Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-02-12

the South. Dearer than ali o,h.r
INTERESTS OF this world. to us. are
those OF our own land. Over tbss.
interests We shall watch. F,rmIv
and faithfully we shall defend them
ana more so now than ever. when
these interests are in such sore med
vi orave defense aud true defenders
oeiie'ing, as we do, that the South
Dad right aud reason aud princ,pl..
Oh ner side IN the late war, we feel
that we should not let the traditions
"nd memories aud glorieS of the
struggle pass into oblivion. We
must keep them alive aud aglow. We
must pass them down: We must make
our children proud of them. There
Is not day nor deed of the
struggle of which we NAV feel
ashamed. We owe it 20 the past to
preserve the story of our struggle
ana the future will not forgive us. if
we fail to record it. And, in record
ing, we must not use the words of
apology, as though we doubted of the
righteousness of our cause: but.
plainly and fearlessly, true to our.
selves, TO our cause, TO our country:
true TO the dust of the dead at our
feet, true to the spirit of those who
were SO true To us. true 10 the living
aud their terrible loss. true 10 the
future, which is coming down to ask
of us the NIndicatiOn of our course
and the story of our past, we must
declare, and still declare. and never
cease declaring. in words as brave as
our warriors were. that in the dread
struggle in which our flag went down
with not stain of dishohor on the
Virgin purity of its folds, Justice
stood on the side of the men who
wore the gray. And justice has not
changed sides because We have been
defeated. Uncouquered and uncon
qurrable, Justice Is still with the
conquered. The success of our cause
has been lost-not its right, for
failure can never make right wrong;
nor can success tranform the iniouity
OF wrong into the Sacredness of right.
Brute force goes down into battle
fields, not TO test the rightfulness of
causes, but 10 try the strength of
ombatants. The success of the
sword Is no argument in favor of the
cause for which il has been un
sheathed; the surrender of the sword
Is 30 argument against the cause
which drew il from the scabbard:
shot and shell do not reason-they
slaughter-and slaughter, b. 1t more
or less, it is only sIaughter-it is no
argument for or against the right of
those who kill or are killed; bullets
may mangle flesh, spill blood, slay
men, but they can never reach the
Vital principals for which men con-
tend. These principles are beyond
the range of musket and cannon.
Battle-tields may be the burial places
of men, never of rights. Above the
smoke and storm and shock of battles
unaffected by Victory or defeat, calm
aud immovable, Justice sits on heI
eternal throne, aud in her eyes right
is right forever, wrong is eternally
wrong, and tranpled wright i,
grander than triumphant wrong
From the decisions given against Us
in the court of battle. We carry up {,
high tribunal of justice for reversal
This, and this alone was settled b,
battle, that we were the weaker
party. We had less brute force or
our side, aud were Obliged to yield tC
the superior strength of our assail
ants. The armies and governmen,
of the Confederacy were but tn,
mortal flesh and blood of an immorta
cause. They are gone-it is living
Nor steel, nor lead could touch it,
life nor take it away. 1t is living il
the loves of Southern Hearts, it Ii
living in the memories of the South
ern dead, it is living in the storie
which Southern mothers are telinl
To their little children, it is living il
the sorrows of our widows anC
orphans. And We shall keep i
alive. The ght of our cause di,
not fall with Richmond. 1t exist