The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-03-15

HON. NORMAN q. KITTRELL.
night and the lines of memory stretch out
frcm this hall to many heroic battle
field and many lonely graves.
We are gathered here TO take council
how We may best aid In the accomplish
ment of the grand conception OF Con-
federate soldier--the erection of the Con-
federato Memorial insttuto-the Battle
Abbey of the South"
Charles r. Rouss. a devoted son OF VIZ.
GINA who rode with Stuart aud followed
Lee, and who after four years OF faithful
service returned penniless to his ruined
home, has. by his own unadod EFFORTS, !
achieved great wealth and though stricken
with almost total blindness. has set apart
100000 to be applied to the erection OF
a structure whcrsn will be preserved the
memorials Of that great conflict, in which
many in this presence We're honorable par
ticipants, and which shall perpetuate to-
generations yet unborn the hallowed mem
cries OF heroic Struggle aud unselish sacrl-
fee. Whenever to the sum set apart there
shall he added by popular subscription or
otherwise IN equal amount, the great strut-
,urc will be erected at such place and az
cording to such architectural desig as inc
executive committee, composed OF eN- Con-
eederate soldiers shall determine. To this
patrictic purpose that proud son OF Georgia
rs chi lalric Il soldier as ever flashed fall
chior or faced foe. John Il Gordon, gave
ais hearty approval and wherever he leads
no Southern man need hesitate 10 follo~.
There Is no purpose or design in the cree
lion of such memorial institute TO keep
alive the spirit OF sectional feeling, and
neither by painting. statute. inscription OF
memorial viii aught be done that can fan
into flame the embers OF settled strife, but
every broad-mnded American who may
wander through that great structure Will
| and therein that which will cause him to
| r.ioioe ana grow proud that the men whose
deeds will there be perpetuated were Amer
| lean soldiers who added uniading iustre
| 10 American arms
1t will he the worthy medium through
| which will be gathered the materials
| wher,from will he written real and true
| history of the late civil war, and surely IT
| can serve no nobler or more needed end.
| Our school rooms are filled today with
hooks which If they contain not lies, set
| forth but half the truth. and the youthful
| minds of our children are being saturated
/! daily with the deadly poison of partisan
| ialsehoods We need no falsely coiored OF
| martial history our cause is on the APP
real before the Great High Court of pos
terity. and thanks be to God we can stand
mon the record. and with confidence await
the final Judgment
We only ask that our children shall be
taught the truth as their sires held the
truth to he.
II is no part of the functions Of make
of school hooks to argue constitutions
ourstlous or to solve disputed issues he
| tween contending sections Their onl.
proyince is to state truthfully and impair
tally the facts Of history and leave tn
rest to the historian OF the future.
| No generous or charitable man can OBJ
l hos Frntf
whom no differed In the past, for grea
ma, md unseIfish patriots we're confined u
rrithor side in the great conflict of thir'
of = century ago.
Among the viotors and the vanquishe'
clilSe are TO be found those whose name
history will not willingly Let die. w
shc,I5 remember with what chiyalric cour
.r,, 40 1ei,cnte consideration Ulysses 5
Grant treated his great antagonist on tn
historic field of appomattox. To Robert I
Ire no tbon and there plighted soldier
t,th ond ,,o,rio, and soldier as he was
bn lsent That faith invoate and whe
t,yenty Years after death came to him o
Mount McC;regor, his dying words were
| message Of peace. reconciliation and char
~, IN long n,traneed brethren.
= Two vou,hs in Northern institutions al
Justly taught that Lincoln and Grant re
, | sr-o,ively we're tvpes of the great civilla
4 and The great soldier. and so should ot
| children he laugh, that Davis ana Lee WEI
( alike rrspectively representatives ct the
neon,e and that neither TO them nor he
! reonle did defeat bring dishonor,
= Thoy should be taught that the sire
from whose loins they came were not rebe
or traitors and any book that contains sue
suggestion or that however indirectly IL
r,dcatrd such a sentiment, should be spur
Cd 90 II n wore viper But 1t may
said that he abstract truth and right ~
Scmowhero' and that It can not be taug
10 10Th from totally different standpoint
!, an, not here tonight to discuss the que
d ten an ~ wbo,her the South was right In til
y creat oonfiei. In the very first supren
: n,o,, n action that question passed 70
: ,,.ar hevord the range OF con,rovers
o wrhoreyer millions as one must plant ther
y .c,"cs between the homes OF their livi'
a,,a Inc graves of their dead and an nva
l. rmi t .no tbov arc right, because they a
n NJ, and their action is Of itself a
ii 'i',hi,, ,se,f their complete and impre
= m defense. such action by it's own !
,r hsu's o,.e, INT. the question OF rig
uei'nu -, i,to an atmosphere into Shi
ic anN ". ccmr, dare to assume to eyte
1,