Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-23


mother Of US all. And Virginians stood
In lire TO guard her homes from invasion.
her affairs from Dissertation, her insti-
tutions from destruction.
She resisted invasion. IL cannot be too
often repeated Or too plainly stated.
ONLY RESISTED INVASION.
Virginia never seeded from the Union.
She resisted invasion OF rights. as her
free ancestors for 500 years had done
with arms and force. Before the ordi-
nance OF secession was voted on Vir-
ginia was at war with the Northern
States. and all legal connection had
been broken with them by their own act
In the unlawful invasion Of her soil.
God bless her and hers forever and for
ever. She barred her breast and drew
her sword to protect her sisters behind
her. and took upon herself the hazard
OF the die. And I will presume to re-
cord my claim here for her kins-
men who hocked to her flag from be-
yond the Potomac. and who died for
her on every battlefield from Shepherds
town to AppomattOx, that the survivors
love her now with the devotion of chill
dren adopted in blood.
1t Is this constant and growing con-
seriousness OF the nobleness and Justice
and chivalry OF the Confederate cause
which constitutes the success and IL
Eliminates the triumph we commemo-
rate to-day. Evil dies: good lives; and
the time Will come when all the world
Will realize that the failure OF the Con-
federacy was great misfortune to hu-
mainly, and will be the source OF I'M
numbered woes TO liberty. Washington
might have failed; KosciuslSo and Ro-
bert ID. Lee did fail; but / believe his
tory will award a higher place 20 them.
unsuccessful, than TO Suwarrow and 10
Grant. victorious. This great and noble
cause, the principles OF which 1 have
attempted to formulate for you, was de-
Tended with genius and chivalry OF
men and women never equalled by any
race. My heart melts now at the memo
ny Of those days
WHAT OUR WOMEN STOOD.
Just realize It: There is not a hearth
and home In Virginia that has not
heard the sound Of hostile cannon: there
Is not a family which has not buried
kin slain in battle. OF all the examples
Of that heroic time: OF all figures that
will live in the music OF the poet or the
pictures OF the painter, the one that
stands in the foreground, the one that
will be glorifed with the halo Of the
heroine, Is the woman, mother sister.
lover-who gave her life and heart to
the cause. And the woman who attracts
my sympathy most and 10 whom my
heart melts hottest, is the plain, simple.
country woman and girl, remote from
cities and towns. back in the woods,
away from railways or telegraph.
Tom Nelson Page has given us a
picture of her in his story OF DARBY"
thank him for DARBY Stanly." 1 knew
the boy, and loved him well, for have
II.
In camp. and on the battlefield, lying in
ranks. stark with his face to the foe
and his musket grasped In his cold hands.
1 can recall what talk there was At
"meetin" about the BLACK Republicans"
coming down here to interfere with us.
and how we warn't goin to Glow It,"
and how the boys would square their
shoulders 10 see If the girls were looking
at 'em, and how the girls would preen
their new muslins and calicoes, and see
II the boys were "noticen." and how
by Tuesday news came that Captain
Thornton was forming his company at
the courthouse. and how the mother
packed up his little "duds" in her boys
school satchel and tied It on his back.
and kissed him and babe him good-by.
and watched him, as well as she could
see, as he went down the walk to the
'bg road" and as he got TO the corner,
turned round, and took off his hat, and
swung 1t around his head, and then dis
appeared ont OF her life forever. For,
after Cold Harbor his body could never
be found, nor his grave Identified, though
dozen saw him die.
And then. for days and for weeks and
for months. alone the mother lived this
lonely life, waiting for news. The war
had taken her only son, and she was a
widow; but from that day to this. no
human being has ever heard a word OF
repining from her lips. Those who suffer
most complain least
ANOTHER PATHETIC STORY.
Or, recall that story of Bshop-Gene-
raj Polk about the woman I'm the noun
tains of Tennessee, with six sons. Five
Of them were in the army, and when II
was announced to her that her eldest
born had been killed I'm battle. the mother
simply said THE Lords will be done.
Eddie her baby Will be fourteen next
spring and he can take BIlly's place."
The hero Of this great epoch is the son
/ have described, his mother and sister
will be the heroines. For years. day and
night, winter and summer. without pay.
with no hope OF promotion, nor Of win
UluS "a VI n the toil-
federate boy soldier trod the straight and
thorny path Of duty. Half-clothed. whole
starved. he tramps, night after night
his solitary post on picket No one can
see him. Five minutes walk down the
road will put him beyond recall, and
twenty minutes further. and he will be
I'm Yankee lines. where pay. food, clothes.
quiet. and safety all await him. Think
Of the tens of thousands OF boys sub
jected TO this temptation, and how few
yielded, Think OF how many never
dreamed Of such a relief from danger
and hardship But, while l glorify the
chivalry, the forttude, and the fidelity
Of the private soldier. l do not intend
to minimize the-valor, the endurance. or
the gallantry of those who led them.
MEMORIES OUTLAST TINE.
know that the knights OF Arthur's
Round Table, nor the Paladins and
Peers. reused by the blast Of that Font
Arabian horn from Roland at Ronces
Valley. did not equal in manly traits.
or nobility of character, In purity Of
soul. In gallant, dashing courage the
men who led the rank and file OF the
Confederate armies from lieutenant up
to Acknowledgement. There were more
rebel brigadiers killed In battle for the
Confederacy than in any war that was
ever fought When such men and wo-
men have lived such lives. and died such
deaths in such a cause their memories
will -outIast time. Martyrs must be
glorified, and when the world knows and
posterity appreciates that the war was
fought for the preservation and perpetual
ton of the right of self-gov-
eminent. OF government by the people.
for the people, and TO resist govern
ment by force against the will OF thu
people. then the Confederacy will be ye-
yered like the memories OF Leonidas