Birmingham state herald., 1896-04-28
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given by my father to feed the boys in
 gray. l have heard the last old hens dying struggle to make a soldiers din-.
 her. Yea, more; when there was neither
 meat nor fowl l have seen them eat
 heartily of 'possum and potatoes and
 persimmon beer. We'll, I gathered the
 persimmons and caught the 'possum, so
 l contributed lads service to the south efn cause. My boyhood home was con-
 secrated to the southern cause. I have heard from day to day the hum of the spinning wheel and the din of the loom
 operated by my mothers hands, mak-
 ing cloth and clothes to clothe the south
 ern soldiers, the dull monotony of which
 was relieved by the music of patriotic
 soul as she sang the song of Dixie"
 occasionally pausing to brush tear
 from her cheek as she uttered prayer
 to Heaven for the success of the southern
 cause and the lives of southern and
 northern soldiers. Late at night, when
 the days work was done, the burden of
 her prayer was for the boys in gray and
 their cause While she did not abuse the
 yankees. she impressed me with the idea
 that there was nothing radically wrong
 about Abraham Lincoln and that Jeff
 Davis was saint. Such were my ear
 Hest observations and impressions So
 you see, gentlemen, while I have not the honor of being either a soldier or a son
 of soldier, yet I was born and reared
 in home loyal and devoted to the South ern Confederacy.
 The patriotism, pride and power of nation is an aggregation of the patriot ism pride and power of it's citizens. The corner stone of national greatness is hu-
 man liberty. The love of liberty Is an in nate principle of the human soul; the de- sire to possess it is the aspiration of pa triotism-the effort to obtain the express sion of both
 The specialization of patriotic aspira- tion is found in our declaration of inde- pendence; the maintenance of this by the sword the greatest result of military en- deavor; the conception of our constitu- ton the greatest achievement of states
 manship. The common spirit that in- splred the hearts of all who took part, great and small in these sublime achieve ments was the love of liberty, the love of country and national pride. All, from the greatest to the least, were patriots. Such were our ancestry; such must be their posterity. It therefore follows that the war between the states was a war of patriots on both sides.
 From the very beginning there were two interpretations of our constitution. I his difference could only be temporarily harmonized by compromises It was of such nature that our statesmen on both 'des became partisans-not the partisan ship of political parties, which Is right and legitimate, but the partisanShip of l sectional prejudice, growing out of sec tional institutions. The conflict was thus rrepressible. The arbitrament of the sword alone could settle the dispute; hence the great civil war-the greatest of all modern times. War is always terri ble, sad and unfortunate; but there are | times when 1t Is necessary. It involves an issue, with supporters on both sides. Those on one side, who fight for what 1 they think is right, are just as honorable, true and patriotic as those who fight on l the other sde; hence in our war there were no rebels and traitors. Each side was right in maintaining it's own inter- pretation of the constitution-therefo each side was patriotic Were I to put | the question here today as to which side was right Camp Hardee would all vote | for the Confederate cause while Custer post would all vote for the federal cause. Both would be right. Neither side has ever relnquished the justice of its cause. But there is one thing, thank God upon which all agree, and that is that the re- suit of the conflict was best for both sec tions, both sides and for all the people. Costly, terrible and terrific as it was, the result was worth the price. One of the results of this conflict was an additional demonstration of the courage, fortitude and patriotism of American soldiery. It is proof to the world that American arms are invincible, and that we can maintain not only our own rights but the rights of others should we interfere.
 We are here today to do honor to the Confederate dead. It is a memorial ser vice. It is right and proper that the mem- Ory of those who died for their country s cause should be kept forever green in the minds and hearts of the survivors and in their posterity. Death is always sad, whether it be the human bud taken from it's mothers arms or the octogenarian, whose tired nature falls asleep in death.
 But when soldier dies it is not only death, but it is a sacrifice upon his coun- try's altar It is not merely local loss and bereavement, but it is a national loss, and a nations tears should fall upon his grave.
 Who does not admire the man who,