The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-05-28
The Love For the Lost Cause.
Columbia State. May 10th.

Columbia State May 10th.
There is nothing like it in the
history Of all the world.
Do we ever stop to wonder how it
is that here and now, 80 years after
the Confederacy's fall. we are honor
ing the Confcderacy's soldiers and
chcrishing the COnfederacy's memo
ries? How we stop i'll the rush OF
trade and business and a whole city,
yea whole State, devOtes itself to q
cOmmemOration OF Il cause that
failed? How for weeks there have
been men and women in this busy
city Of Columbia laying aside every
day their own affairs in order that
the veterans of defeated army may
spend here three days i'll comfort and
in pleasure? Do we ever wonder how
it can be that today and tomorrow
the people OF all this stirring, pro-
gressive Southland will turn away
from all other things and strew flow
ers upon the graves OF the gray
dead, paying tribute to their hero
ism and honoring their surviving
comrades?
Time is feeting. The smoke that
wrapt Fort Sumters parapets that
April day, AZ years ago, has long
since cleared away and the flag that
was then and there lowered floats
once more in Charleston harbor. The
last guns echoes at Appomattox
has died upon Virginia's hills and
the Old Dominion il again a loyal
member OF that Union which her
sons constructed. The issues put to
the arbitranent OF arms at Fort
Sumter were settled at AppomattOx,
the nation that had its conception
in HAT old gray Baptist church on
Plain street. Columbia, fell with Nir-
niiiI : cnpital The years that lave
interviewed have brought about a
better understanding, Il complete
reconciliation between the two sec
tiOns. The South has been satisfied
to accept the divine decree and to
work out its destiny us q part of the
republic which it once sought to
sever. The soldiers who composed
the SOuth's armies have taken up
LIES stern, if peaceful, battles and
therein have acquitted themselves as
nobly as at Manassas and Chicka-
manga. Their thin, gray line is
growing thinner and grayer. The
comrades Of Lee and Jackson are
joining their immortal leaders on the
other shore where there is rest under
the shade OF the trees. One by one
they are surrendcring to the last in
vincible enemy OF mankind, and soon,
too soon, there will be none remain
ing.
There is no lOveller passage in all
English literature than that inscrip-
ton OF yondei' monument in the
capitol grounds. We love to recall
it and would have its words and its
meaning" impressed upon every child
! q. taroIinH. For il tells that this
/ monument erected by the women OF
the State. stands us I, memorial to
those sons of the Palmetto, who,
true to the instincts OF their birth,
| faithful TO the teachings OF THEN.
| fathers. constant in their love for
| State. died in the performance of
| heir duty; who have glOrified fall
en- cause by the simple manhood OF
their lives, the patient endurance OF
! suffering. and the herOism of death,
and who. i'll the dark hours of I'M
prisOnment, in the hupelessness OF
the hospital. in the short, sharp
aguny OF the field, found support
and consolation in the belief that at
home they would not be forgotten.
Ii these dead heroes can look down
upon the world OF mOrtals they
know today that ''at home they are
not forgotten" 1t is Il knowledge
which il denied to them, must bring
consoling tears to the eyes of their
comrades who remain in the land OF
the living. for as they come to Column
bia this week these living heroes will
be made to realize that not alone in
marble and bronze is the record OF
their @lOries writ, but deep i'll the
loving, honoring hearts OF the men
ana the women, the young and the
oid' OF the south, are they 10 be 10Y
ever remembered.
This is the significance OF the re-