The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-22
SUNDAY. FEBRUARY % 1903.
THE CONFEDERATE CAUSE.

~ All eloquent GRAFTON presented 10 4Lee
Camp on Friday night n portrait OF Gen.
I sral James l., Kenpcr. denies that he
expressed qualification that the cause Of
\ the South failed, or that he uttered any
words that We're capable OF such con-
struction. We regret exceedingly the
error in our report, but We are Gratlfled
to know that Colonel Cameron, who was
distinguished Confederate soldier, gave
expression to no such sentiment, and
,si to know that he does not entertain any
/ such feeling, but quite to the contrary.
1 In his address he showed that the South.
ern States were clearly within their con-
stitutional rights when they withdrew
from the Union. and to show that his
mind and heart have undergone no
change since he took part in that terrible
struggle, he said:
Comrades: To others than ourselves,
Z md our own people, we cannot explain,
! and VIC would not make apology, that
the four years we spent as soldiers Of
the Confederacy, despite the trials and
losses that attended and the unspeak-
y able disasters that crowned them are
treasured IN and sanctitied to Our heart
OF hearts as the best and proudest and
dearest experience Of our lives.
I'VE could not forget them, II we would.
We would not forget them, if we could.
y Nay, remembering and realizing al!
That struggle cost u.s., the priceless lives,
the desolated firesides, the raplne, the
pillage. the devastation. the impoyerish-
glent of war and the political5and social
evils that cursed the period OF recon
Notwithstanding all the agony OF I'M
potent heroism, of unaVailng prayers, Of
unfruitfu1 sacrifice. of tundeserved OPP
preston, of political persecution and OF
uocial outra ge-still l declare. and know,
Chat speak for you in declaring that
& we would not turn back the tide of time
and have eXpunged the record Of that
heroic fight for treside and for freedom
mot If all we have endured could be
undone. not If all that was wasted could
{ be restored, not even could our dead be
given back to us and all be as it was
In the solden tines"
That is the sentiment of all true Con-
federates. There are with them no re-
grets. except that we did not succeed,
Such, d righteous and Just cause deserved
to succeed. and for our part. while, we
are now loyal to the Union. and while
we take pride in the greatness Of the
nation, we shall never concede. for we
do not believe 1t in our heart. that 1t
was best for the South that her cause
failed. 1t will never cease to be
source Of sorrow to us that this splendid
cause and that the brave. noble and
y patriotic men who fought for 1t should
have lacked triumph. We think of the
q Lost Cause as we think of dear friend.
4 We become reconcled. for time always In
] mercy pours balm into bleeding wounds
\ and takes away the smart and in a
measure heals them. But the scars are
still there and the scars are a reminder,
and there Is always painful regret, and
there is always a longing that will not
be satisfied, sigh for "the touch of
vanished hand, and the sound of voice
+ that is still"
But we do. not concede, even from
practical pent.of view, that 1t was best
for the Confederacy to have failed This
+ Is. a great country, and the Union Is
certainly stronger than ever before. The
7 United States OF America is now one OF
h the greatest and grandest OF all nations
and commands the respect and conside-
ration OF the great Powers Of the earth.
s 1t is Il privilege to live in such coun-
try. and all citizens are proud of our
nations fame and prestige. But for al
that. We do not believe that it was best
Tor the Confederaey to have failed.
4 Surely no man thought SO in the dark
days Of reconstruction, when we were
overrun by the "carpetbaggers'' OF the
North, when We We're dominated by the
negro party, and when the envy, hatred,
malice and uncharita bleness of the North
Z were hcaped upon us tc distress and hu-
initiate us. Ii We had not had the
pluck and character for which the South
4 was always famous. we should never
have come safely through this terrible
ordeal. We suffered in every way We
suffered from the tariff, we suffered from
the national bank system, we suffered
from the discrimination of the govern
ment against us: and it seemed at one
time as though we were doomed TO ever
lasting poverty as well as to everlast-
Ing humiliation. Not only were the
freed slaves, directed by carpetbaggers
and scalaways, turned loose as a pack II
wolves. to prey upon us. but all leglsla-
ton and all the results Of the war were
II IoE tHe environment OF tne NOrLn and the
z impoverishmcnt Of the South That the
South finally recovered and built up
her waste places and became once again
a prosperous and powerful! section o.:
the country Is due to the Industry and
heroism OF her own people. and 10 no
& help or favor from the Federal govern
ment
IT would have been far different if the
South had Succeeded in tho war and
set up government, OF her own. The
Southern confederacy did not seek to
conquer the Union. hut only 10 establish
It's own independence. as our Revou-
t!onary forefa,hers had done. and had
we succeeded we should have made,
upon a treaty OF peace, a much better
s bargain with the North than we did
make; and II by and by It had seemed
advisable to unite once again with the
Il States OF the North. ii would have boen
upon terms favorable and honorable 10
The South. The spatn would then have
N