The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-04
A CONFEDERATE COLONEL's VIEW OF
THE CASE.


At a meeting OF Pickett-Buchahah
Camp. on Monday evening last. |oione'
4 William r. Aylett. war coionei Oh ''e
Fifty-third Virginia Infantry maze
| speech In reference TO the propoSai u
| erect n monument 10 the women OF the
| Confederacy. In which, speaking OF the
| Ie,ter Of the G.. a. r., to Lee Camp, ana
| tho resolutions adopted by the Pickett
! buchanan Camp, he said that he thanked
! God that grim visaged war has smootheu
HIS wrinkled front" and that the men we
once sought to slay we can now greet with
n brother's grasp. The great guns are
| dumb the dust has settled on the drums,
| and the bugles ring out for the charge
no more Peace once more spreads her
wings over the land hallowed and con-
secrated TO freedom. The good feeling
which for years has existed between
North and South cannot be disturbed by
the indiscreet utterances of members of
the G. A. r.. Post. who do not represent
the true sentiments Of the brave soldiers
of the North and the patriotic men or
that section any more than the water
gate hung over a stream, and catching the
foam, brush. strips and leaves floating
upon the surface, represents the deep
rapid and clear stream which washes De-
meath the shallow distractions. Hell Is
too cool a place and eternity too short
a time TO punish those. whether they be
from North or South, who. for selfish
purpose and political capital, keep alive
the feelings which drenched our land in
blood. and filled 1t with grief, mourning,
widows, orphans and graves. speaking mere
tonight, / know / represent my dear
old comrades. the brave men who sur
round me, when ! say that we should be
unworthy of the banner We once
followed, and unworthy OF Robert Il.
Lee. If we were not, twenty-nine years
after Appomattox, as loyal TO our coun-
try and it's star-spangled banner as any
northern man living. Brave men do not
bear malice nor cherish revenge and hate
after peace and reconciliation with their
brethren. towards and devils only do that,
and only towards and devils can object
to the tears, flowers and monuments we
bestow upon our dead. We have met In
hospitable fellowship the true and brave
soldiers Of the North since the war, at
Gettysburg at Philadelphia, Washing
ton. and here in Richmond, and their
hearts, like ours, are in the right place,
and who admire the valor Of the Confed-
crate soldier, and respect the sincerity
of that conviction which made him
fight and die for his opinion. We do not
believe the recent action and utterances
of the C. A. r. posts represent the hearts
of the best men Of the North. a few peb-
bles in an old coffee pot will make more
noise than when it is full, and grass
hopper more sound than herd of graz
ing cattle. We would be entitled TO but
little respect, If, like contemplate hypo-
critics, we admitted that we were wrong
in all we did and maintained during the
war. We have honorably kept our parole
given at AppomattoX, and have obeyed
the laws Of our country. ana are as true
to It and it's honor as any American
citizen. In this land Of freedom-free
thought, free press, free speech and free
religion-our opinions are our own, and
we do not propose to renounce them
basely at the behests of bigots. Nor need
they expect us to "eat dirt" or humble
pie" and thus dishonor the monuments TO
our heroes and the graves Of those who
made the gray jacket a mantle of glory.
If we did those brave and lovely women
whose monument we are seeking to erect
would curl their lovely lips with scorn,
and hiss their contempt and detestation In
our ears, while they said: "Our mothers
did not bear such men, nor DO we
want any monument at their hands,.
Men and bretheren of the North. we
ask you to recognize that we are as good
as you are You must respect our sur
ferings, our wounds, our Sorrows our
widows, orphans and graves. You need
not expect us TO admit that, living or
dead, the Confederates were traitors or
rebels. We will not do so, nor think so.