The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-26
WOMEN OF The coNFg0ERAcY.
The Proposal to Erect a Monument to
Their Memory.

To the Editor; The proposal made
at the Richmond reunion to erect a
monument to the women of the Con
federacy was an eminently just and
proper one. Several years ego | adyo-
Gated in this paper the same thing.
Tt is a reflection on Southern manhood
that is has been so 1ongdelayed. Count
less monuments and memorials pro-
claim the valor of Southern men; but
not one, so far as ] know, bears wit
ness to the equally splendid devotion
and heroism of Southern women. For
all shaft or tablet has to say, her part
in the great drama might have been
trivial or ignoble one.
The peculiar conditions under which
the war was waged imposed on the
Southern woman heavy duties and
gave her splendid opportunities. How
nobly she bore the one and how SPLEEN
didly she arose to the other is surely
a heritage worthy of being preserved
in every possible manner. 1t gave her
the opportunity of proving that the
Southern ideal of womanhood was the
true ideal: that the consideration and
homage accorded woman in the South
had softened but not weakened her;
that, growing strong beneath the
weight of duty. the vine could take the
platce of the oak.
Not since the far-away time when
the Temtonic women. our remote an
cestresses, followed the warriors OF the
field encouraging the brave, shamng
fine coward and hurting forward the
iu-eoufpped barbarian hosts with an
impetuostY which not even the IRON
phalapxes of Rome could always with
stand. has the sex been a larger factor
in WA. than the Southern woman in
the war for Southern Independence
Not only did she triumph over all the
De1-plexities Of household economy rev
ohtionized by the blockade. and main
tain to the last. comfort at home; not
only did her own inventiveness, her
self-denial her toll add immensely TO
the comfort and effectiveness of the
troops in the field not only did her
hospital ministrations claim from the
grave thousands lacking whom the
gray line would have broken sooner
than it did: but when even above these
things thalt made her a power in the
strife. was her hopefulness and
buovancv. which was conta-
a-ious and irresistible. To the
last she never despaired of the destiny
of the young republic, nor suffered
others to despair of it.
The Southern men surrendered IN
1865; the Southern women have never
surrendered at ALL For in their match
less labor of houoring the Confederate
dead they have gloritied the Confeder-
ate era. And just as their zeal nerved
the hand that welded the sword. so It
has nerved the hand that welded the
pen till the world is grudgingly ac-
i1nowledgting that not only did we de-
serve to be right, but that we were
right.
Surely these things are worthy OF all
the honor and Immortality that gra-
ven stone can give.
At some opportune period in the
near future let this good work begin.
There is no more wholesome work for
us. and we cannot better serve pos
terity than in preserving for its emu
lation these the highest achievements
of Anglo-Saxon womanhood.
The women have built every monu-
ment since AppomattoX. Let this one
be the work of the men.
O. w. BLACKNALL.
Kittrell. Y. c.. July 20, 1896