The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-08-03
HENDERSON, n: c., THURSDAY, AUGUST g. 1898.

no spirit of prophecy, no Cassandra
singing Of woes Of Troy, to point
the fearful and probable issue-to see
as in a sad vision the proud South
fallen from her high estate into a
weakened, degenerate, and effete
aristocracy-all the daughters OF her
music brought low, her silver cord Of
power loosened, her golden bowl of
fame and strength broken at the
fountain. The South herself saw and
realized her danger; she knew that her
institution was opposed to the moral
ideas Of advancing civilization she
herself believed that it was wrong.
But she was in bondage unto it. 1t
had been fastened on her by the circum-
stance of'tiestiny, the uncomfortable
fate Of history. 1t was interviewer
with her every interest, into the very
warp and woof of her social and
political fabric. 1t was entwined with
the very tendrils of her strength, her
power and her life. l can conceive of
no probable solution through civil
channels OF this mighty problem that
confronted her as though with an issue
Of life and death. But the peal Of
cannon sounded in our land, and my
people were shrived of their accursed
system by the god of battles. The
conflict came, if come it must, at the
most opportune time for Southern
fame and glory, at the height Of the
South's strength and power, before the
disgrace of threatened degeneracy had
laid its touch on her younger sons,
before the iron weight of her system
had borne he, beaming forehead to the
dust. From the ashes of defeat we
arose a freer people, treer white race,
freed from the shackles of our debasiDg
institution of slavery. The blow fell
hard, but with an undaunted spirit,
the heritage of those sires who, fleeing
across the ocean, lifted the tents and
tabernacle of government on this
continent, the people of the South
accepted the face of war, and realizing
the new order and condition of things,
with no unavailing regrets, but with
stubborn and determined hearts, turned
them to rebuild their desolated homes
and retrieve their fallen fortunes. They
have not paused to sit by the rivers of
sorrow and weep unavailing tears
they do not, like Lots wife, cast
behind them lingering glances of
useless regret ; but with their faces set
steadily to the front, they are looking
hopefully to the future, and marching
into the dawning years.
The South stands to-day freer and
better equipped than ever for the race
of fame and prosperity. In her breast
is new breath, on her forehead falls
the light of a new moon, and upon
her chastened brow hope is sitting like
a sunrise of glory and progress. But
while my people have sincerely ac-
copied the issue of the battle and have
come to look upon it as decided for
the best, yet it is no posture OF
penitence, no attitude of apology as
though for deeds misdone, that they
thus assume. We have to make no
apologies-our fathers fought for what
they sincerely believed was the true
spirit and meaning of the Constitution,
and although defeated, and defeated
as we now see for the best, we honor
them for their purity of motive and
sincerity of purpose; we honor them
for the noble battle they waged, and
no human power can abate one jot or
title of their peoples love and ad-
miration. The heritage of the children
of the South from the war is as price
less, and as sacred, and as honorable
as that of the children of our Northern
brethren. There has been an equal
need of glory, of greatness, of high
ideals, and of unforgotten and immor-
tai names. History accords to US an
equal power, an equal ability, and an
equal honor in the great contest.
Southern valor leaps to heaven with as
bright fame as Northern courage,
and Southern chivalry pours as sweet
a stream of story and song as Northern
manhood. But the sweetest thought
of all is that the heritage Of each great
section from the war is fast becoming
the heritage of both. The softening
hand of time is fast laying its gentle
touch on the wound. A few years
more, and it will be entirely healed,
| firmly believe that when the
generations that saw and felt the
immediate consequences of the wal
shall have passed away; when history
shall have been written in the calm
Judgment of the future when oul
country shall have become more
united, and the eyes of our children
shall look out upon more elevated
and more loving America when w
look back upon our war of States a.
England does upon her war Of Roses
as Germany upon her religious wars
as France upon her war OF classes, tina
the glory of every man whose name i
cherished in honor on either side vii
become the glory Of our whole people
that as Americans we will love then
all as products of American mind anG
character, the honor and pride Of thl
great union, the priceless heritage o
American history.
Such is the South of to-day, th'
South of union and freedom, the Soutl
of Lamar and Grady, sprung from
the ashes of the old, builded from tn
wreck of war, lifted in labor from tn
, waste places left by fire and sword
. And it is best as it is-best for US, 70
f the cause Of liberty, for the people
I America, and for all the peoples OF tn
world. The issue has been fully &C
, cepted by the South, across the chasr
:, of darkness and blood, over the oil
hattlehelds. over Thousands of grave.