The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-05-18

War as any other place in the South
And yet through all the stretch OF
forty years since that war there has
never been a memorial exercise In
Scotland Neck in honor of those dead
heroes until Wednesday of las: week,
May 10th.
Through the cooperation of the
Buck" Kitchin Camp of Confederate
veterans and the local chapter of the
Daughters of the Confederacy, appro-
pirate memorial exercises were held
here ON the 10th, and it was indeed a
great day for the old soldiers and their
friends.
The Confederate veterans of Halifax
county had been invited and they were
here from several parts of the county.
Besides the Old soldiers a large crowd
i people from the town AID the sur
sounding c~untry gathered in the Dr.
Wood grove, where seats had been pre-
pared and suitable rostrum with gay
decorations. The Main street of the
to"n fairly shone with the gay bunt-
ing which hung in festoons and floats
| from stores, columns and windows,
Ind many vehicles dashed to and fro
| with gay and becoming decorations.
At IL O'Clock under the direction
Of Maj. Jno. B. Neal, commander Of
the "Buck" Kitchin Camp, between
seventy five and a hundred old Con-
| federates marched to the speakers
stand and occupied the seats especially
prepared for them.
Stirring music by the Talboro band
| enhvened the occasion and the gray
haired veterans moved forward with an
elastic step that showed they remem-
| bered we'll the days in the long ago
that "tried mems souls"
Maj. Neal called the assembly to
order and announced that prayer
would be offered by Rev. G. T. Lump
kin.
Alter the prayer a male Quartette,
consisting Of Rom Bryan, Stuart Hall,
! Bruce Futrell and Allen Perry rendered
1--WE are Tentlng on the Old Camp
Ground"
Then NJ al Neal in appropriate and
eloquent remarks introduced the
speaker OF the day. He said that this
memorial day Was In part the = an
ming and the work of the Daughter
OF the Confederacy, who were organlz-
ed to take care of the widows and Or
phans of the Confederate veterans and
to do what they could in preserving the
memory and achievements of the Con
federate States OF America and to per
petuats the glory of the great "Losl
Cause.
| 1t was fitting that the son OF the
brave and gallant ''Buck" kitchln, in
honor of whose memory the local
camp OF Confederate veterans was Or
gan1zed and named, should deliver the
address at the first public memorial o
the kind in Scotland Neck.
He then presented Hon. w. w
kitcbin. of Roxboro.
Mr.. kitchin was among the friend
and associates Of his boyhood, and a
the handsome young orator and states
man arose he Was greeted with an ap
)lause which any man could apprecl
ate and of which any one must fee
proud. He acknowledged the compli
ment which he claimed in being asked
to speak on the occasion and assured
ton.
He spoke for an hour and ten min
utes and every sentence rang with c1ea
cut statements Of history, logic an,
eloGuence.
MrKitchin's first declaration was tn
key note for the great speech which b.
delivered. lie said that the patriotism
fame and honor of the Confederat
soldiers have already been established
beyond the point of detraction of an
kind.
Referring to the fast thinning rank
of the Confederate soldiers he said tina
forty years have elapsed since the SUI
render at Appomattox, and in ever,
audience in this country there al
more prople born since the war thal
before it. He reviewed the situation
: in the South before the war and show
ed that the States had right t
withdraw from the Union. He SAT-
that Jefferson Davis farewell addres
in the United States Senate set fortl
powerfully and perfectly the right c
every State to secede from the Union
, and the majority of the people of th
South agreed with him. The RICH
was based on the principle OF seli-gov
ernnent and patriotism was the bas1
OF the Scuth's action In sseceding. ]
). was done not in corner, but Openl
and by statesmen and patriots and nc
by traitors.
The speaker reviewed the course tina
j North Carolina took concerning th
). call which President Lincoln made
Governor Ellis for the States quota {
> seventy five thousand troops to lee
the States from seeding. When tt
Legislature was called together, it W;
decided that North Carolina shOu
take similar action with her sist
States in secession.
The disadvantages of the Soul
against the North were we'll know
bat 1T the call of duty North Carollf
fell Into line in defense OF right, al
as a res uit her soldiers made a reco
Of which the world is proud.
JacksCn's campaign i'll the Valley
Virginia in 1862 is regarded AS Il
finest military campaign In all hlsto
made so by the valor Of Confedera
soldiers. Lee is known as one OF Il
greatest OF all generals-made SO
the va!rr OF the Confederate soldier.
The speaker emphasized the ceclal
ZION that by reason Of superior force
the other SIDE the Confederate ssldie
lost al! bat honor, and it Is an hon