Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-07-02

against toelT mateflaifstic ctv1llZS-
ton, they would obliterate them.
Because your sweet and gracious
tribute to the dead recognizes some
higher inspiration to noble endeavor
than dollars and cents, they decry il
and would have you discontinue it.
But the Confederate Soldier re
mains Il fact in history. If he illum-
ines its pages, it is not because partial
hands have drawn his picture there.
But his enemies themselves have
written him down in the Record of
the Rebellion in characters which
make radiant those otherwise dull
| tonnes.
Nor was he an accidental fact. The
great law of cause aud effect applies
to men as well MS things. Men are
largely the resultantS of antecedeutS
and environments. And the institu-
lions, the traditions, the associations,
the ideas of life and the habits of
thought, which made up the clviliza-
ton of the South, inevitably produced
him such as he was, and he could
not 90 otherwise than he did-and he
true to himself.
Ii WAS a civilization which recog-
nized man as the unit of social aud
political life, and assigned him his
place according to what he was,
rather than what he had. 1t was a
civilization of sentiment, rather than
of commercial calculation. 1t pro-
posed a mans integrity as the test of
his character and standing; and de-
mauded that he should DO Justly.
held 10 the truth. and value his
right above all cost. 1t taught that
homer and truth were the pole stars
from which he should take his bless.
ings; and the imputation that he had
loosened his moorings from either,
was regarded as IA mortal affrout.
Personal bravery was esteemed vir.
tue, and skill in arms was cultivated
as gentlemanly accomplishment. In
suits were adjudicated by different
code from that which was enacted bv
the Legislature, and personal wrongs
were measured in PAGES instead of
being liquidated in dollars aud cents.
And so the intercourse between men
was marked 10y courtesy as honest
as 1t was delicate; and the name of
woman was a sacred thing
This was the civilization of the
Old South, which some affect to
deride and even call barbarous."
We have high authority for judging
1t by Its fruits. 1t bred courtlv men
and gracious DANES; high-spirited
youths and msidens unaffected and
true; and a social life as sweet AS n
poets dream. 1t dispensed hospi-
tally that was cordial and unpreten-
tious, and was bounded only by the
will of the guest; but around the
home circle was a magic line which
the invader passed at the peril of
his life. Doubtless the highest type
of 1t was found IN the manor house,
where the painter had ample time to
study the highest ideals and abundant
means with which to realize them.
But 1t pervaded the land, and toned
the manners and softened the speech
of high and low. The rude noun
taineer stepped with a manlier tread
because of the lessons of indepen-
dence and jealousy of personal rights
which he had learned in the Valley.
And even the slave in his cabin felt
stir of pride within him, which for.
babe him to acknowledge any other
master than his own.
In the fulness of time the Old
South was called upon to vindicate
her institutions, her habits of life,
her civilization. In response to the
challenge she gave the Confederate
Soldier to the world.
| would not irreverently obtrude
my thought into the divine council.
But | believe that the destinies of
nations, as well as the affairs of indi-
viduals, are directed by the Eternal
Mind. | can conceive that in the
progress of humanity's development
1t was decreed that nation should
arise to meet the test of loyalty to
right and liberty and honor, at the
sacrifice of all else; that an issue
should be made up between over
whelming numbers and material
resources on one side. aud men of
splri- and devotion to their rights on
the other; and | can imagine that as
the fateful period approached there
was anxiety in the councils of heaven
whether or not the men should be-
/ uvapftnu