The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-08-11

.heii GLORIOUS example ana pre-.
pare ourselves to follow in their
footsteps, if needs be to the grave,
in defense OF their memory and in
the maintenance OF our own honor
and self:respect. Shall the names
of Washington and Jackson, Scott
and Taylor, Grant aud Lee, Sher,
man and Johnston, be forgotten or
fail to stir in the breasts of Amer.
ica's children that feeling Of pride
and honor that they are the inner.
TORS Of all the greatness and glory
attached to these beloved names 7
Accused for all time he the mem
DRY of him who would seek to take
aught from this rich heritage; &C.
cursed be- his name who would
sink so low as not to feel a trium.
phaut pride in emulating their no.
bic example! Forget the battle
fields upon which orr Liberty was
won, etface from our memory the
deeds of these God.like heroes ?
Never! never! never! They be-
loug to us;-we are proud Of them.
They are wrapt about our very ex-
istence and are part and Parcel of
our very life. They are the proud
memories Of our past, the glorious
realities Of our present, and the
hope, the promise, the reward of
our future.
Our own dear State, bright orb
III nation's shining field Of blue,
has spots on her bosom, where the
grass green from the soil of car.
mage: waves above the crushed
and Wondering Skeleton. Shall
these be forgotten Nay, they
are TOO dear to our hearts. Upon
them our heroes fell, and around
them now hangs tho sacred halo
of love and reverence for the brave
deeds, the heroic struggles these
spots have Witnessed.
"a land without graves is Il land with
out memories,
land without memories is q land with
out heroes;
A land that wears laurel crown may be
fair to see,
But %wine few sad cypress leaves
around the brow Of any land,
And be that land beautlless aud bleak,
1t becomes lovely i'll It's consecratcd cor
onet Of sorrow,
And wins the sympathy of heart and
history"
This laud, my friends, is your
birthright anu niue; these heroes
arg our common property; their
gallant deeds and their glorious
lives belong to us all. What a no.
BILE heritage it is! VIII 1t Il grand in
centive We have to emulate the
military dignity and soldierly
bearing that belonged to them
What sacred privilege and duty
we owe to their memories to up.
hold and maintain the honor, the
glory and the prestige their work,
their lab0rs and their lives have
bequeathed to Us!
From the sacred precincts of
y0nder cemetery, beneath the
shade of the oak aud pine, under
tue green sod, the waving grasses
aud lovely flowers, where rests all
that is mortal Of that grand man
whose name is dear to every Lou
isianian, and particularly 80 to all
R,.pidians, Ynos. o. Moore, the
War Governor OF Louisiana; from
d certain fair field Of Virginia
whose rich soil sucked up the life:
blood of that Incompatible hero
and soldier, Geu'l, Leroy Stafford,
who gladly yielded up his bright
young life when duty called; from
the arid plains of Mexico upon
which in exile died that magDifi
cent statesman, soldier and patri.
OF, Gen'I. Henry Watkins Allen;
from the stately oaks around Mans,
field, where shot aud shell raiued
deadly carnage there fell with his
face to the foe i'll the very front of
battle that dashiug, daring and
intrepid leader, Geu'l. Alexander
Mouton; from their peaceful rest,
ing places i'll Aietarie Ridge Gene.
terry, New Orleans, after the clouds
of war had cleared away and after
peaceful lives spent i'll usefulness
aud benefit to their State, three
heroes i'll grey whose names are
dear TO every man, woman and
Child within the broad confines OF
our own loved Louisiana, three
glorious men whose deeds will live
in history and be revered as long
as bravery, heroism and courage
are admired aud loved, Gen'l. 2.
&. L. Beauregard, who fired the
first shot at Fort Sumpter, when
all the startled world paused to bu.
hold the dreadful struggle that en-
sued, Gen. Dick Taylor, whorouted
and drove Banks iu crushing de-
feat from the bloody fields OF
Pleasant Hill and Mansfield, and
lastly that dashing officer, Gent.
Harry T. Hays, wuo fought with
courage and galIantry akin to