Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-31
MR.. wATTERsoN.s SPEECH.


Mr.. Watterson spoke in substance as
follows:
MR.. wATTERSON'S SPEECH.
The duty which draws us together. and
the day-although appointed by Law
than they have ever borne before; and
the place which witnesses our coming
invests the occasion with increased
solemnity and Significance. Within me
precincts OF this dread but beautiful
city-consecrate In all our hearts and
all our homes-for here lie our loved ones
two plots OF ground, with but "a hiliocK
between, have been set aside 10 marx
the resting place OF the dead OF Two
armies that In life were called hcstiex
the Army OF the Union and the Army OIL
the Confederacy. We come TO decorate
the graves of those who died fighting Tor
the Union. Presently others shall come
10 decorate the graves OF those VINO uiev
fighting for the Confederacy. iet' IL
these fiower-covered mounds could oreh
and the brave men who inhabit them
could rise. not as dlsembodied spirits, bat
in the sentient flesh and blood which they
wore when they went hence, they would
rejoice as we do that the hopes OF botn
have been az last fulfilled, and that the
Confederacy, swallowed up by the Union,
lives again in American manhood and
brotherhood, such as were contemplated
by the makers OF the republic.
8 To those of us who were the comrades
and contemporaries Of the dead That are
buried here, who survived the ordeal Oh
battle and who live TO bless the day,
there Is nothing either strange or un-
natural in this, because We nave seen II
coming for a long time; We have seen II
coming in the kinship OF ties even as
close as those OF j common country; IN
the robust intercourse Of the forum and
the market-place; in the sacred inter
changes OF the domestic affections; but
above all, In the prattle Of children who
cannot distinguish between the grand
father who wore the blue and the grand
father who wore the gray.
no REMUNERATION ASKED.
1t Is required Of no man-whichevef
flag, he served under-that he make any
ren1nciation shameful To himself. and
therefore dishonoring to these grand
children. and each may safely leave 10
history the casting of the balance pc
tween antagonistic schools of thought
and opposing camps in action, where
the essentials of fidelity and courage
were so amply met. Nor Is II the part
of wisdom to regret tale that Is lolu'
The issues that evoked the strife OF sec
tons are dead issues. The conflict. winch
was thought To be irreconcilable and was
certainly inevitable. ended more than
thirty years ago. II was fOught 10 uS
bloody conclusion by fearless and honest
men, To some the result was loSicai-to
OtntTS IL WAS ulSdDp'i'iAiiiS " p'i - We"
final As no. man disputes II. let no man
deplore II. fet us the rather believe that
II was needful 10 make us nation Let
us the rather look upon 1t as into u mir
ror seeing not the desolation OF ihe past,
hut the radiance of the future; and In
the heroes OF the New North and the New
South who contested in generous rivalry
up the fire-sWept steep or III fancy, anu
side, bv side re-emblazOned the nauonal
character i'm the waters about Corregidor
I'd e,
LET MS behold hostages for the old North
and the old South blent together IN
Union that knows neither point or the
compass and has flung It's geography INTO
the sea. 49, ,,,,,
behind MS forever, yet greater issues
still rise dimly upon the view
THE ISSUES BEFORE Us.
who shall fathom them? Who shall
forecast Them? / seek not to lift the
vail on what may lie beyond IL ~
enough for me to know that 1 haNe -
country. and that my country leads the
World have lived 10 look upon It's
dismembored fragments whole again 20
See Il like the tabled bird of wondrous
nlumage upon the Arabian desert, STOW ~
shane itself above the names anu a'h lo
Of a confederation that threatened 10 ue-
Vour IL. have watched II gradually un-
foId its magnificent proportions throus
ALTERNATING tracks of light and shade'
bove stood in aWe-struck wohdeT anu
80 lost the glorious fabric should iaue
into darkness and prove but the lhsuu,
,antioI noeeaut of a Yision-When, Io'
out Of the misty depths OF the laI -dN a.
Pacific came the booming OF DeMsS
a,,ns ouicklv followed by the ansWeI.ils
Soice ~ the guns Of sampson ana smarter
ana Sfhley and / slid II Is ny
5rean,. II Is Gods promise redecnl,eu,
With the night OF sectlonal con- e t.o,r
that IS gone. civil STRIFE nas PaSa ~ ,er'
the scene and. in the Ight Oh .no epds
feet day that is come, the natlon nf re-
as the first fruit of its new blltn vi nrd
dom. another birth Oh sie"''
power and renown. ..,h,l,t;as NJ
fTrlIv realizing the Responsiveness 9l
mic and the duties that belong 10 H. /,
VS., ono accent il. and all that 1t brings
Win II and implies, thankful that l. YOU,
W." VI. - american. WheresOever It's star
may lead. | shall follow; nothing iVds .,
ar doubting: though II gulde the Ha.lo ~
footsteps TO the furtherm0st ends Vi VIZ
eorth relieving that i'm the creauon- di nv
Tho preservation of the American tnIo 'i
~ hand of the Almighty mas appt,i /"
sron, drst TO last that His VIII Degat II.
and that His word has prevailed; tiI"' III
az 'l,o Var of the Revolution ana IN me
In - the Incidents and accldehts Oh
SNttt iaft no doubt where Providence III
pn iS 80 the Star that now shines over
once q signet of Gods pan anu
,,.roea and a HeaYen-sent courier Yi
p,'.,Rl,gotion and religion. SHAH TX user
49, tha steppes Of Asia ana tne saIl.i s'
e. tfrica If shall but conhfm M III NY
S,ith that "the judgments or thv hoiu
40 trre and righteous altogether