Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-07-02
The New South.

We noticed the fact last week that the
Hon. John Goode was the orator on the
memorial occasion at Norfolk on the 10Th
of June. From the eloquent and admiIa-
BILE address he then delivered, we make the
following extract of what he said about the
New South
In this connection permit me to say that
while I rejoice exceedingly on account of
the wonderful recuperative energies dis-
played by the Southern people and the ex-
traordinary progress they have made in ma.
terial development and improvement, have
no sympathy whatever with those who
would exalt the s'New South" as it is flip
PANTY called, by detracting from the just
fame of the Old South. [Applause. Nor
have 1 any sympathy with that class of
Southern orators who seem disposed to
adopt the apologetic strain and to advertise
themselves as erring brothers whenever any
reference is made to our civil war. TAp-
p,ause.l
The people of the South to day are true
and loyal to the restored Union. When
they laid down tEeir arms and professed to
renew their allegiance, they acted in good
faith and meant what they said. If, un-
fortunately, our common country should
ever become involved in trouble with for
eign power and the government should call
for volunteers, the men of the south would
respond with as much alacrity as those of
any other section. [Applause. But while
performing their duty and their whole duty
to the restored Union, they cannot be ex-
pected to abandon all those cardinal princi-
Piles which they have been taught to cher
ish as the sheet anchor of their safety and
the palladium of their liberties. They do
not believe that the character of the govern
ment created by their fathers has been
fundamentally and essentially changed by
the results of the war. The war abolished
slavery and destroyed forever the doctrine
of secession; but it did not break down all
the barriers of the constitution. 1t did not
destroy all its limitations of power. 1t did
not remove the federal character of the re-
public. 1t did not convert government of
well defined and limited powers into
grand consolidated empire. 1t decided that
the Union is to be indissoluble, but iG is to
be an indissoluble Union of free and indes-
tructible States. Applause We believe
with our lamented and belo 1ed James Bar
on Hope, Poet-Laureate Of Virginia, who
electrified the country by that magnificent
epic at Yorktown, when he exclaimed in
the closing lines of that noble performance
that 'the safety Of the Union is the safety
of the States" [Applause. In conclusion
permit me to say that while the people of
the south intend to perform faithfully all
their obligations of fealty to the restored
Union, they can never, as long as they re
tain their manhood and ndself-respect, consent
with their own hands to write the word
traitor upon the brow of any Confederate
living, or upon the grave of any Confeder.
ate dead. [Appla use.] On the contrary,
they will cherish forever in their "heart of
hearts" the precious memory of their dead
heroes, and when each succeeding spring.
tine shall come, as the years roll Oh, they
will bring flowers, sweet flowers, to be laid
by the haud of affection upon their hono1ed
graves. In the sublime language of Father
Ryan, the Poet Priest of the south, ga land
without memories is land without liberty
A land that wears la 1rel crown may be
fair to see; but twine few sad cypress
leaTes arould the brow of any land aud be
that land beautiless and bleak, it becomes
lovely in its consecrated coronet of sorrow,
and it wins the sympathy of the heart and
history. Crowns of roses fade; crowns of
thorns endure, calvaries and crucifxes take
deepest hold Of humanity. The trumphs
of might are transient; they pass away and
are forgotten. The suferipgs of right are
craven deepest On the chronicles of ma
tions." [Applause]