Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1897-05-21
Daniel At OakwoOd.
Our Dead Heroes Hon
ored. Beautiful Tribute.

The following is condensed re-
port of the eloquent address deliv-
cred last week by Hon, Jno. W. Dan
iel in Richmond, before the Oakwood
Memorial Association:
Mr.. Chairman, ladies and Gentle.
men, Mrs. President and Ladies of
the Oakwood Memorial Association,
Comrades-Today an army of living
has come forth to pay it's homage to
an army of the dead. Sixteen thous
aud soldiers of the Confederate
States representing thirteen States,
which composed that grand organiza-
tion of southern people, lie here be-
neat these ballowed mounds, their
warfaIe done. The citizens of Rich
mond, represented by its honorable
Mayor; the commonwealth of Virgin
III. represented by some of the chief
officerr of State; the people and the
mass who have poured from their
homes have come with martial music
and with banners to bow their heads
at this sacred spot. With hymn and
with prayer we have come to pray
Heaven that this people may oppre
ciate the sacrifice made for them, and
tkat we may grow strong in the
grace that ouce animated the hearts
of those who now rest beneath the
sod.
"In the ancient East it is told that
in the cities Of by-gone centuries,
buried beneath the sands, the wan
dering Arab searches for treasures
hidden in the totnbs Of their mon
archs,
at IS now third of a century
since war wasted this beautiful land
around us, aud a nation was cut off,
and these men who are buried here
said: Willingly we would have died
to save this country; now, unable to
svae it, willingly we die. The treas
ures of their lives were brave and
nobleand unselfish deeds. They left
them behind to make the sons of men
wiser, noSler, and better.
TRUTH HOLDS STEADFAST.
1--WE learn from the philosophers
that in the material world nothing
can be destroyed, but even the small
lest whisper of our lips continues
and continues until it makes atremor
against the stars. The moral world
is SIMILARLY constituted to the physi
cal, and while all things change truth
ever holds st,adfast and constant
and guards the memory of noble
words aud deeds and things. The
work of those who fell by the way
has not been loves labor lost. but
as man pursues his destiny, the elec
trio wires which stretch from these
graves into all the haunts of man
kind will be the beacon lights of
high and noble inspiration.
''We could not render to these,
who did so much, honor as is their
due, or speak as they would if they
were present, if we did not express
gratitude, first of all, to the noble
women of the South, and to those OF
Oakwood Memorial Association.
The women of the South, and
none more so, deserve and receive
our most devout and grateful recog
milton. Their shining names will be
foremost on every Confederate roll
of honor. 1t was they who sustain
ell the soldiers, tended their wounds
and with ministering care made the
grass green over the graves of the
Confederate soldier, and have kept
it green. 1t was the women of the
South who inaugurated memorial
days, which have grown to be nation
al, aud not simply southern institn
tions 1t is a beautiful custom
worthy of the women of the South
It's inspiriting. giving to us anEastel
day of patriotism, and serves to in
dicate that of all the virtues tba
can grace canse, there is a resur
rccLion and life.
A MONUMENT TO WOMEN.
I'm this city, once the focus of
mighty contest of arms, girded roun'
with mounds like these, as time give
opportunity, there will rise monu
ments in public highway and on hil
top to bear to generations to com
signs and stories of the noble past
But the circle of Confederate memo
rials will not be complete until som
n -.