The Washington times., 1894-05-31
CAVE ON THE LOST CAUSE
Remarkable Secessionist Grafton at
the Richmond Celebration.
THE REBELLION EULOGIzED
As the Soldiers and Sailors Statue il I'm
veiled the Oratar Says The South Was
Right-"Truth on the scaffold and Wrong
on the Throne"-Sensational Utterances.

RICHMOND, Va, May 30.-The unyeiling
ory of the private soldiers and sailors Of the
Confederacy was tho occasion ofsa great
celebration in Richmond to-day with impress
sive ceremonies and an imposing parade.
As preliminary there was cavalry
reunion attended by several OF the old Con-
federate commanders. Gen. FiHhugh Lee,
Governor O'Ferrall. Wade Hampton. Rev. G..
William Jones. and Gen. Rosser being present
and making spesches. Gen. Rosser particu-
larly attracted attention by a severe arralgn-
ment of the United States Pension Office.
The orator OF the day was r. c. Cave.
He had q most remarkable speech to make,
upholding the cause OF the rebellion and an
nouncing IN yery strong language that many
had trumphed in the great war. Ii WAS such
an address as has not been uttered publicly
before in many years.
In the course OF his address MIR. Cave said
in part:
~ am not one OF those who clinging to
the Old superstition that the will OF heaven Is
revealed III The Immediate results Of trial by
combat, fancy that right must always be on
the side Of might and speak OF Appomattox as
q judgment Of God. l DO not forget that a
SuwaroG t.iunphed and kosciusko fell;
that Nero welded the scepter of empire
and Paul was bcneaded; that Herod was
crowned and Il Christ crgciiied. ana instead
of accepting the defeat OF the South MS a YER
diet against her l regard it as but another
instance of truth on the scafiold ami wrong
on the throne.
Further on il his speech Nr. Cave said he
wished 10 protest against the dispersion that
the sortA fought TO uphold anu pcrpetu;.te
the Institution of slavery. Slavery was a
heritage handed down TO the South. and be-
cane a peculiarly Southern institution. not
because the rights OF Others We're dearcr to
the Northern than to 1he Southern heart. but
because the conditions OF sod and climate
made negro labor unprolitable in the North
ern states and led the Northern slave owner
TO sell MS slaves Gown South"
The speaker insisted that those who served
under the banner of the Confederacy were
not rebels. fighting against lawful authority
aud seeking to destroy the Union formed by
our fathers of American independence. That
Union was dear 10 the hearts of the Southern
peoulc hut when II became evident that the
Union was TO exist Ill name only: when its es-
sential principles had been overthrown and
tram led in the dust, then did the South stand
up and insist upon her rights acting, not as a
T;ss.ou-swept mob rising ia mad rebellion
against constituted authority. but as an intel
ligent and orderly people, acting in accord
ance with due forms OF law, and within the
limit OF what they believed to De theil consti-
tutional right.
Traitors AID rebels, the men OF the South
were not They were true-hearted patriots
worthy to rank with the noblest souls that
ever battled for freedom. They fought :or
home and country. ami to maintain the fund
aneD;a principles of all free government
that the ricGt to govern arises from and IS
coeS.Stent with the consent of the governed.
In closing, iIr. Cave said: But peace. as
well Us war. demands OF US high devotion
and unswerviag loyalty. H. with peace. we
have decay of patriotism AMI loss OF virtue,
and the triumph of private over public inter-
ests, and the sacriilcc Of law and Justice to
secure partisan ends-if. with peace we have
the accumulation of wealth at the cost OF the
country's welfare. and the manhood OF its
citizens. our peace must prove but the down.
ward path 10 the ruin ia which so many na-
tions, once great and prosperous. tave been
swallowed up. Better ia- the desoiat!ons and
horrors OF war than snch peace.
From such peace--peace joined with cor
ruption and enjoyed at the expense of true
and noble manhood-the soldiers of the Con-
iedCracy. speaking through this monument
OF .beir sell-sacricinc and heroic devotion.
shall help to save our land. Their spirits.
glory crowned. hover over US and beckon US
on in the paths of patriotism and honor.
Their example bid US nobly live for the prin-
ciples for which they bravely fought and
died; the principles of state sovereignty and
home rule. on which the government was
wisely founded by our fathers. without which
no vast territory like ours can possibly re-
main democratic; departure from which is
rapidly hurryinG the country to choice be-
tween anarchy and imperialism. and return
to which is essential TO the preservation of
tie life of the hepu5iic.'