The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-03-15
The Glorious Achievements It Mil
Serve to Perpc,uate.
\ TRIBUTE TO THE LOST CAUSE. "
"Thc Deeds Wrought n Third NJ
Century Ago stir Many
Heart Tonight"

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Legislature;
should fail in observance of the most
obvious requirements of propriety did |
not tender to the members of the senate
and house Of representatives of the State
of Texas the assurance Of my grateful APP
probation Of the compliment implied by
the invitation in response to which l APP
pear before this audience tonight.
Your summons gentlemen, came to me
with something more than the force Of an
invitation. for there is a maxim in the
etiquette of royalty that an invitation from
the king is equivalent to a command, and
feeling that the resolution adopted by you
was inspired by those of your membership
who wore the Gray and followed the starry
cross, the resolution by you adopted was
received by me as marching orders; for
every true and faithful Confederate SOL
der is. in my eyes, royal by reason of his
heroic devotion and unsclfish sacrifice, and
to him. whether serving his State in her
| council halls or enjoying her generous
| hospitality as her honored guest, | bow In
reverent salute
| 1t must be evident to those in any de
| gree familiar with the labor involved In
| such duty as has been assigned me that
| the time intervening between the recent
of the notice of your action and this hour
| has been TOO short to allow of such prep
aration as justice alike to you, to this kind
audience and to the sublec, which we all
here assembled have so much at heart, de
manded-if ] shall say in substance or in
| letter that which has been said before /
| trust you will not attribute 1t to any lack
| OF appreciation OF the honor conferred on
me or Of the dignity of my theme but
that You will pardon it to the necessity
born out oflhe eXgency of the situation.
| am embarrassed by the fact that was
never soldier and hence by the utmost
stretch OF courtesy can not claim a place
in the ranks OF veterans, but | learned at
my fathers knee and imbibed with my
mcthers milk devotion to those immortal
principles in defence of which you gray
and grizzled veterans wrought deeds OF
| woudrous valor and to the halOwed mem
cries associated with that a struggle there
dwells within my heart a devotion as
ccasecss as the glow of the sacred flame
on lsracl's affairs.
trust you will accord me sincerity Of
statement when ] say that the invitation
extended me was wholly unsolicited anc
that have no unselfish nor unworthy pur-
pose to subserve in appearing before you
this night, for have no purpose or design
as God knows my heart, save and eNcep
to contribute, as far as lies WITHIN th'
compass of my power. to promote the sue
cess of a great movement that is intended
to perpetuate the memories which clint
and cluster about the hottest cause tina
ever claimed service or demanded sacri
fec This gathering here tonight is respbn
lpt.r, ~. ian of "a N
philosophy of human action which is a
cid as humanity itself In every age ever
people that has been fit to be ire" ma
paid homage to heroes and held in al
mration great achievements and bee
responsive to the influence Of sublime eX
ample. And the homage paid to thos
worthy of such honors has been crystalliz
ed and given tangible and feasible expires
sion in statues monuments, mausoleum'
and in every form wherein can be perpetu
ated the names and memories OF the grea
When any people shall have reached tina
stage in the progress of National deca
when il ceases to hold in reverence an
cherish with pride the deeds of its heroi
sons, it will, as it should, soon perish froi
the earth.
= The influences which have drawn tn
c audience together and which have set o
foot the great movement we are tonlgl
gathered to ana, peshh u"t 'N"as H"'
4, terdav. but had their origin in those DAY
Q in the long ago when young natia
t flung first its flag to the breeze, and whe
= the Young men of the South placing then
selves between their homes and an inNa'
4 ing foe went forth to battle as cheeri
= as 20 wedding feast. They thought not
: Thai great hour of constitutions or judioi
Z DEGREES. They needed not the decisions
:. Judges or the deliverances of Statesmen
- They caueh, the sound of the invader
t. advancing footsteps; they heard the thrill
ing slogan,
n