Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-31

tons the path of duty and honor.
The mountains look on Marathon,
And Marathon looks on the sea-"
But the plains OF Marathon inspire no
loftier spirit OF patriotism and recall no
brighter example OF yalor than this monu-
ment TO the Confederate soldier and
sailor which Is to-day 10 receive the
warm greeting Of the sunshine and the
whispered plaudits OF the soft south wind.
CANNOT EFFACE HIS MEMORY.
Although vanauished by overwhelming
, NUMBERS, although his banner which had
waved triumphant DER a thousand fields.
was furled in defeat in spite OF prejudice
ana animadversion, the Confederate sol
der has won his place in history. Time
cannot efface his memory. nor malice dim
the lustre OF his deeds He was the
champion OF constitutional liberty. His
cause was his country, and in It's defence
ne showed matchless valor and self.
sacrificing devotion
Ho'nlhg can cover his high fame but
no pyramids set of HIS memory"
sparta reared temples to the memory
OIL her sons who fell at Thermopvlae
theSe temples have long since cr1ImbIed
INTO DUST, but the memory OF IeonIdas
ana mis- glorious 800 is familiar throughout
,Ie CIVILIZED world. Such deeds Inspired
ny PATRIOTISM outllve the monuments
sIec.ed Tor their commemoration. The
ms enduring granite must yield 10 the
tS S,"ses OF time and the elements but
lhe deeds OF Robert Lee and his followers
VIII live TO the end of time"
OVATION To FITz.
Our Fitz' came into the room during
MT Taylors speech, and immedateIv
upon the conclusion thereof the bovs IN
gray, who had caught sight OF him,
started such a cheering and shouting
as never mad been heard In those old walls
Derore. He quickly assembled 10 he plat
form, and, with a merry twinkle in his
eye, as he gazed on the hats which were
being wildly thrown into the air. said:
what are you all hollering about? You
put me in mind OF those old races at
Brandy Station. What's the matter with
you, any how? You are a nice-Iooking
lot 10 be called cavalrymen, aren't you?
HOW many OF you can ride horses now?"
Cries Of 'All, ALL" I'm bet" continued
the popular General, that lots OF you
VIII have 10 be strapped TO your horses
to-day. In fact l understand that since
you arrived the price OF leather has gone
way up, and leather straps are selling at
a premium.
There sits General Hampton, another
Old cayalryman. 1t strikes me that
have met him on two or three occasions.
When he speaks he tells OF how Hamp-
tons Cavalry was always at the front,
and II he weren't here l would tell OF
what Lees Cavalry did. 1 done know
what L am here for. You fellows know
as much about these things as 1 DO.
VERY MUCH CHANGED.
You don't look like you used to. II
we had had as many bald heads as shiny
as these l now see we could have dis
pensed with torches during the war. You
have all been scalped since last saw
you. This IS a grand. inspiring occasion
which assemblies US here. We have come
TO participate in the ceremonies incident
to the unveiling of monument TO per-
petuate the memory OF the deeds of valor
Of the soldier OF the Confederacy. The
men in the ranks were the heroes. There
are numbers Of places that officers would
not have gone II the men had not have
been there. / know that / would not
have gone sometimes. l would have found
some necessity for attacking the forces
In the rear There are q deyillsh lot OF
places that I would not dared have gone
If the men had not been behind me- and
close behind me too. When General
Hampton rode out on the battlefield at
close behind him. 1 didn't come here to
make a speech and l am not going TO
do so. / came here TO shake hands and
swap lies, and l am coming down among
you.
GOVERNOR O'FERRALLS SPEECH.
The Governor entered the hall, and was
loudly cheered. AS he assembled to the
platform he was greeted with loud huzzas,
and several bugle blasts were necessitated
before order could be restored. He said:
No poor words OF mine can half eN-
press the pleasure this reunion gives me.
Many OF you I have marched with,
Camped with, and fought with, and your
presence recalls many incidents OF those
days, but whether l knew you then or not,
the fact that you wore the gray makes
each of You my brother, and binds you to
me "as with bands Of steel"
The years that have passed since Ap-
pomattox have silvered your locks. ssnded.
your forms, and driven burrows IN your
cheeks, but they have not lessened your
love for the cause for which you barred
your breasts, nor your Yeneration for the
memory Of your comrades, who fell at
their posts OF duty, or whose spirits have
been waited 70 their God since the eternal
gloom and darkness OF defeat enveloped
our Southland: bowed the heads Of our
patrtarchs in despair, and dropped our
noble women 10 their knees in prayer.
Your. step Is not az elastic as IL was
thirty years ago, you cannot spring into
the saddle as quickly as you did then at
the sound Of the bugle, nor could you
ride day and night, sleeping in the sad
die, as you did when following the plumes
of Stuart, Ashby, Hampton, or Lee, but the
same fire Is In your eye, the same courage
Is in your breast, tho same spirit Is in
your soul, tho same devotion to native
land, and the same fidelity to principle
quiCkenS your pusatiOnS and warns your
blood.
You hear no longer the lannon's roar,
the bursting shell, nor the kissing bullets,
you hear no longer the command charge"
ringing down the line, nor the old familiar
yell, nor the shout of victory. but you
remember how, with your bright blades,
trusty ~eyolyers, and faithful carbines you
fought your way 10 glory and renOwn.
LIVING IN THE PAST.
To-day you live in the past. Memory Is
active. Deeds OF valor, acts OF herOism,
scenes Of blood, fields of carnage. all
loom up before you as though only OF
yesterday, and you find the teardrop wet
ting your cheek as you gaze upon thee
Old gray jackets around you, and that
old flag floating yonder. Relics, precious
relies Relics Of undying fame, relics OF
fadeles5 renown, relies OF immortal glory
l congratulate you most heartily upon
the good fortune which has enabled you
to be present upon this interesting and
memorable occasion-ths unwilling of
monument erected to the memory OF the
private soldiers whose courage won our
victories, whose fOrtitude, loyalty, and
patriotism protracted the struggle 80 long
and kept their bayonetS and sabres gls-
teuing in the sunshine and our stars ana
bars floating in Heavens breeZes for four
years. meeting not only man to man, but
not less than treble their numbers. re-
cruited from every foreign land, as shown
by the testimony piled 10 the ceilings and
bending the tlmbers in tho Pension Blu.
reau at Washington.
HIS EQUAL NEVER SEEN.
Ny dear old comrades, It's no wonder
that the Confederate soldier holds his
head erect. steps with pride, and brooks
no insult. His equal the world has never
seen; his peer the universe has never be
held. He is the duplicate OF no warrior
that ever wore a helmet, welded blade
or pulled a trigger. Like Saul among the
men OF Israel. he towers head and shout
ders above all of whom the historian has
ever written or whose prowess and deeds
have ever come down TO US in story or
tradition of war, knighthood, or chiyalry
No tyrant's fiat can his record tarnishi
no malicious tongue can his name efface,
no rude hand can his history blot: no
false pm can his glories bedlm but all
will live and shine with the brightness
OF n meridian sun in a clear sky, and