The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1898-05-14

S'"oO S>SS''O" oIotOo "SIS uOC III
the Union until they were voted
in, but were conquered foreign
territory. 1t was no civil war,
but war between two countries,
each foreign to the other.
The Southern Confederacy was
waging war in self defence, to
preserve its freedom from the
domination of foreign foe. For
this its men were called from their
homes, and trained in martial
ranks. For this they fought four
years, with valor unsurpassed and
gallantiv magnificent, such as the
world has never seen excelled.
But, alas! the sad end came Mt
last. The Southern Confederacy
born and then baptised with blood,
in Infancy, on South Cardinals
soil, in Charleston, grand old city
by the sea, died II noble death,
and then was sadly buried in the
sorrowing hearts of her true sons
biiSi Nt'tuDulcIS.
And why was our cause lost?
And why did our Confedsracv
dief All! the sadness of the an
swer. it was not the result of
valor on the Union side; nor of
tho invaders greater numbers,
and superior equipments; for
against all these the South vic
toriously fought, outnumbered
two and three to one. But the
South was overpowered Mt the
last because worn out. a Geor
gia Confederate General was
twitted 10y northern man, who
said "We whipped you" The
gallant Southerner replied, Ono,
sir. we wore ourselves out whip
ping you.' And so it was. The
South, though almost constantly
victorious, even to the last, wore
itself out. Its courage did not
fail; for even to the last, even
when the invading hosts filled all
the land around Appomattox, the
thin and ragged Confederate
ranks were ready to charge once
more 30 final victory or death, at
the command of that "noblest
Roman of them all, g." Robert +
Lee. But those armies led by
Lee, and Joseph f Johnston, and
Kirby Smith, were exhausted, and
naught was left them but surren-
der, mot conquered but overpow
cred. And whyl Because our
supply of soldier material WAS
consumed. The North had its
ports open to the world, AMI
could draw its recruits from Ire.
land and Germany; men who
cared not for right or freedom,
but were the Hessians of these
modern days, who fought but for
their wages, filthy lucre, and the
pilIage of our Southern homes.
Our ports were closed to all the
world, SO that our soldiers must
come from our own homes. Nobly
did they respondto their coun-
try's call, The men in prime of
life, the brothers, younger hug
bands and older sons went forth
and fought for right, for "home
and natiye land" When their
ranks grew thin, the fathers aud
their younger sons went forth and
filled the vacant places. When
those ranks again grew thin, the
grandfathers and their grandsons
went forth and fought the CON
stantly increasing foe. Alas,
there were no more to 90, of
either those whose thinning locks
were gray with years, or those
whose curly locks and flashing
eyes marked them as in the flush
of early youth. Where are all
those thousands who went forth
To freedom wars, but came not
back again!' Go ask Virginia $
battle fields and cemeteries. Go
farther north, and ask Gcttys.
burg in Pennsylvania plains.
Go to Tennessee and ask Chicka-
mauga's fields: to Nicksburg on
the Mississippi; and still beyond,
TO Texas vast domain. Go ask
the forts and harDor on our
coasts. Go ask Raphael Semmens
and the noble Alabama, and the
waves over which they sailed in
victorious career, but to final sur
render. These will answer