The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-20

North and South" was la all respects
equal TO that OF the eloquent speaker from
his own state who had preceded him. II
caught his audience and caught them hard
Mr.. Howell spoke rs follows:
Mr. Toastmaster and My Fellow Country.
men: In the mountains OF my State, in a
county remote from the quickeniug touch
of commerce and railroads and telegraph
so far removed from the sincerity OF rs
rugged people flows unpolluted from the
spring OF nature--two Vine covered noun
taius, nestled IN TIE solemn silence of u
country churchyard, suggest the text Of
my response To the sentiment to which |
am to speak tonight a serious text, Mr..
POSTMASTER, for an occasion like this. and
yet out of 1t there is life and peace and
hope and prosperity, for in the solemn sac
riiice of the Voiceless grave can the chiefest
lesson Of the republic be learned and the
destiny OF It's real mission be unfolded So
bear with me while lead YOU to the rust
stained slab, which for third of cea-
tNry- since Chickamauga-has been Kissed
by the sun as IL peCped over the Pluo
Ridge, melting the tears with which the
mourning night had beloved the inscrip-
ton:
Here lies "A Confederate soldier.
He died for his country"
The September day which brought the
body OF this mountain hero to that nome
among the hills which had smiled upon his
infancy, been gladdened by his youth and
strengthened by his manhood, was an ever
memorable one with the sorrowlng con-
course of friends and neighbors who fol-
lowed his shol-riddled body to the grave.
And of that number no man gainslid the
honor OF his death. lacked full loyalty to
The nag for which he fought. or doubted
the Justice of the cause for which he gave
his life
Thlrty-five years have passed; another
war has called lis roll OF martyrs; again
the old bell tolls from the crude latticed
tower of the settlement church: another
great pouring Of sympathetic humanity,
and this time the body of 4 sou, wrapped
In the stars and Stripes, Is lowered to its
everlasting rest beside that OF the father
who sleeps in the Stars and Bars.
There were those there who stood by the
grave OF the Confederate hero years be-
fore. ana the children of those We're there
and of those present no one gainsaid the
homer OF the death OF this hero OF El Caney,
and none were there but loved as patriots
alone can love. the glorious flag that ELL
shrines the people OF common country
as 1t enshi ouds the form that will sleep
forever in its blessed folds. And on this
tomb will be written:
Here lies tile son OF Confederate soldier.
He died for his country"
And so 1t is that between the making
OF these two graves human hands and hui
man hearts have reached a solution of the
YeXed problem that has bafflei human will
aud human thought for three decades.
sturdy sons OF the South have said &c their
IN theirs OF the North that the people of the
South had long since accepted the arhitrs.
ment OF tho sword TO which they hal ap-
oealed. And likewise the oft-repeated mes
sage has come back from the North tbnt
peace and good Will reigned and that tbe
wounds OF civil dssenslon were but as sa
RED memories. Good fellowship was waft
eu on me WIRES OF commerce and deyelop-
msnt from those who had worn the blue I,
those who had worn the gray. Nor war;
these messages delivered In vain. for thev
served to pave the way for the comnlete
ana absolute elimination of the line OF sec |
~ nal dilferencee by the cnly process nv |
when such result was possible. Tho |
sentiment OF the great majority of the ,,eo |
ple oil the south was rightly spoken In the |
message OF the Immortal HIN, and IN tba /
burning eloQueuoe OF Henry Cradv-hoth
ieorgians-the record OF whose hlasseS |
work for the restoration of peace netween |
me sections becomes National herilayo
hEu whose names arc stamped In enduring
Impress npon the affection OF tho p,on,n
of the republic FN''''
Ana yet there were still hose amo,s
us VINO believed your coursa wa politn hus
ihssncere, and those among You VINO ms.
su'pfa tolt our profeSse4 attitude was sem
tlmectal and unreal.
bitterness had departed and se,tiona,
nate was no more, but there were tbs,
VINO feared, even IL thay ala not bsI,av.
.nat between the great sections OF ou-
sNater government there was NOT the
perfect fsith and trust and love that both
pgoiessei; that there was want of the
ial'h that made the American revolution a
Su2s esaIul possibility; that there was want
OF me trus, thas crysralizat our States
lhto me original Uaion that there was lac,
OF the love that bound In unassailsble
strength the united sis;erhool OF States
shat withslood the shosk OF civil war n
10 true this doubt existed 10 a greater 40.
gree sbroad thaa at home. But todlv ths
ncst o. uncertainty has been swept away
oy me sunlight OF events, ard there. where
aogbt ohseured before, stands IN botd re-,
hst' commanding the admiration OF iss
whole world, the most glorious TYNE az
urhed strength and sentiment aud loyal
y krown to the history ~ nations.
Or Of the rhacs % abr civil war sas
sen neS nation mighty m the vas,f-s4
o. ITS hmiuess resources. the rcslitis,
Miihin IT'S reach SURPRISING the dreams OF
kieuon. and eclipsing the fancy OF