The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-05-30

anu uduRnlelS VINO dSScuOlc now 10
learn lesson from the patriotism of
her fallen soldiers. Never will North
Carolina forget or omit to honor the
high courage and self sacrifice of her
people, and she prays that posterity
may emulate the lofty example of her
patriot sons during the days of the
Confederacy. And the Monumental
Association bids you welcome. The
ladies who undertook this work, and
whose devoted labor accomplished It's
completion, may they be blessed, and
may they find compensation IN the
hope and beliefthat the spirits of the
Confederate heroes and the spirits OF
the sainted women of the Confederacy
regard with satisfaction and grateful
appreciation their tenderness and love.
And the City of Raleigh greets you!
Raleigh, where all our brave compan.
ions assembled in going to the war,
and where the great Vance labored for
the soldier and the people. Remem-
bering in sorrow her own gallant slain
whose glories are unfading, rejoicing
in the erection here within her limits
of this splendid monument, SO perfect
in all its parts, proud of your presence
on this memorial occasion, Raleigh
too, greets you and bids you welcome.
Welcome here to all patriotic hearts,
to all noble men and women; welcome
all in this hour of praise and reveren-
tial duty to the sons of North Carroll
ma who sacrificed their lives on the
alter of their country.
Hon. A. NJ. Waddell then delivered
the Grafton of the day as follows:
COL. wADDELL's GRAFTON.
salute you with unfeigned emotion,
my countrymen and countrywomen,
upon the return of this historic day
which you have assembled here to
rcconseCrate by new act of piety and
patriotism. 1t marks an epoch in our
annals 1t is indeed a monumental
day, and one upon which the women
of North Carolina, who have wrought
long and increasingly, and have waited
for its dawning, may reverently repeat
the words of the Psalmist and say,
"This is the day which the Lord hath
made; we will rejoice and be glad in
it,
A year ago in the presence ofthrong-
ing thousands and with imposing GER
emonies which we're crowned by splen-
did oratory, you laid the cornerstone
of this structure, which now, in fn-
ished beauty stands sentinel in the
western gateway of your capitol.
The work of the artist and the arti-
san is done. Beneath their transform
ing touch this column, rough hewn
from the ribs of the everlasting hills,
with base firm set and summit lifted
high, now towers before you in ma
jectic and graceful proportions. So
the genius of Christian civilization
shapes the homely virtues of brave
and true people into the noble edifice
Of free government.
1t is dumb granite but it is not
voiceless to US and will not be to our
children, for it will be perpetual ap-
peal to their pride and patriotism. 1t
is inanimate stone, but instinct with
glorious memories. 1t is silent me-
mortal, but it is also an eloquent his
tory and tender poem. The poem
each heart among you will translate
for itself Mine be the task to-day to
trace in brief outline the history, oi
which no descendant of Confederate
soldier can honorably remain in igno'
rance, and to which he cannot, without
abdicating his manhood and self-re.
spect, be Indifferent.
A distinguished scholar and states.
: man of the South, who has recently
made valuable contribution to his
torical literature, says:
The establishment of truth is never
wrong. History, as written, if &C
cepted in future years, will consign
5 the South to infamy. If she were
t guilty of rebellion or treason, if she
adopted aud clung to barbarisms, es
E sential sins, and immoralities, ther
, her people will be clothed, as it were
with the tabled shirt of Nessus, fata
: to honor, to energy, to noble develop
ment, to true lite.''
And recent newspaper writer says
For indestructible vitality and sub
S lime assurance, the historical lie is tn
c most magnificent Of all the family o
t falsehoods.'
q Now the accepted history of the lat
: war, like the previous history Of th'
United States, has been written b,
e Northern men and a Southerner read
: ing it, cannot help recalling wha
S Froude said about history generally
e namely, that it seemed to hin. like
|. chld's box of letters with which we ca
e spell any word we please. We hav
). only TO select such letters as we wan,
y arrange them as we like, and say moth
v ing about those which do not suit ou
it purpose.
h 1t has seemed to me that l coul
is not better employ brief part of tn
n hour allotted to ME to-day tnan b
,e speaking-in kindness and charity bu
!, with candor and fearlessness-th
4 plain, unvarnished truth concernin
al the causes of, and the responsibility 70
,e the war in which the men to who:
d memory this monument is erected
,r were sacrificed. If this is not an occ;
A. sion for vain regrets or bitter revilin
III (and it is not), neither is it time ft
p false sentiment or suppression OF II
is truth, and it is because the truth
ID either unknown, or is matter Of il
u difference to many of this generation
n that feel it to be duty to them
70 speak as l shall.
ur Let no man say that in dischargy