Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-04-06

And the principles ! have called to
l view and the facts ! have referred to
7 led TO the great war which cost so
much blood and treasure. And these
principles and facts are the answer
10 the new generation as TO why their
fathers gave their services, their prop
etty, and their lives IN that war; and
why brave men fought and died, and
why holy men and pure and noble
women prayed for their success. why
senators ana representatives in con-
| gross. and officers OF the army and navy
surrendered their Offices and emolu-
ments and abandoned a condition OF
| peace and security and offered their
| fortunes and their lives IN so unequal
a contests; and why the people at large
IN these states, with remarkable
unanimity. staked every earthly thing
| which was precious and dear to them
4 In SO unequal war, rather than sub
init to the degradation Of living under
| a violated constitution and laws, ana
| being compelled to accept only such
rights in the Union as might be ac-
corded 70 them by the grace OF a hos
tile popular majority.
A number OF persons who are special
~ wise after the fact have said we
had better have compromised than to
have accepted battle with such a pre-
ponderance OF population and wealth
and the power OF an organized governs
to an instance in history where prin-
ciples OF such magnitude and property
of such value We're settled by COM
promise2 As well have asked why our
revolutionary fathers did not compro-
mise with King George. II was one
OF those cases which, under all the
! circumstances. could only be settled by
appeal TO the god or battles And those
who think a settlement could have
been made by compromise certainly
D ftuf OF lsasH 1Nnt4 I.a
facts which led to the war Horace
Greeley. in the preface to his history Of
what he calls the rebellion, said; "rhc
war might have been brought on a
| little earlier or 1t might have been
postponed to little later date. but
sooner or later 1t was Inevitable" And
he spoke the truth. II Is unreasonable
to assume that statesmen, philanthro-
pists, citizens in the ordinary peaceful
| walks OF life, the ministers OF religion,
and the women of the country, would
needlessly and without great provoco-
tion have consented to engage IN q
war Of such magnitude. and that too.
when numbers, the materials Of war
and powerful government was to
be encountered by n people without Il
general government. without an army
| without navy, and without a treas
ury. 1 do not believe that any peo-
pie, In any age, ever entered into O
war with higher or purcr or holier
people In the worlds history ever dis
played more patriotism or made great
er rc9aiucea, or exhibited greater en-
durance and courage than the soldiers
and people of the Confederate states.
You VIII understand that In making
these statements / am not doing so to
renew the passions and prejudices OF
the war or to question the patriotism
Of the men who fought for the Union
] doubt not that their patriotism was
"a o a nd a.
were In the right AS strong as ours
] am discussing these as the facts OF
| history, which, ii not kept In view
10y our people might make posterity
question the patriotism and virtue OF
the noble men who fought In that
| and of the pure women who prayed
for their success. No one can feel
more qualification that the war Is
/ ended and that peace and fraternal
good Will Is restored between the peo-
pie North and South than l. And I
can meet and greet the soldier who
Wore the blue as a friend and brother
ana am glad that many Of them have
made their homes among us. We
are now under the same government
and flag. We have the same laws
and language. We read the same
bible and worship the same God, and
we are the same people, with the same
hopes and aspirations and destiny.
one OF the proudest memories OF
- $50 wei 10 VI lne conduct or
the women OF the Coufcderacy. They
wlllnEly gave their fathers and hus-
DanIs ana brothers 10 the service Of
NE ConIedeiacy. In very many cases
usv S,, o1oS upon themselves the burden
a. ~, tnelr tnmllles both aged
bo, aIu ehitnreh, by their own la
caro or i,a ~ ~ sttuEgleH 10 take
ana veaVc ~ ", they would spin
garments fo, "a h"it enu MAKE up
al home and I'm tba LEU ones Doth
They denied tbemse,,,as9 ~ 'he army,
comforts and neceesnrlos oI,qlinaty
order 10 helm 10 snnnI,, -, vi me m
take care Of the sjei,' .nJ ulIny' 20
soldiers. to feed and clotbe s,,c cua ~,
were in their reach, MANY pood W.
men who before the war ,ysro WI.
engaged In such indoor ma doi,cata
! employment az the customs IN ~
country had assigned 10 women ' ~,
me absence Of the male membere ~
ueir families In the army. To sunnort
sneir FAMILIES planted and cultivated
anu gathered the necessary field crops
o.uppeu ana hauled wood. ana fed pnd
ce,,i,,ou 70 the stock, oheerfulIy nc-
~ nis Sutn duties as their part OF
lpS.raS, ,iliees necessary TO achieve the
r. ti,, on re Confederacy.
mt oh