The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-02-06

your dull ear itself becomes stopped
with dust; and one by one with your
great Captain you "cross the river and
rest under the shade of the trees"
But the younger generation-the
men who now are in middle life and
bearing the burden and heat of the
day teach them, so they cannot forget.
Let it not pass away from them like
tale that is told, like a dream when
one awaketh. Make it real to them.
Make them know that though now
there are no wars to fight, except what
is called the battle of life, not death,
yet true noble men are required just
the same in each; it is as noble to live
we'll for your State as to die for it,,
perhaps even bolder. Think of the
vast amount of steady heroism of ear
nest purpose, of brave facing whatever
was to be done, of unselfsh self-sacrl-
flee even to the giving up OF life with
all its pleasant promises which the SOL
diers of the South laid on the altar OF
their country. Put all that in the SER
vice of life, not death, and we too may
be worthy sons of the Old North State,
and give her a prouder place among
men than could be achieved by the
slaughter of the whole race of man.
kind. "Peace has its victories no less
renowned than war;"
But there was more in that conflict
than the constitutional questions and
property at stake. Whether we were
right or wrong, has nothing to do with
the chief lessons of the cause for the
rising generation. That war with its
causes and consequences has passed
into history, where the cold pure light
of impartial reason will do it justice
some day in the future, when the
clouds of prejudice are left below.
The storms of passion, which even
now are muttering in sullen departing
cadence in some parts of this reunited
land will then have passed away; the
bitter hatreds of some breasts which
death alone can end will have beer
buried in ancient graves, the ife-blooo
poured out in plenteous sacrifice or
both sides will have been dried up liks
the dew of a century ago; and calme
and wiser generation will declar'
where was the truth, and who had th'
right among the actors in that terrible
tragedy. But on whichever side the
judgment Of condemnation shall fall
history while pointing out errors will
justify the motives, and make for u
the pure record on the long annals O
time that if the head was sometime
wrong, the heart was always right.
We are always working in the hand:
of an almighty power for purposes we
know not Of and perhaps from tn
blood of those dead heroes of the Soutl
will spring up some flower of liberty
to bless generations of men yet unborl
in the grand progress Of mankind.
But for US in this generation every
thing was settled by the sword-tha
Judge from which there is no appeal
and while bowling in submission t
the result, let us learn its lesson:
Loyalty to the Union does not requir
us to be ashamed of ourselves or tht
noble army cf martyrs who fell 70
what they believed the right.
know, Mr.. President, there ar
men in every community, who TAX
no interest in work like yours, who tr
with cold lips and selfish heart to sta
it with the sneer that it is senseless an
dead sentiment merely.
You know them. These are tn
great warriors in time of peace, and ii
war the skulkers to the rear. Thes
are the men traitors and deserters ar
made of.
In peace they despise the old Vet
eran's ragged worn-out clothes, an
forget the noble heart that beats be
meath: in whose presence they are nc
worthy to stand.
These are the jay-hawkers and her
roost robbers Of the war, the tradel
upon other mems necessities and SUI
ferings.
But don't mind them. They ha,
their reward in the daily harvest Of tn
pennies they worship, and the con
tempt of every honest patriot.
IL
| OF the great leaders of the Confee
crate Veterans, history will take car
They are enrolled among the gre;
names of the ages, and will shine OF
/ in living characters across the chas
Of distant time. And as back groun
to this glorious picture will be sprea
in equal Immortality the history of IL
cause they made-the field upon whit
+ they moved. But they will have
still better life than this-to live
their peoples hearts.
When we think of these men an
see that even they could not save i
when victory after victory turned
nothing in our hands, leaving us 81
ry which though real was as unsubsta
tial as the sunlight that falls upon tn
window to-day: When We think
the noble young lives of the Sou
heaped up in exulting sacrifice on Il
altar of their country all in vain, '
feel that in the ordinances that COVE
the world it was written, "That it W
|; best for US to fail"
i There is one person to whom
come now, without whom there wou
have been no glory for Lee or Jackso
He is as much part of'their trump
as their own transcedent abilities. +
is as noble as either one of them.
is not his fault that he only had o.
taken to their ten. He used it just
wen, aye even better, for "his part W
to do and die and not know the re
f-1~ ,,,A- 1iHa n wn m