them
its successes and adver8es. Point
to the portrait of his commander.
Tell how he rose from boy private
to his present position. Give them
his history complete Tell them
why the cause was so sacred, and,
Mr. President, such lecture will |
teach the child more and truer his, |
tory in one hour than the schools
master can impart in five years with
the books now extant.
Let the janitor Of these rooms
be conversant with the history of
every relic Ia them, and when our
young men return from their alma
inter feeling they have drunk long
aud deep at the PERRIN fount. that
they are sufficiently filled with
classic lore TO wait safely their lii.
tie barque over the great maelslrom
Of life, believing their fathers we're
ialterers and our history unworthy
. study, let that janitor for a mo,
ment compare notes with them.
Go with him, if you please, to
At@enae in his defense, by his
wooden walls at Salamis, or follow
Perry in his successes upon the
seas, and tell him these successes
give precedeuce to the brilliant
achievements o our own Semmes.
Let him follow Cromwell in his
religious iniatuation, when, at the
head Of his old Ironsides, he vent
to battle with cIymore III hand
and psalms in bis mouth, when tie
enemy melted before him like mist
before the morning sun.
Or let him 60 to the plains of
Waterloo, and there behold the
man OF iron and lie Of destiny, as
they meet in thatagreat struggle.
See bow the battle Gibbs and flows. |
At last notice the English divisions
as they melt away; hear the vic
torious Shout Of the French 10.
tice that MIN OF iron, imperturl.
ble,sas marble itself; at last raises
bis yes 70 The sun aud in agony OF
despair, exclaims "Blucher or
nlgbtV Look upon yonder hill,
as the dust clears away Butcher
is in sightl lie comes down thai
slope like the mountain boulder.