The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-02-20
DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACy.
A Noble Band of Women Whose Mis-
sion is Educational, Memorial, Social
and Benevolent, &c.
RiIl Arm i'm Atlanta Constitution

Bill Arp in Atlanta Constitution.
For a little while | would ask your
kind attention to those whom, since
1892, have called themselves the
Daughters of the Confederacy. Their
mission has been and still is and we
trust long will be as declared in
Article of their Constitution: "Edu-
cational, memorial, social and benevo-
lent-to collect and preserve the ma-
tsrial for q truthful history OF the
war between the States-to honor the
memory OF thoss who served and
those who fell in our service, and to
record the part taken by Southern
women during the war and its after
math. their patient endurance OF
hardship, their patriotic devotion
during the struggle, and to fulfill the
duties Of sacred charity to the sur
vivOrs." All of these are noble
objects, but the greatest Of all is the
establishing Of the truth and preserv-
ing it. The poet says that ''truth
crushed to the earth will rise again,
and it has risen and continues to rise.
Even that popular magazine. Frank
MunSeY'S MOnthly, in its last number,
has forever blOtted out the malignant
and fanatical story of Barbara FRET
chic, and only last week the ladies Of
Lexington, Ky, put under the ban the
drama of Uncle Toms Cabin" 1t
was the Daughters of the COnfederacy
who did it, and to their wides preah
aud influential organization the South
must look for the maintenance Of the
truth. Just think Of it. Within the
past nine years twenty-five States
have been chartered as grand divis-
ions, including California. New York,
District Of Columbia, Oklahoma and
Indian Territory. In all these there
have been chartered AN aggregate Of
over three hundred chapters, with a
membership Of 25,O0O good, loyal
Southern women, the largest fedora
ton OF women in the world. Or this
membership Texas has the largest
with ,75D bers. But my friends,
this great army OF Daughters had
mothers who, whether alive or now
dead instilIed this love of truth and
unstained Confederate honor in the
hearts of their children. They are
the ones who sacrificed and suffered
and still were strong. For more than
fifteen years | have observed Il trait in
wOman'S nature that is lacking in
most men. She never gives up. The
sad results OF the war that wrecked
the fortunes Of Southern men fastened
thousands of them to untInely
graves, but their widows still dot the
land from Virginia to Texas. The
mothers of these Daughters endured
more hardships and privatiOns than
their husbands and sons who were in
the army, but they never complained
Goldsmith wrote:
MAN wants but little here below,
Nor wants that Little long -
But some cynical Old bachelor has
paraphrased it.
"Man wal Is but little here below,
For 81 the poets say,
But woman wants it all, you know,
And wants it right away
Well, she does want all she can get.
and wants it as soon as she can get it,
il not sooner, but if she can't have it
she surrenders cheerfullv and accom-
modates herself to the situation
During the war they actually smile"
at their own pitiful and distressed
condition. They boiled down the
dirt from the smoke house that had
long been saturated with the drip
pings of the hanging meat and made
pretty good salt out Of it and divided
with their neighbors. They parched
rye and COOLERS for coffee and sweet
good it was. They cut up their old
garments and made clothing for their
children. Indeed, it was always al
amusing entertainment to listen t.
these good old mothers as they recile
their makeshifts and their trials after
Sherman had passed through on bis
march to the sea.
How blessed are they who still live
and how sweet are the memories o.
those who are dead, for it is to tn.
mothers of the Confederacy who hav,
perpetuated the love OF truth and tn,
love of Southern patriotism in the
hearts OF the children and inspired
those principles that have in recen
years developed that grand organiza
ton known as the Daughters of tn,
Confederacy. Our Northern brethren
may boast of the Grand Army of thu
Republic, but our mothers smile an,
say: Il don't see where the gran,
comes in, for all who came this wa,
were low Dutch and hungry Irish
who feared not God nor regarded
women Well, it is all over now
and we are at peace, that blesse,
peace that hath her victories more re
nowued than war. And thrice bless
ed is the woman whom the dark age
kept subdued for centuries, but hs
come to the front and now stand
side by side with man, and is AWAY
first in every good word and work.