The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-09-23

pIOteCteO ny the powers that Oe, 10 AL
their selfish demands; great railroad:
and telegraph lines have annihilatee
time and space anc spurn the limit!
Of state; great manufacture g con
Germs have formed trusts, and these al
together combine and control III,
Congress and Judiciary in their owr
interests, to the direct detriment o.
the toiling masses, and the citizenship
Of free America is but the newer o
wood and drawer of water for tn
trusts and combines in power. From
these and such as elevated them t
power, one would scarce expect pa
triotic impulses; like Shylock, they
have their bond Of power, and viii
ever demand the pound Of flesh.
The modern politician is genu!
homo, who pretends to sacrifice his
dearest interest to serve the dear PEG
p le. He claims to be Of the ancien
ord er Of some old national party, or t.
serve his country best declares ole
parties corrupt, and goes into a con
glomeration of the worst element o
the old parties, and calls it Fusion
and he becomes but vampire upor
the body polite. These are all birds
of low order, ever whetting their beak:
and watching for prey upon which to
gloat their greedy appetites. The aim
of the modern politician is spoils Of
Office; they are promising people until
they get lease Of office, when they
ignore their deluded constituents and
busy themselves in the qualification Of
their own avarice, and devise mean:
to perpetua,e their holdings and pill.
ferings. From such as these, the
country has no hope; they are but the
birds of prey that hover over pros
trate country, where there is most
pu,rifaction upon the body polite.
The only remaining class OF ou'
citizenship from which we may hope
to draw the Spartan band which shall
stand in the pass of this modern Their
mopylae, and defend the dearest in.
terests of the whole people, are the
"Anglo-Saxon veterans of the late
war" -Americans to the "mannel
born," both blue and gray, who sealed
their devotion to the country by sac
rifce the world has never seen before.
The Veterans OF the South stand par.
excellance in the forefront, in unset.
fish devotion to country's cause,
they stand to-day in the presence Of
great events, a theatre of action is
offered them, where as votaries Of peace;
they may gain fame that will add
luster to their already deserving re-
nown; for he who mediates between
the antagonistic forces that govern so.
ciety and keeps the minds of his coun-
trymen in conservative channels OIL
thought and action, merits far greater
praise than he who conquers city.
Devotion to principle is the trues,
conception TO heroism. The match
less genius of Marlborough, and the
dauntless steady valor of Nelson fail to
evoke from our hearts the homage rem
dered to the less brilliant characters oil
Wolf and Collingwood. Heroism has
exhibited itself under manifold types
and widely different phases, in the
several stages OF intellectual and moral
development of the human race, each
marked by individual characteristics,
but all retaining some element Of pa
triotic devotion. The Greeks in the
age of their glory, were the champions
of human intellect, the vanguard oil
civilization. Marathon and Plataea
were victories won, not for Greece
alone, but for the human race, tri-
umphs of moral courage over physical
force.
In patriotism, willingness to sub.
serve all things, TO the good and glory
of his country, the Roman Of the ear
lier centuries of the Republic stands
unrivaled. Fidelity to their cause,
because it was their cause, enthusiastic
public spirit, forti.ude, temperance,
sincerity and subordination: these were
the virtues of the Roman heroes.
These are illustrations culled from the
history of ancient times, and they give
but faint idea of the devotion OIL
those heroes of the civil war who were
faithful as long as there remained any.
thing to adhere to, who faltered not
but were steadfast to the end. Those
who followed that immortal patriot,
paramount gentleman, VIII 'se patriot
ism was illumined by Christian faith,
a great soul clad in human frallty, YET
in the far hereafter no brighter star
than his shall glitter in the armament
Of the undying past, no greater name
will be sounded through the long age:
to come, than that Of ROBERT +
LEE.
The genius Of Jackson; the MARTA
fire Of Pettigrew; the impulsive valo'
of the gallant Pelham; or the unbla
zoned devotion Of thousands Of name
less ones, at whose memory tears Still
flow, come down to US as exemplars o
patriotic virtue, and sources Of hope
for brighter future. The land TO
which they fought and died can no
become the home Of cringlng slaves
Veterans, you Tough, an unequa
fight; a,6oo. 900 men confronted VOW
100000 those who opposed yo'
had the storehouse as Of the world L
supply their wants; you were circum
scrIbed by blockades to a marrow
compass; without food and wi,hou
clothing, unarmed, yet like David o
old you trusted to the righteousness o
your cause and met the mail-coa.et
giant, and battled in behalf Of you
country's liberty.
Your devotion impelled you to leav
the wife and children Of your bosom
unprotected and unprovided for. tn
women Of the South gave up their al
and with tears sent YOU forth TO die