Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1896-03-13
GEN. WOLFORD.
To Every kentucky Survivor of The Lost
Cause"
To the Editor OF the Interior Journal.

cause.
TO the Editor Of the Interior Journal.
US. Consulate, PosT STANLEY, FALK
LAND ISLANDS, January TO- 1896. Com
rades: When the war closed the Ken
lucky soldier returned home draped II
mournful glory. Many flowers from the
ranks of her contending wings had beer
cut down. We who survived 'Ths Los
Cause" had been denied citizenship. Nc
day during the war was so sad, SO dark a.
that day. Gen Wolford. without solici
tation or delay, came to our defense Oth
ers who were considered great not great
like Wolford; Kentucky has never had
but one Wolford; he was as good man
as Gov. Blackburn and greater than
blackburn -cringed trembed and falter-
en- Not so then, never so with W6lford
Drawer than all men, more generous, IL
possible than brave, he came quickly but
quietly to our rescue. Opposition van
ished like trash before the wind. There
stood the old man in his noble bearing, al
most alone, brave and dauntless but cool
and collected. not defiant, not dismayed,
not dsheartened His rugged and be-
nevolent face and brilliant eye fairly
beamed and twinkled with smiles and love
as he extended us his open hand OF
sincere friendship as a free will Offering
The eve of Kentucky turned in astonished
gaze upon Wolford These were times of
peril. but Wolford was not afraid he had
Truth, Goodness. Love and Duty as his
body guard His great, big heart, that it
was impossible to enlarge, impaired much
of its goodness to every contracted nature
that dared listen to his charming theme.
Hear him:
"The war is ended, my countrymen We
are all glad, too glad for resentment. This
is not the day for Kentucky to bolt her
doors against any class of her manhood.
Her doors must be unbolted and thrown
wide open to all alike. The Southern SOL
der has fought his last battle. He has
surrendered, we have brought him home
with us. but not as prisoner Heaven
forbid. We shake our heads at the
thought. Kentucky can not afford, Will
not dare, hold as prisoners or aliens this
brave band of her own sons who dared
bare their breasts TO battles storm Tor
their honest conviction. Kentucky needs
such men to-day They have stood
for four years, true as steel, against
those hundreds of thousands of native
patriots who rushed to the front so
promptly. as well as against all those
whom our money could hire from abroad.
These are the men we have brought home
but not as prisoners, not as aliens They
must put on the whole armor of citizen
ship"
Such was his plea for us Thank God
for Wolford. No wonder our dear old
mothers, dead and gone long ago, sung
Home Again SO sweetly.
When convinced of his right, he never
hesitated, but did it on the instant. lie
never weighed consequences nor looked,
about for friends. GLOW many men Ike
Wolford have you in Kentucky 2 asked
the great Lincoln of Senator Garrett Davis
when Wolford was carried to Washing
ton under arrest. 'Iie is the only one
Mr. President. You can shoot him every
morning for his canvictiOns, but he will
uever surrender one" Mr.. Lincoln knew
Wolford was a man; he was a man him
self Never surrendering conviction,
this taught Wolford to highly regard sin
cere conviction of others. Daring to do
all he thought right, he never counted
cost or thought of reward. lie was jew
ell above price.
This simple child of nature so profuse
" endowed with the best and richest gift
that Heaven has yet besto we'd on man "a
love for his fellows that casts out all fear,
is gone.
ColTP. Hill, of Stanford, Ky pro
poses that the Confederates erect monu
ment to his memory. We must not in
suit or wound the feeling OF his "old Reg
imentn "Wolfords men" never would
bear crowding on; none OF US can forget
that, but with their permission to render
this heart offering to our best friend In
our darkest day. we can give Col Hill
substantial assurance that we can not for
get that ready, willing, able hand that res
cued us in the day of our calamity. We
have lost our bravest and most generous
foe in war, our best friend in peace. 1--WE
shall not look upon his like again Al
low me to suggest the inscription for the
monument:
Erected by the
Kentucky Confederates.
General Frank Lane Wolford,