Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1903-06-25
FORD, MISS, THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 1908.


himself the highest purposes OF an ali-wise
aud beneficent Providence .4..s,
/ rejoice in the assurance that sectional
ism Is vanishing from our national couh-
ellis and / am bold to affirm that II ITS
spirit is ever revived the South can claim
ac0uittal from all blame therefor. The
nation has had enough of geographical poll
rles, Senator Lamar. from his place ID
the senate Of the United States, and speak
ing for the whole South uttered these tre-
mendously significant words From ne ne
present moment in no part of her vast .ei-
ritory has one single hand OF insurree tion
been raised against the authority OF Ine
American Union" And it was another gai-
liant Mississippian who. with eloquent
speech and far more eloquent armless
sleeve at his side. Ia the early years after
the war gave eARsessobi Given % e fns paroI
soldiers to maintain the honor OF the eo-
eral government and the integrity OF tue
constitutional union of these states Tue
redemption or this pledge mas De,ofne ou'
political faith.
The time has come, therefore. for us to
claim and demand the full fellowship md
absolute confidence of our great national
brotherhood The fidelity of our people to
their political covenant and their loyaiGy 10
the nag that fonts over them, have pccn
ted soo sy f bsa sqr have faex ieey sp se
explosion of the Maine In Havana harpor
was first heard In our Southern shores, aho
its awful eehoss, louder than any Digst pI
l..
first valiant American to respond to that
call of country was son OF the Sou9n
And the largest volunteer enlistment iot
that Spanish war. among all the States OF
the Union, was from a Southern common
wealth.
We have a right. therefore. to protest
against being kept on perpetual prooatioIh, lion,
IL the South coptains a statesman WITH
eminent qualifications for the presidency ol
this great nation, there shohld be NO hesi- @
fancy in urging his nomination anu eiee-
tion.
In England. the white and red roses OF
York and Lancaster bloom on the same
STEM" and in patriotic service to country
there is no distinction between Roundhead
and Cavalier. On the sides of the same
monument in Citadel Square, Quebec, are
the names of Wolfe and Montcalm, oppos-
battle bat on the heights Of Abraham. And
today England is appreciative, even to pro.
fuseness. of the Beers, her late stubborn
enemies in South Africa! Boer generals
royal honors, have dined at the kings ia
ble and the colonial secretary. recently
returned from South Africa, IS eloquent to
courage and splendid leadership of Kruger's
stern battalions. England's effort now Is
| to make loyal subjects tat OF honest and
determined foes She has iearnea eseaa ~ f,n fne
damental doctrine so admirably; stated "
Edmond Burke. that "a nation Is not gov
erned, which Is perpetually to be con
quered.'
| If the same generous judgments and gen
uine brotherhood and broad craftsmanship
obtain in America, what could be more aP-
| propriate than for Virginia to place 10
| statuary hall at Washington heroic figure
| of that peerless patriot and fawless char
acter and stainless Christian and dauntless
leader. Gen. Robt. L. Leef
| "Ah, Muse YOU dase not claim
| A nobler narie than he
Nor nobler man has less of blame,
| Nor blameless man has purer name.
| Nor puret nhme hHth grander fame.
| Nor fame-another Lee.
When William Mckinley, himself d gal
| liant soldier in the magnanimity OF his
great soul, and voicing the sentiment OF
reunited nation, proposed that the govern
ment should garland and protect the graves
| of our Confederate dead, the angels OF 2
new apocalypse swept through our Amerl
can heavens and sang again the song q
| the Judean hills peace on earth, good VIII
to men" This nation is more united lc
heart and hope today than ever in It's bis
tory The honor of our flag is as dear t
the sons of the South as the North ami
| wrapped in its glorious folds, they hav,
| been laid to sleep in the same heroic gfafe
| cannot forget that we were
| H0he people Iii oar early prime,
| One in our stormy youth.
! Drinking ono streat of human JhsJIgt4
One sprig of heavenly truth
And / trust that we may forever fish
| the battles of our God and country under {
| common flag, on which there Is s,al
And from such a wide national outlool
there will come immediate and permanea
blessing TO these. Southern States. Ther'
is rrofoiind POLITICAL philosophy Ia tie Ut
terance Of distinguished Mississippi
statesman, that The one great need o
nationally recognized Let the wid
sweep OF our horizon take In the who'll
nation. Our domestic troubles may. fin.
solaiGn in the nS 0roSin OF
cialism Vanish In d, perspective: T.,
Bit, above all else, let us put the EN-
phasis on manhood.
The strenth of every nation Is measured
by the quality of its citizenship. ITO nj
purpose Is the country great If the men ar
SMALL On the other hand, great men ar
the a Of great ZIP sestn
of nations and civilizations.
The glory of Greece went down with n
decay of her men, and they declined Wit Wit
their loss of faith and the loweringtof thei
personal and national ideas How sad tn
change There are yet the same soft skie
and blue seas.ths same purple Hills On, an
Aegean-but 1t Is no longer the land of Ho
mer and Pericles, of Hesiod and Demosthe
mes. Greece lives only In memory: Sh
has become little more than nationa
| Let us remember, therefore. that the 1if
of our country Is not in Things material
A nation cannot live by bread alone IN
|
Of his hands:
Finaliv would urge upon all patrI
otic Mississlppians an. active participa
ton in public affairs. Upon the statue {, Q
lanta, Ca, statue erected TO that grea
senator. the echoes of whose strangely mu
steal Voice yet thrill the heart Of Souther
patriotism Hike the notes of bugle. a.
these words, spoken by himself s,
WHO saves his country. saves, all things
and all things saved win bless hiIn!
WHO lets his. .colintry die, let's all thing
die. and all things dying will curse him.
That sentiment would sngrays upon II
make it the Inspiration of every patriot
service One as much betrays his countr
by disregarding her needs as In desertin
her colors. Patriotic activity In publ
affairs is the present and imperial deman
upon every American citizen. and the hun
blest service, IL courageously and conse
entiously performed, VIII be of infinitel
more value to the. State than the dignife
dawtiling of. sonie petted lounger in col
| Spicueus place.
hgye seen it stated that along III
line OF the great Siberian railway men ar
stationed at certain short distances, eae
furnished with green flag by day and
green lantern at night. By the waving Q
and safe track and confidently fly over tn
steel rails with the speed of the wint
They are never out of sight OF q wavin
flag OF a swinging light. Theirs is a moe
.
toas service. oh. IL can do more goo
Tor the land / loye-the land which CAV
me birth and. In whose generous bosoi
| hope to sleep at last--iet me wave
flag In day time or swing light In tn
darkness for the safe and swift passing {
her Tiumphal car of progress down th
track of the centuries.
And now. fellow -Mississippians, suffer N
a concluding word. As we today dedieat
this splendid structure to the cause {
pure democracy-to truth, liberty, justit
| and righteeusness--lef 1T be an occasio
for each sovereign citizen to replight b
faith TO the principles OF the republic an
repledge his devotion to the progress an
| prosperity Of our great State. My sill
| cere hope is that the fair faces with veie
eyes that adorn the interior of this faul
less dome may not be simply triumphs
art. but true prophecies of thar absolui
and handed justice that shall distil
guish the judicial executive and legislatiy
history of Mississippi for the coming year
May the golden eagle on the maryelousl
n beautiful dome of this magnificent capt..
ftly symbolic The inspiring spirit of Mi
sissippi, Look at him. proud bird of Joy
perched on the pinnacle of this trump
of architecture. his undimmed eve Is fxe
upon the unclouded sun and his might
pinions are outstretched ready TO
Soar through heavens unfathomab
depths
And bathe his plumage In the thunder
home.