The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-04-27
RICHMOND, VA. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 81, Is9:
HONORTNG THE ECONFEDERATED DEAD
General Wade Hampton Delivers an Grafton
at the Memorial Day Celebration.

SAVANNAH, Ga. April 26.-Memorial day
was celebrated more generally here to-day
than for some years past All public Offices
and places of business were closed.
and the city was filed with visitors
from the surrounding country. The veterans
from other counties united withthose OF Sa,
vannah and the military In the parade and
services at the soldiers monument
General Wade Hampton paraded with them
and was orator Of the day. His address.
which took nearly an hour in delivering. was
an eloquent tribute to the Confederate cause
and dead. At the call Of their country. said
General Hampton. and obeying the
command Of duty, they left their peaceful
and happy homes 10 strike for the faith OF
their fathers. for liberty and for their father
land The feeling which inspired them was
the vain but blessed hope OF securing liberty
Of their country. Their memory is honored be-
cause they fell in q cause believed 10 be
lust. 1t il only thus that tho solemn cere-
monies OF Memorial day can be interpreted.
III they gave their lives in cause that was
patriotic. It is well to honor them. 1t
makes small difference here. OF at the
last great day. whether that cause
was successful or unsuccessful. God does
not Judge as man Judges, and We are nowhere
told in the revelation Of his Holy Word
that the lust are TO be rewarded IN
this world and the unjust punished;
that truth is here TO prevail over false
hood. and that right is TO overcome might.
History is full OF melancholy examples TO
prove that many Of the noble causes which
ever inspired peoples hopes OF 1erVed
their arms have been allowed to
sink, apparently forever. under the iron
rule welded by despotic powers. Do not al
low yourselves TO be msled by that
false doctrine-false TO your faith. I"
your country. TO your God-wbich tells
you that as your cause has failed. that
the principles for which you contended are
forever obliterated. Any human undertak-
ing, however Just, may fail, but ever living
principle, right and justice can never be
buried The doctrine promulgated to-
day that the Confederate cause was
submitted TO the arbltrament OF SWORDS
and that there Is no appeal to be rendered
against 1t. is as pornlclou5 as tis false. ii ac-
cepted it brands the heroic dead as well as
the living. IA traitors. covering all alike
with deserved infamy. Ire living soldiers
and their sons Will never consent to brand
them as such IN this way We are not called
10 admit that we were in the wrong.
and every brave man who met US IN
battle would Justly despise us were we
to do 50. While all true Confederate
soldiers recognize the supremacy OF the Con-
stitution and tie integrity of the Union,
and acknowledge the irrevocable YER
dict of war to be against them they
are not called on TO abjure their settled
convictions of lifetime. turn their
backs on glorious traditions and delame tie
memory OF the patriotic dead. Seif-respect
must be maintained and houor preserved at
any cost. 30 her sacred memories must be
forgotten if We prove false To our
faith and turn our backs on all
which made tae past glorious. Time may
tea b us TO forgive. but it can never make us
forget. If we can leave nothing else to our
children. let US at least teluaath 10 them
fsir fame and unblemished honor
while accepting all consequences and results
lezitima.eiy following defeat. We claim and
must exercise the right t. Justify our cause.
vindicale our motives. and honor our dead.
We owe tins to ourselves, our children and
those who died for US.
General Hampton was greeted with intense
enthusiasm and held largely attended pub
lie reception afterwards.