Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-04-06
Re CAUSE OF THE WAR.
re Meets the Ola Veterans and
UemrHdcs M Their Reunion In
Naoo--GatheringS which Hiring
Back HalIowed Memories.


ptssldent Davis cabinet. delivered the
following speech tonight 10 the United
confederate Veterans association, now
holding reunion IN this city;
uenernI John II. Hcngans Address.
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen
This presence revives many hallowed
memories of the past. IL calls up the
nemory OF the days when husbands
separated from wives and children
When sons separated from faith
ers and mothers brothers and
sisters; when loving ana loved
ones left their homes to enter
the armies Of the Confederacy, with
hearts proudly responding TO the calls
OF PATRIOTISM, and aching for those who
were left at home. 1t calls to mind the
forIning OF military organizations and
The commencement Of the march To the
seat OF war, ouOyant with hope under
hiight new banners, in the presence Of
Hulies which came through tears, the
n waNing of handkerchief, the silent
prayer Of hope and love and the soul-
/ fuI good-bye-GOd bless you; followed
n by the parting cheering OF friends; a
few of those departing TO return, many
m 10 Sleep In honorable graves ON the
i Reid OF glory to which duty called them
II calls to mind the long marches, the
II fcenes around the camp fires and anN-
ious preparations for battle. II brings
p helore the mind anew the panorama of
I.EAAtits Nlt lOiltllnB VI the lllth u DuN-
l tie. the moving OF the skirmishers into
|. position. the rattle OF small arms, the
advance of the infantry, the rapid
Is mosement of the cavalry into position,
L the thunder OF cannon, the Shrek Of
l. she'll the roar Of battle amidst the
y shouts Of the living, and the groans OF
the wounded and dying. II calls up
N the memories of first Manassas, Of
L Seven Pines, OF the seven days in front
|, OF Richmond, Of Fredericksburg, of
GetNsburg. II reminds us OF Fort
L Donelson, OF Shiloh and Corinth, OF
l. Chickamauga, OF Lookout Mountain,
L OF Elkhorn, OF Nicksburg, of stones
L Hlrer, OF Atlanta, of Murfreesboro, Of
FfonlKlin, where Pat Cleburne and
h other heroes fell, and OF hundred
other fields on which Confederate skin
/ and courage and consistency We're dis
played. IL causes n renewal Of our
hdmiration and love for such great
L captains as Robert +. Lee, Stonewall
L Iackson, Sidney Johnson, Joseph 70.
/ Winston, Beauregard. Bragg. Long
\ 1tfeet, Hood, Kirby Smith, Gordon.
n Clnburne, Polk, Price, breckenridge,
. Granbury, Randall. Scurry. Eotor, Ca
bell, Ross, Waul, Ben McCullUch John
Gregg, Tom Green W. II. +. and Fita-
hugh Lee. j. Il. b. Stuart, Forrest,
| Wheeler, and a hundred other heroic
lenders in the Lost Cause
oreat as was the ability and courage
anu purity vi ire hA our generals, VINO
deaervedly achieved a worldwide fame,
and proud as we We're and are of their
/ characters and virtues. We turn with
still greater pride aud holier reverence,
/ " auch thing be possible to the mem
Org of the subaltern officers and private
soldiers, who, for four weary years of
| pr.ration, suffering carnage and death
carried the banners of the Confederacy
/ and offered their lives on the altar OF
tneir eountry's liberty; because they
served and suffered without the incen-
uFe or Office and rank, animated solely
/ by their love OF home country and
II Hperty, and their devotion to a cause
l uenrer TO them than life. There We're
FEATURES In the struggle OF the Confed-
|. erncy which must hold their place in
L history as long as the admiration OF
| genius, and courage, and virtue shall
1 survive. Among them is the fact that
they entered the contest without
general government, without an army,
without navy and without treas
ury That they organized a govern
1 ment' an army and a treasury during
the existence Of the war, and provided
/ lew naval vessels, and brought hun-
ureus OF thousands OF men into the
| uflu which bid defiance to powerful
| and well-equipped government for four
Yeas. which required more than two
L mllliuns OF men to subdue them That
CURING this time many great battles
were Fought, and victories won and
f|FTNf
men were engaged. The existence Of
Il ptate governments facilitated this won
1efIul achievement. But this could not
nave been accomplished except for the
Il sreht devotion OF the people to their
cause, guided by the consummate abil-
h NY and patriotic devotion OF President
= DAVE and his cabinet ministers and the
members OF the Confederate congress-
Of late years we frequently hear the
Iuuuiries as TO what cnused this graat
H. with all .,e
L property. Sometimes this inquiry is
l. dniibtless made by those seeking infor-
II nation. But others make that Inquiry
I 10 erder to belittle the war and those
Il who We're engaged In It. A struggle
II which cost hundreds Of thousands of
geiuable lives. and by which many
bilitpns Of money was spent and prom
n ertY sacrificed, could hardly have been
enSpged In without sufficient cause.
And those who assume that Il was,
/ only show their own ignorance OF the
L hatpry Of our country. Without rails
tuk1the question as 20 who was right
and who wrong In that struggle. /
think 1t but right that our shildren
1 should know why their fathers engaged
Il IN 50 great a war.
During colonial times in this country
the political authorities of Great Brit
N ain, Spain and France, and the Dutch
merchants planted African slavery in
Il Rll the North American colonies Al
|. tie time OF the declaration of Ameri-
pan Independence. 1776 African slavery
1 existed in ali OF the thirteen colonies.
At The date OF the adoption OF the fed
erai constitution, 1881 African slavery
ezlbted In all Of the states except one.
The commercial reason FOR the plant
| .rE OF African slavery IN this country
was no doubt stimulated by the hope
I Of Bose and gain. II was at the same
fiine justified by the church on the
Eropnd that the negroes were taken
/ from a condition Of heathenlsh barbar-
Ism and cannibalism and brought to
Wnere they could be learned the arts
Of civilization and industry. and where
intF could be instructed IN the doc
tfines and practices OF the Christian
fellgion. 1 am not discussing the cues
zion now as to whether this practice
aTd these views were correct l am
only telling you what was done and
Nippght TO be right by our ancestors
sud by the great governments OF the
| world. When the constitution OF the
lNIted States. the compact of union,
Was adopted II recognized the right
o. property in African slaves The
1ffican slave trade was then stlll be-
iNH1 carried on. And the constitution
81 nc united States provided that 1t