South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1890-08-22

speak for their fathers TO the publ;e
concerning the Cause for which they
bad so gsilsnily, though unsucess-
fully fought, be expressed the p.i de
and pleasure 1t gave him to speak for
their fathers TO their sons and to ins
viie and urge them to unite in the eff
Tort to secure the ends for which the
SDciety OF Ex-Confederates had been
organized. Catching has inspiration
as he said from the large number of
bright rnd mauly boys before him.
aiiording Ne they did the plea.irg as
sutsnce that. whatever else tue Old
Soldiers had lost or might yet lack,
they would never want representa-
lives bearing their nance To cher sb
their memory and To vintiicate their
honor, tue speaker raised tue cues.
tion Why seek. now that The war is
ended, TO enlist the youth in such
organizations and Efforts.
Pointing TO the rapidly thinning
osn5 OF grizzIed veter rs showing the
touch Of cine and Of toll. sti.l resting.
toge. her wi b the Cause for v hicb
they fought, and along With MANY IL
their COMRADES who slc. p in distant,
and unknown graves, but not 'unwept.
unh"DUred and unsung. false and
sland rous charges. lie proposed to
answer thai question.
First hy declaring wish emphasis
that though sotely provoked thereto
by the atti' ude If many writer's and
speakers even from the sacred desk
n was not TO rase over the ashes of
the past aud rekindle and keep alive
the II mts OF PR judice and hate. and
To- incite TO another war. For OF all
the men IN The broad land Lor would
more earnestly uni sincerely fer the
prayer Col grant that tue war drums
teat may never again echo among
our Mills and Valleys or render a
tIuer and more patriotic service 10
the whole Country when she needed it
than the Old Confederate Soldier.
But that 1t was 70 gather the facts
and faithfully record them so as 10
have q true history OF the causes and
conduct of the late war TO meet the
false charges now so current IN sch, oil
histories. and in to ks and Pamphlets
written when the exultaut and con.
querins North ind West held the ear
Of tue world. lie ins, snced among
such charges those that proc aimed
.Sa rery the cause OF the war, that on
tue part Of the South the war was
conduc ed baTbarously and that the
treatment Of prise hers Of War was
purpose cruel and inhuman AID tina,
the war VAS In essence rebellion
and all who engaged in it traitors,
anu aS well known and established
facts, many OF them drawn from off I.
clal records now In the erchieves ut
Washington, repe.led and Ieiu ell the
charges.
With an allusion TO their mo:hers.
the light Of whose eyes had cheered
their fathers on To battle and whose
presence in their homes had gladden.
Cd the lives al Their fathers " hen the
war was over, he ape aled to tue Sons
TO examine for themselves and To
collect the facts C ,ncernins that mem
oraole struggle, and expressed the
ard mt hope that among them might
be foun.i some ID sing the story OF
their fathers deeds as Burns sang OF
Wallace and his men, or TO write il as
did the historians of Switzerland S
brave resistance TO tyranny or of the
glorious struggle Of the Dutch for
freedom.
After .his address the boys were
enrolled and organized by The e.
lection OF the foll.wing officers:
President - Robert Monroe; 1st
and I'd and Sd Vice. presidents -
Seaman and VIM. +. Fin.ey and -
Haines; Secretary - 10y, As.
sistant Secretary w. o. Johnson, aud
we're lett TO complete the details
OF organ Eat on and work after con-
ference with the General Committee.
Recess was taken until 2 o'clock
The interval was pleasantly filed up
by a good old fashioned basket.in-
hand picnic
After recess the Old Soldiers and
the newly organ zed Society II their
Sons assembled In front of the stand,
to hear the address Of Rev. l.. NJ. Lyle,
ID. d., now OF Springfield, who bad
kindly, upon very short notice, con-
sented TO take the place of General
Walker who was prevented, by the
illness of son, from being present.
DR.. Finley introduced him with al
lnsion to the pleasure IT always gave
VTg inia Soldiers 10 "Iouch elbows"
with the gallant Sons of Georgia, Il.
mong whom as q menbe of the fa /,
nous Cobb's Legion the Kev'd spe ak.
er ha d served.
In the absence OF our notes taken
at the time, it is impossible to do JUS
tlce to the address with its mingled
pathos end humor. But for nearly
an hour DR.. Lyle captured the crowd
andagain and again woke the echoes
Of hill and fOrest.by the applause be
elected as he discoursed on IT. nc
Patriotism aud recalled the scenes of
varied experience as a soldier. He
was warmly thanked 10y the soldiers
and their friends who had enjoyed SO
muci the pleasure he had given them.
The exercises on Friday were en-
livened by the presence OF the Alli-
ance and Rio Bands and the Mineral
Go. Drum Corps, whose playing was
q source Of much attraction and gratis