The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-08-03
UNITED DAUGHTERS
OF THE CONFEDERACY. ~
AZ

telegraph by 1850 had made a new planet
out of the one George Washington knew.
National commerce had been born, and 1t
was realized that State sovereignty was
utterly Incompatible with its full devel-
opment The inspired wisdom OF the
previous century had now become but
foolishness. Natures great law of eyolu-
ton, against which no constitution can
prevail, at once brought into play to over
turn its forces as irresistible as those OF
q volcano. But such Darwinian concep-
tions as those Of political evolution had
them entered few mems minds. Patrick
Henry had said, "Give me liberty or give
me DEATH" Surely 1t would not be lib
erty II we could not secede whenever we
wished to. Holding these views, we
should have been towards had we not re-
sisted for all we were worth. And pos
terity should be grateful for cur having
forced the issue and fought 1t out to the
bitter end.
Now, have learned to appreciate the
limited range of Patrick Henry's views,
and have discarded them in favor of OAR
winian theories. / want neither liberty
nor death; want conformation to envi-
ronmcnt. And as the changes in our
planet still go on. and as international
commerce. has grown up. a Siamese twin
to national commerce, I applaud our ma
of its infancy and entering upon its grand
inheritance. Let 1t stand for universal
civilization. This Is but a small and
crowded planet, now that science has
brought its ends together by her great
inventions. Neither States nor nations
can longer dwell to themselves. An ire
pressible conflict is on between barbarism
and civilization. Through human imper-
lection much that must be done may
T. hof
happened doubtless was so to our abor-
igines. but for all that we must look for
| ward and not backward and walk boldly
in the paths of progress.
Now, for their bearing upon my story
| let me speak briefly of two matters of
| history. Mr.. Charles Francis Adams, In
| a recent address. has pointed out that 1t
is due to General Lee that at Appomat-
! tox. In April, 1865, a surrender OF the
| Confederate army was made, instead of
| the struggle being prolonged into guer-
rilla war. such as has been recently seen
| in South Africa. This action does, in
deed place Lee upon an exalted plane.
And 1t fortunately happened that his
| rival actor in this great drama was Cen
| eraI Grant, a brother graduate in the
| Military Academy. Our alma mater may
| cherish the record of that day, when
| two of her sons, having each written his
| name so high In the annals of war, now
| united to turn the nation into the paths
of peace. For General Grant, who has
| been proudly called by his victorious
| army u. 8. Unconditional Surrender
| Grant, now seemed only to seek excuses
| to spare the Confederates every possible
| modification and to save them from i'm
| dividual losses. even at the expense OF
his own government. His example was
| Immediately followed by every man in his
| army down to the humblest teamster.
| Time fails me to describe the friendliness,
| courtesy and generosity with which the
| whole victorious army seemed filled. The
| news of the surrender and of its liberal
| terms was received everywhere with SIM
liar feelings of generous Cancellation. In
| proof 1t is only necessary to refer to the
early negotiations between Sherman and
| Johnston. President Lincoln also fully
| shared these feelings, and even planned
| for the South financial compensation for
its loss of property by the emancipation
of Its slaves. Thus for six days-from
| April g. to 14-there was every prospect
that reconstruction would be accomplish
ed in the spirit manifested by Grant and
under the direction of Lincoln. who with
out her knowledge, was at that time the
Souths most powerful friend. Our treat
ment would have been not less liberal
| than that we have Just seen accorded by
the British to the Beers
Oh, the pity of it! That this spirit of
peace and good will could not have been
| permitted to spread over the whole coun-
| try, and influence the breasts alike of
both victors and vanquished. BY the ia
| tuous act of an assassin, in a moment
this fair vision was shattered, and In its
place. and without fault upon her part,
there was invoked against the PROSTATE
South a whirlwind of rage and resent
| ment. Indeed, 1t is due to the restraint
| put upon the political leaders of the
| North by General Grant that the death
of Lincoln did not mark for the South
| greater woes than those of the war it.
| self
There resulted many years of bitterness
| and estrangement between the sections,
retarding the growth of national spirit,
| yielding but slowly, even to the great
| daily object lesson of the development
| of our country. But at last in the fullness
| Of time, the stars in their courses have
| taken up the work! As in 1865 one wick
| ed hand retarded our unification by the
| murder of Lincoln. so in 1898 another as
| sassin, equally wicked and equally stupid,
| by the blowing up Of the Maine has Civ
en- US common cause and made US at
| last and indeed a nation. In the front
rank of the worlds work of civilization.
with its greatest problems committed to
| our care.
But there is still one thing more to be
| said. Was all our blood shed in vain?
| Was all the agony endured for the lost
cause but as water spilled upon the sand?
| No! A thousand times. no.
| We have set the world record for devo-
| ton to a cause We have given to our
| children proud memories, and to history
new names, to be theme and an inspi-
| rot ha In
! roes of future wars will emulate our
Lees and Jacksons. We have taught the
| armies of the world the casualties to be
| endured in battle, and the qualities of
heart and SOUL developed both in our wo-
men and men, in the stress and strain Of
| our poverty and in the furnace of our af-
| Fiction, have made a worthier race and
have already borne rich reward in the
building up of our country. But, above
and beyond all, the firm bonds which to-
day hold together this great nation could
never have been wrought by debates in
| Congress. Human evolution has not yet
| progressed so far. Such bonds must be
| forged, welded, and proved in the heat of
| battle and must be cemented in blood.
| Peace congresses and arbitrations have
never yet given birth to nation, and
! this one had to be born in natures way.
Historical.
The Federal army first made its ap-
pearance in Tuscumbia, Ala, on the 18th
| of April. 1862, under General Mitchell,