South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1889-01-18


mics OF the skics-wLo said: There
1 was South OF secession and slavery
: that South is dead; there is a
: South of uni"n and freedom-tha,
South, thank Col, is living, grow
ing every hour.
1t WAS he who named the new
South. One of the upstarts
said in speech in New
York: 'ln answering the toast
to the rew South, accept that name
in no dispsragemert to the old
South. Dear 10 me, sir is the home
of my childhood, and
THE TRADITIONS OF MY PEOPLE.
and not for the glories OF New Eng
Lard history from Plymouth Rock all
the way, would surrender the least
Of these. Never shall do, or sav,
au hit to dim the luster ofthe glory.
OF my ancestors won 10 peace and in
war.
| Where is the young man in the
South WHO has spoken one word in
disparagement OF our past, or has
worn lightly the sacred traditions Of
our fathers? The worll has not G.
qualled the unquestioning reverence
and undying loyalty of the young
men OF the South to the memory CT
their fathers. History has not O.
quslled the cheerfulness and heroisD
with which they bestirred themselves
amid the poverty that was their leg
acy, and holding the inspiration of
| hn; 4. hi han ri
and garnered wealth, went out TO do
their part 10 rebuilding the fallen
fortunes Of the South and rest oring
her fells to their pristine beauty.
Wherever they have striven-in mar
ket-place. putting youth against expe-
riencc, poverty against capitalism the
shop earning in the light Of their for.
ges and the sweat OF their faces the
bread and meat for those depending
upon them--in the forum, eloquent
by instinct, able though unlettered-
on the farm, locking the sunshine in
their harvests and spreading the
showers on their felds-everywhere
my heart has been with them, and /
thank God that they are comrades
and countrymen of miro. have
God with them shoulder to shoulder
as they met new conditions without
surrenderiDg old faiths-and l have
been content to feel the grasp Of their
bands and tue throb of THAR hearts,
and hear the music OF their quick
step as they marched unfearing into
new and unttied ways. If / should
attempt 10 prostitute the generous
entEusiasIn of these, my comrades, to
my own ambition, should be unwor /.
thy. IL any man enwrapping him
self in the sacred memories of the
old South, should prostitute them TO
the hiding Of bis own weakness, or
the Strengthening of his fai ing for
tunes, that man would be unworthy.
should seek TO divi e the old South
from the new, or the new from the
old-to separate those that in love
hath been joined together-to es-
TRANCE the con from his fathers
gave AMI turn our children from the
MONUMENTS OF OUR DEAD,
10 embitter tie closing days of our
WIN PASAOh w Vic SOho
who shall follow them-tbis man 8
words are unworthy and are spoken
TO the injury of his people.
Some one has sad in derision that
the old men OF the South, sitting
down amid their ruins, reminded him
Of the Spanish hida'gas sitting in
the porches of the Alhambr and
looking out TO sea for the return Of
the lost armada There is pathos
but no derision in this picture TO me.
These men were our fathers. Their
lives were stainless. Their lots were
gently cas-, aud the civilization they
builded ia tender an engaging grace
hath not been equalled. The scenes
amid which they moved as princes
among men, have vanished forever.
A grosser and material day has
come, in which their gentle hands
could garner but scaDlily, and their
guileless hearts fend but feebly. Let
them sit, therefore, in the dismantled
porches Of their homes into which
dishonor hath never entered, to which
discOurtesy is stranger-end gaze
phs w Niit Etas uNyphtA blAt lOA lLOtl
OF which tbeir armada has driftcd
forever. And though the sea shall
n OF reuder back TO them the nrgosus
that went down in their ship, let us
build Cor them IN the land they love
so we'll stately and enduring tenn
ple-its pillars founded IN justice, is
arches springinb to the skies, its
treasures filed wit substance. Lit,
etty walking 10 its corridors; art A.
dorning its walls religion filing is
aislcs with incense, and here let them
rest in honorable peace and tranquil.
lily until God shall call them hence
10 "A house not made with hands, e.
ternal in the heavens
There are otter things / wish to
soy u you to-day, my country men,
but my voice fJrblds. I thank you
for your courteous and patient alten-
ton. And ] pray to God - who bath
led us through sorrow aud travail
that on this day Of universal tbaukss
giving, when every Christian heart
in this audience Is uplif,ed in praise,
that lie will open the gates Of bis
glory and bend down above us in
mercy and love : And that these
people who have given themselves
[ mt, dgu, ruH .rTo troar TIs. F.FtI -