The Opelousas courier., 1894-08-25

le to my native land.
j. Comrades, when the sun of the Co,
Iederacy went down to her eternal res
u sue san amidst an EN- bankment
70 loud so lustrous and beautiful as
10 touch the heart of every confedera
soldler with a feeling of admiration th,
% can never die, and no cause will /
l. surrounded by associations more dea
Q oy memories more tender, than I'll
cause that had as it's guardian spirits
hooerG y; Lee and a Stonewall Jacl
g son. Although the cause was lost
was not on account of the want of cou]
9 age on our part, or for the want of iii
9 greatest military leaders that ever liz
ed, but simply because it was the wi
OF God that it should be so.
, Aithough the cause was lost our low
, Tor it can never die, and although W
claim to be loyal citizens to this grea
union IN which we dwell, and are pre-
| pared to do all in our power to increas
Its grandeur, still this does not proven
, u.s. from shedding a tear oyer the coffil
OF the lost cause and from remember
, Ing 1t with feelings of love and venera
t zion. We love it because we fought 70
It, because u fondest hopes were en-
listed In 1t, because the blood Of our pa
trlots was shed in it, and because W,
800 "Nt q oolC pCVpic HotcI
to uphold a cause than they who Tough
for the south, and I hope and trust thal
we and our children will always love
thls union with the same ardor and de.
TEND her honor, it needs be, with the
same energy that inspired us when we
unfurled our southern banner, floating
In grace and beauty, upheld by brave
and chivalrous hands resisting the en-
croachments of man, but finally bow
ing in meek submission to the will of
God.
Mt. Ogden was followed by Gen. Geo.
u. Watts of Rapides, who had filed the
office OF General of the u. C.. V. for
Louisiana during 1894 to- the entire
satisfaction of the organization and
credit to himself. Gen. Watts address
was a most eloquent and impressive
one. and was listened to with marked
attention until the drizzIe of rain which
had set 10, turned to IL perfect shower,
when the audience was forced to dis
perse to seek shelter, and the General
had to bring his address to an abrupt
close. After the rain, Gen. Watts was
followed by Laurent Dupre, Esq, who,
though partly disabled from a recent
happy style. Mr.. Dupie is always elo-
quent, regardless of his subject, but OF
this occasion he was particularly so,
d handled his subject with a vim and
eafnestness thai was specially crafty
Ing to the vets and pleasing to the
ladies. When Mr.. Dupre had closed
the assemblage partook OF the bounte-
Gus repast which had been provided for
the occasion, including an abundance
OF barbeeued beef prepared under the
expert supervision OF chief of commits
saries u. Duri0, after which the closing
address was delivered by Judge David
Pierson OF Natchitoches. We regret
very much that we cannot publish
Judge Persons admirable address.
The Judges words we're deliberate.
logical, earnest and eloquent, and he
was listened to with marked attention.
in addition to the scholarly and we'll
considered style Of his speech, the
Judge has the happy faculty of occa-
sionally illustrating his argument with
an amusing anecdote Or an apt quota
ton that keeps bis audience in a happy
humor while they are being instructed
and enlightened. Judge Persons
speech was fully appreciated by all,
and the only regret was that he could
not prolong his address, as the hour
was late.
Miss Addie Humble, of Washington,
then concluded the ceremonies Of the
day by reading the following address
and response delivered on the occasion
Of the presentation of a banner to the
Opelousas Guards. the first company
that left OpelOusas for the seat of war. !
on the 9th of June, 1861
The Opelousas Guards, escorted by
Captain Gnidry,s company, ranged
themselves in a line in front of fhe
eta ND oracfn1 for fho pracno+o+;on
soon as they had taken their position,
Miss Alphonsine Lastrapes accompanied |
by Mr.. John E. King and DR.. Lee. |
bearing the banner, made their appear
on the platform. Mr.. King acting
as the organ of his fair companion, made
tie following appropriate address to |
the Opel0usas Guards:
Gentlemen of the "Opelousas G uards:p
The zeal with which you have organized
for the defense of your country, fur
the best evidence which the
citizen can offer of brave and lofty
patriotism. On the eve Of your depart
nre for the theatre of war, it is natural
that your fellow citizens should testify
to you, in sOme public and impressive
manner, their appreciation Of the
sacrifices You are about to offer on the
altar of our common country. When
you look around you ut this imposing
array of old familiar faces,-when you
behold tue companions of your child
hood, the instructors OF your youth, the
OF your maturer years, and
FOUR fellow citizens generally, assem-
bled here, thick as the leaves of Valam-
you must realize that no ordinary
has brought them together.
When you look upon these fair faces.
\ nnn q y w tt0rn ara vnnp1 rri - 49,. L
your mothers, your relatives.
v0ur ministering angels, you must feel
that the paradise OF domestic love has
reserved for you its choicest blessings.
To these ladies is it due that you are
to-day made the central group of this
Vast c0ncourse of citizens. They de-
to present you with some
nement0, which a soldier might exhibit
with pride sven in the storm of battle,
but which would at the same time serve
70 intensity in his mind the memories
Ind associations of home; and for that
purpose they have selected this beauti-
'nl banner.
On its field of blue, you will find
Inscribed, in four short words, the
principles OF the contest, in which yon
,UR RIGHTs Let it be you pleasing
objection while ron look on that id.
cription, that you are not to engage in
war Of conquest. The principles for
which We contend, are those for which
,ur fathers fought-freedom, independ-
nee and self-goyernment. We ask
imply TO be let alone in the enjoyment
Il these. We ask to be permitted to
il unmOlested under our own vine and
tree. We go not out OF d own
erritoTy to find the enemy, but meet
advancing within our gates. and