Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-21

| although the SOutn ndQ Deen IN the MI
nority ever since the government wa
formed The true feeling was expressed
by William Cullen Bryant In the follow
ing sentence, contained in his History o.
the United States published since tn,
| war:
Webster would not, or could not, se'
that the question was not. simply Of tn,
| ownership Of black men, but of the SUI
premacy OF an ill-born. ill-bred, unedu
Gated, and brutal handful OF STAKEHOLDER:
over people OF a higher strain of blood
with centuries Of gentle breeding. and a
| high degree OF moral and intellectual
| training behind them
And when the South finally sought q
! separation from such insolent and treach
| erous associates, they cried havoc ant
let slip the dogs Of war upon her. de.
| nouncing her withdrawal as treason and
a Shareholders rebellion, and finally con.
| verting 1t from a war for the preserva.
| ton OF the Union into a fanatical cru
SADIE for the abolition of slavery and the
| advancement of the negro to the fullest
| privileges Of American citizenship.
$50 much for this topic. which. like
that OF secession, / have merely touched
| upon, and which would require for its
| Just and full treatment a hundred
| speeches. The South did not go TO war
| for slavery. AS has been said thousand
times IL was the occasion, not the cause.
| OF war. 1t was an institution, guaranteed
and protected by the Constitution, as ex-
clusively within the control of the States.
and when the equality and reserved rights
OF the States were attacked by interfer-
ence with 1t, there was just ground to be-
lieve that other reserved and guaranteed
rights would be assailed."
THEY SOUGHT PEACE.
he
peace, and not a quarrel-they asked
that there might be no violence or blood
shed, but separation and an equitable
ana honorable adjustment Of all interests
BUT II was not TO be. They were forced
to defend their liberties and their homes
and the Confederate soldier appeared
TO attract the admiring gaze of the world
and win an Immortality Of fame. but alas,
only TO suffer and be strong in an hone
less struggle
He needs no vindication from mortal
lips. Taught from his childhood. as all
American youth had been, that I'm any
event and under all circumstances his
first allegiance and whole duty was TO his
State, her call for his services was his
all-suffcient justification, as il was his
proudest badge Of citizenship He did not
hate, but had always loved the Union.
and would have been ready. as his fathers
always were. TO give his fortune and his
life in Its defence against "A foreign foe;
but he loved his State more, and to her
appeal his heart leaped responsive and
his hand grasped the sword
THE MORAL ASPECT.
who shall frame in fitting words the
story OF his career? Courage on the
battle-helds is the common attribute Of
good soldiers everywhere, and If that con-
stituted his only claim to admiration he
would be but an ordinary figure on the
page Of history. But il is the moral as
pect Of his career that is sublime. IL was
his magnificent struggle against over
whelming odds for the preservation OF
constitutional liberty. for the right OF
self-government, for ALL indeed. that was
sacred in his heritage that made him "A
hero and martyr for all time. And this
magnificent struggle was made, not only
against overwhelming forces and re-
sources and equipments, but In a country
blockaded at every port gradually strip
ped of the cOmmOnest means Of subsist-
ence. unable 10 pay him for his services
and finally reduced to rags and starva-
ton. Still. throughout IL all, even TO the
last moment. he stood inhexible, patient
cheerful, self-sacrihcing, brave, and true
Who can withhold from such virtues the
tribute OF praise and honor and respect.
and who that hath the semblance OF a
man dare call their possessor a traitor?
Just as at the formation of the Union
North Carolina held back and refused ac-
cession to II, so at the formation of the
Confederacy. with Characteristic conserva-
tism. she withheld her assent, in the hope
OF an amicable adjustment. until the pro-
clamation of the newly-elected sectional
President, calling on her for troops to
war on her southern sisters fell upon her
ears and fired her soul. On this same
historic day "a years ago, she again de-
clared her independence and girded her
self for battle. The war-cloud burst, and
for four years its ptiless pelting fell upon
her people. How did they acquit them
selves in the conflict? Did they prove
themselves worthy of their Revolution
AIRY sires? For answer / turn not to the
testimony Of any commanding officer liy-
ing or dead. Federal or Confederate
rot even to that utterance Of the stainless
Lee, in the last agonies Of Appomattox:
God bless old North Carolina l point
to the inscription on that stone, First at
Big Bethel, last at Bentonville.'
AN APPEAL TO THE RECORDS
81 appeal to the records, written alike
by friend and foe | tender her poll-list
of voters OF 1S6l-ll3, 0OO-and the total Of
Il point TO the fact that she contributed
nearly one fifth OF the soldiers OF the
Confederate army-that she lost one
fourth Of those killed in battle-that she
lost more than one fourth OF those who
died OF wounds-that she lost on" third
of those who died OF disease.
81 cite the appalling and unprecedent-
ed fact that at Gettysburg her ever-me-
morable Twenty-sixth Regiment lost %
per cent of the men carried into acton
II put in evidence the fact that on sew
era! batte-felds Of Virginia she left
more dead and wounded than all the
Southern States combined.
Il remind you that her Twenty-second
Regiment fioated the standard Of the Con
federate States at the farthest point
North which IL ever reached.
Il proudly show that one OF her sons,
a Confederate ship. was the
only man who carried the Confederate
flag around the world.
And, finally | show that when the end |
came, and her banners were fur!ed. both |
at Appomattox and at Greensboro, she |
stacked twice as many rifles as any other |
State of the Confederacy.
. THE GLORIOUS ANSWER.
This Is the answer. the glorious answer, |
which North Carolina makes TO those |
during the war between the States. To |
every call OF duty--whether 10 stain with |
bleeding feet the rough line OF march. or |
10 labor IN the trenches. or to lead the |
way into the flaming hell OF battle. or to |
cover a retreat-her steady answer always |
was 'Adsum.
"Shall l recite the times and the places |
and the deeds? Ask me 10 condense /
years into an hour, volume into word, |
a prolonged and thrilling tragedy into a |
brief sigh.
go. listen 10 the Atlantic breeze that |
sings in the pine forests from the Ylrgi- |
MIA peninsula TO the capes OF Florida; 60. /
sit beside the waters OF any of the great |
rivers. OF the South. and hear their voices |
as. rushing through rocky passes. or Gid |
ing grandly through lowland stretches, |
they seek the sea; go. stand upon the /
heights Of Cemetery Ridge. or South |
Mouptain, or the blue hills which over
look the valley OF the Shenandoah or /
the steep ascent OF Lookout--and 10 him |
that hath ears 10 hear from breeze and |
stream. aye. and from the very rocks
will come a tribute OF praise and honor
10 the Cd North State.
'She boasts not: she never did OF any
II her achievements. SO far from Il. she
has never preserved the memorials OF
hem. which other people are careful to
Keep Of their own. but has been content !