The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-22

and His beneficent smile is spread all
over the land where dwelis a people. the
strongest, the most enlightened, the
most prosperous and happy to be found
on the habita bic globe. In all our strug-
giles, we had not been forgotten His
mighty hand has been felt, lifting US up
from our calamities. chastened but
made better and stronger by His loving
kindness.
Slavery persisted, like secession, as one
of the incidents and results of the war
Thank God It is gone forever, and that
we have a reunited country under one
flag, the emblem of a free people in an
inseparable union of co-equal states.
and never destined, we pray God, to be-
come the emblem of imperial power at
home or abroad. or to float over vassal
states and subject peoples anywhere
against their Will.
We are assembled here for no ignoble
ends. We are here to revive no issues
settled by that unhappy conflict. We
are not here to defame others or pre-
vert or warp the truth. we not here to
exaggerate or magnify the glory and
virtues of one section of our common
country at the expense of the other,
We are here that mankind may not for
get, nor fa1sehood nor calumny cloud or
tarnish the calm judgment of prosteF1-
ty as to the sincerity of the motives,
and the honorable conduct of the Con-
federafe soldiers. We affirm our desire
~N-~~-
things, that they may the more rever-
ence their ancestry; that they may
know of their suffering and sacri-
fees, and be able to defend their good
names, and proud of their achieve
ments emulate. in the great struggles
of the future. if such await our coun-
try the fidelity, patriotism. love OF
home and country attested by the vet
Grams of 1851 on an hundred bloody bat
Who would have them forget the Lees,
the Johnstons, the Jacksons and the
Hills? Who would have them forget
Bragg Beauregard. Hardee, Price, POLK
and Hood? Who would have them for
get that great wizard of the saddle
Bedford Forrest. and our own little Joe
Wheeler. Pat Cleburn, the lamented
Walthan and innumerable others2 Who
would have US forget the grand old man
Gen. John B. Gordon) yet with us, and
others still spared; and the hosts who
made for them names that can never
perish from the earth as long as genius
and courage and patriotism challenge
the admiration of mankind2
Did any other people ever face ami
overcome adversely as did the southern
people? The same spirit which gave her
armies unity, power ana endurance Iol-
lowed the survivors back into civil life
to point the way of new birth such As
no other country has ever experienced.
The south gave to her armies all of her
male population, including beardless
went from every walk, profession, GALE
ing and station in life. Neither the
bench, the pulpit, nor the institutions of
learning were spared. All answered with
aIacrity and determination the call to
arms When the war closed there were
none upon whom to rely but the ex-
confederate soldier He il was who took
up the new problems which the changed
conditions Of his desOlate land present.
I ed. Standing by the graves of his COM
rades. inspired by their noble deeds
ehastened and disciplined by the hor-
rors, self-denial and suffering of wal.
encouraged by the high achievements of
/ his revolutionary SireS, and loving ven
Grafton the traditions of his ancestry,
! int erWOVen as they were with the his
tory of his beloved south, undismayed
but hampered by the prejudices and
passions which the war had left behind.
I he began the work of rebuilding her
shattered fortunes and reha bilitating
her dismantled commonwealth But IS
/ the south had fought for the principle
of local government and lost, so n
the disjointed logic of the time, she was
to be denied its application in the re-
establishment of her state government
| The great north sent the carpetbaggef
ercised the simplest rights of citizen
shir.. were expected to set up and adj
minister such government as were ft Tor
I a peopIe who for nearly three-quarters
4 Of a century had. IN the main, guided
Il and directed the splendid progress anE
f development of the great republic. The
riotous and debauched condition into
which a helpless and defenceless people
were plunged by this characterless
/ horde of Unsuitable cornOrants who as
sembled at our state capitals, to bias
Bheme the very name of civil govern
ment, and plot schemes to Cypress a
/ fallen Zoe that they might prolong their