The National tribune., 1904-06-23
SPIRIT OF. PATRIOTISM.
A Thoroughly Reconstructed Confeder.
ate's Admirable Views on American.
ism.

The following address was delivered on
May 80, 1904, in the National Cemetery
at Winchester, Va, by Rev. Charles I.
Weede. a Confederate soldier:
"Mr. Chairman and Fellow Soldiers:
| Even since Appomattox have felt that
| the question which had been vexing the
Nation having been settled by the arbitra-
ment of the sword, it was the duty Of all to
| forget their differences and do what they
could to Danish sectional feeling, and to
repair the wastes of war: that is, if the
country was to be a united country again,
and the people of both sections to be breth-
| rem indeed. Of course, it was not to be
expected that all should be reconstructed
at once-especially those who had never
smelt the smoke of battle. Some one said
of which l was permitted to enjoy-that
| the country would have been united long
ago if it had not been for the politicians
the men who fatten upon the spoils of
! division, and whose business goes down
when sectional strife ceases. But, thank
God. sir, the role Of such men is fast dis
/ appearing, and under the teaching and con-
| duct of such noble souls as Grant and Nc
kinley and Gordon and Grady, and their
successors, for they have all passed on,
fraternal sentiment has most beautifully
grown. The Spanish war, an object lesson
to the world has also helped along the
good work; for as the representatives of
| the blue and of the gray stood side by side
with each other under the same flag fight
ing for liberty to oppressed and suffering
Cuba, and later on driven by Providence,
as Mr.. Mckinley expressed it, into the dis
tant isles of the sea, for purposes here
after to be seen-bitterness and indiffer
1 ence have given place to good will and
| love. And perhaps nothing has cOntribu-
ted more toward the fraternity that all
welcome and rejoice in, than the annual
gatherings of the two armies. And this,
Of anything that is vital to either-simply
the putting away of those things which
| foment strife without making the cause
for which either stood any stronger.
| "Why should not a Confederate soldier
in these days of growing good will. stand
here and say fraternal word to the sur
viving veterans of the Union army? Who
SO well prepared to appreciate bravery,
and feel the keenness of the sorrows of
war. and do justice to the same, as a real
soldier. whether on one side or the other?
For. after all. sir, was it not the conten-
ton of American with American? And
was there not strategic skill and valor
and sacrific on both sides? And was not
woman's sympathy and self-deniaI and love
as manifest in one section as in the other?
And did not victory perch at times upon
each standard! Is not the struggle now
| AFTER the mists of years are clearing
away. and we view things with a vision
that is unprejudiced by the passions of
war, do we not begin to know each other
better and respect and love each other
more! And do we not see more and more
ical handicap that determined many things?
1t was brother against brother, it was
Virginia against Ohio, both mothers Of
Presidents. of statesmen. of distinguished
soldiers. may | not go farther than this.
and instance some things that may lead
even a Confederate soldier to be glad
now. Ehen war has long since been over,
| the honorable contention passed-that vic
tory came to the old flag that we loved
before and that we love now. Indeed, sir,
there are many who believe that it was
Providence, and not military strategy and
valor and force that determined the issues
of the war: for. say these wise and good
| men on both sides, were there not times
in the beginning of the contest, before the
North was fully organized for the long
struggle-were there not times when, if
the Confederates had pushed their Sue
cesses, a very different conclusion might
have been reached? But they did not,
| and we believe that here as in SO many
other cases in the history of the world
| Providence was at work, and God was hold
ing this great Republic as a mighty Union.
to fulfil His purposes in the oncoming
ages. All, sir. this great country of ours !!
What bosom does not swell at the thought {.
Great in territory. great in commercial and
industrial. life. great in statecraft. great
| in education, great in ecclesiastical FORM
and great in evangelistic force.
What a vast continent we have sir-and
| the other things to which l have alluded
are they not quite rs wonderful? Sup
pose the South had triumphed, and the
principles for which she fought had become
a precedent for this continent, so that
afterward when any difference arose among
any Of the States. revolt would have be-
come the order of the day? Do we not
see that this great country of ours-when
sDlendidly united, is able to defy the world !:
but. divided into so MANY small parts-as
abundantly illustrated in the petty prin-
have been the prey of popular passions
at home. but subject to vindictive treat
ment from almost any power abroad.
MIR. Chairman, and fellow-soldiers, as a
Confederate soldier may be permitted to
say that ! have lived long enough to recog-
nize that the Lost Cause. as dear as It was
TO me then, and in many respects dear to
me now, was good cause to lose in this
particular at least-that it left the States
united and our Union intact, to protect
itself from foreign foes, and to settle GER
tain great issues that are dear to all loving
Americans?
'"There is one other thing l would ad-
fvert to-the New South. Decimated by the
sword and disease, wasted by the occu-
pancy and march of armies, and full of
sorrow and signing and tears, because the
flower of her chivalry and the bone of her
strength had been swept away, with empty
hearts and empty chairs and empty work
shops. paralysis everywhere-the issues of
the war gave new complexion to the life
Of the South, lifting from it great incu-
bus, that was at the time hard to give
up; but now that it has gone, confessedly
a great blessing to let 60. A great bless
ing to the whites at least, however we
may differ as to its real results concern
ing the status of the black man, l be-
lieve a great blessing to him. It has a
sitting process, Of course, and many suf-
fer therefrom, and our colored friend is
still the bone of contention, giving much
apprehension and anxiety to the Nation
But out Of all these tangles the Good Lord
will deliver us. He who has led us in
the past will lead us still, and if America
does not go on multiplying the sins she
must answer for, God will lead us to safe
| ty and to yet greater greatness. AS Gen.
Garfield said in New York City, when the
angry mob was surging about excitedly,
ready for something desperate, because the
Nations Chief Magistrate had been mur-
derously assaulted, Patience, fellow
citizens: God reigns, and the Government