The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-01-24

sections produced great men. but they
were angular men-unsymmetricaL As
eariv as the first OF the past century
these old natural antagonisms began TO
assert themselves and grew aercer until
they eliminated in the bloody conflict
that began at Fort Sumter and ended
at APPROXIMATION Our conflict of four
Years was only a continuation of the
battle at Marston Moor. where Round
head n Cavalier fought two hundred
and twenty-five years before
Into this awful furnace into this ter
rible crucible of a four years war the
cavalier civilization OF h south flung
itself and its fortune The oundhea
civilization Of the north was not stingy
with blood and treasure. Great hearts
Of both sections melted and fused. What
shall be done with fused material?
Shall it separate and fall back and
harden into its old shapes and forms;
So far as the north is concerned. large
~, yes. For three reasons. First, the
north threw less of itself into the cru
chile. 1t was satisfied to cast IN too
much of the scrap iron from the worlds
junk shops in the form of hired foreign
soldiers and was not enough of its real
self. Second, it has been too busy
mounting money TO put a high value on
men. Third. the north. in the whole
struggle failed to produce a mode man
after whose likeness to shape and mould
an ideal marsood.
On the other hand the south had no
money moulds-it has never discovered
the art Of minting money. The Eternal
bent low and whispered into the ear of
the south: Now is your opportunity
! fulfill your destiny. Now make men.
Not Cavalier, not Roundhead-both are
too narrow. Make men after the pat
tern / hav given-there he stands close
by the red hot c~rucible-Robert L. Lee.
for this cause was he born before his
dav and ahead of his time"
Then the tempters came and strove
TO DESTROY our pattern-man.
The instructive commercialiSm of the
north began Immediately after the sur
render a desperate effort to destroy
Lee as a man. By mechanical force
they had destroyed his army. Blu the
man Lee was greater far than the
General Lee. All of their idols of the
war had fallen before political or
financial temptations. Even their great
est. who directed the mechanical forces
before which Lees army fell, himself
was not strong enough 10 withstand the
political and financial temptations, and
died less respected than when Lee sur
rendered. So the tempters sought Lee.
They found him poor. (His Master had
tasted forty days on the mount before
the tenlpter came to him and proposed
the bread making scheme.) They Of
fered him all sorts Of money. just for
TIE use OF MS name 10 exploit tHelI
financial schemes. But to all he turned
a deaf ear. They went back carrying
their money bags still united. and say
ing to themselves. "he spoke as never
man spoke when he said. no" They
said that poor old school master of ours
at Lexington could not count money"
true enough. He had forgot how. He
was too busy counting the young men
about him and the thousands yet un-
horn of southern mothers. But some
man will say.
lee is lead"
'Dead?"
T live in loving hearts
We leave behind
is not to die"
OTHER EXERCISES.
The band again rendered a selection,
and then Captain Metts. with pathos
and deep emotion, read General Lees
farewell order to his troops at Apo
mattox. Many Eyes were dimmed with
tears when he read that grand farewell
to the army which had fought the
greatest war on earth.
THE CROSS OF HONOR PRESENTED
Captain Nets INTRODUCED Miss Hettie
James. who had been selected to de-
liver the cross of honor to such veterans
as had been declared worthy Of it. He
read the roll of names. and hen Miss
James beautifully read an address that
was full Of earneStneSS and marked
with pathos.
Miss James began her address as
follows: Veterans and heroes, who,
more than four decades since, started in
the strength of early manhood to de-
fend that cause, which, though lost to
success must ever be dear to our south
ern hearts is not forgotten, though our
banner is furled and the SHOWS of many
winters nave whitened our heads-it is
my honor and privilege to have been
chosen by the Cape Fear chapter of the
United Daughters of the confederacy, to
bestow today upon you who failed to
receive them last year, the southern
cross of honor. Simple though they be
they are as enduring as your noble
deeds, many of which, though unrecord-
ed in history, are stamped in letters OF
bronze on the memories Of the women
of the south. We could only buckle on
the word-send you forth in the name
of the ord Of Hosts to hattie for the
right-bid you God speed, and await
with anxious hearts, the result, until
the opportunity came to do as well as
suffer. Then h a blessed privilege
was ours, after the memorable battles
around Richmond, to place "a cup of
cold water" to parched lips-dress the
Wounds of the bullet torn-distribute
tempting viands to the hungry soldiers
as they passed through our city, and
\ Selu tHeIl TelTeSIleu Oh tIclI uOiIic"diu
/ journey, our rich reward being many a
God bless you," as the train bore them
from our view. Unde the skillful
management of the lamented Mrs. De
Ar""ond J. DeRcsset. president of the
Soldiers Aid Society who so generously
threw open her kitchen n family din
ing room to our use, and the liberal
contributions of others, we ladies of
Wilmington were enabled to place be-
fore the convalescing hungry ones nour-
ishing food. then a rarity upon many Of
our own tables"
Miss James then spoke of the heroism
of the confederate soldier, and in this.
connection took occasion to pay a beau
tiful tribute to the late DIR. George Pat
terson, who died recently at Memphis,
Tenn, and who served so faithfully as
the chaplain Of the Third North Caro-
lima Infantry. Her conclusion in part