Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-06-19

Tell ngntlng lot IreeuOln, IOr IRE
sides, and tor SOathern honor, 10
Statehood, and for Manhl od
Flowers are a beautiful and ap
symbol for such an OCCASION a.
tbIs. They tell US IN tbeir peculiar
kind Of utterance, that these lives
though cut of by death, are still
green and fresh aud fragrant 10
our memory, and though they
shall never rise again till the last
trump, yet from the parent root
and stock, from which they grew,
still spring up sciOns, Sons and
Daughters of the OOnfederacy, to
perpetuate their kind.
This occasion recalls a remark,
nade in rather a pensive mood,
some years ago by a friend con-
templating his own death: "When
we are dead, our friends for few
days shed tears, for few months
wear mourning, cherish our mem.
oIy for a few years, and then we
pass out of their lives.'
A brighter sentiment is sug-
gested by contrast 10 our minds
today. Thirty years aud more have
flowed over these silent sleepers
under the green sod. a Who'll
generation has gone to join them in
the world of shades. BIT they
have not been fOrg gpt.en. They
hay not passed out Of our lite.
We are b lie today to hDaor their
memory, and approve AMI ap
plaud their deeds. we are show
ing today how
"The sweet remembrance Of the inst
Shall flourish when they sleep in dust" q"
Perish the thought that these men
have passed out of our life. That
can never be, until the illustrious
events aud stirring deeds Of gal
Iantry, that we ar. now so fervidly
commemOratlng, shall have pas>eI
out of those sweet and honorable
traditions ofeyery race, that sires
hand down to sons as pIrt Of
their most cherished and glorious
heritage. All the glory and great
ness in the world, we might easily
believe to have been exhauste d by
by that mighty and consuming
war against a world in arms. LIST
rs not doubt, that the Sons and
the Daughters os the COntederacy
will never be degenerate sciOns OF
illustriOus slres."
1t is a beautiful conception and
vibrates the tenderest chords of
our hearts, the organization of our
girls and boys 10 the Sons and the
Daugh ters of the COnfederacy. As
sons and daughters, a glorious
lineage is yours. In the portrait
gallery of those great names
names of noble men and wOmen,it Is
your privilege to walk and to muse,
till your souls catch fire and your
spirits drink in, till they become
lmpregnated and lDbued With, the
fragrance of their spirit.
Have you distinguished an
cestry? Then high born yourselves,
you will feel the responsibility of
holding up the honor Of the nam e
and prestige which have descend
edto you. You will realize that the
mantle of their glory has fallen
upDn YOU. And you will fad in the
m 'mOrN Of their virtues the force
aud the incentive of a noble nula
tiOn.
In the legendary lore of the first
ia S of Virginia we find an inci
dent, in which, by no very grea'
effort of imagination, we may dis
Germ a prophecy of the future. L-t
Captain John s mith represent the
enterprise of the outside wOrl',
stimulated by the appetite fol
riches aud power and DOMINION,
invading the heart of Virginia.
Penetrating the interior of an un-
known region, Of whose people he
vas IN profound ignorance, he
cones upon POcahOntAs, charac-
ter endowed by tradition with all
wOmanly and heroic virtues,
thenceforth destined TO be one Of
the most conspicuous aud PIC
turesque figures of American his
tory. AS profoundly ignorant
was the outside world of the charac
ter and genius of that thorough
bred race of people inhabitlng the
Southern States. They had read
OF us, indeed, but only through
northern prints. They had seen Us
only though Northern ey es. Aud
to them we were little moIe than
a senI.clvilized race Of slave.
drivers. The invading feet of
northern hate and greed has open
ed up the South to the eyes of the
nations, and leyeaIed to them one
of the most picturesque and heroic
raoaa thar ever inhAhifed the