The semi-weekly messenger., 1905-06-16


subject. After you have seen her, you
wonder why there are any others. The
only woman who ever surpassed Ken
utcky women were their mothers-thc
immortal women OF the Confederacy.
The career of tn, Kentucky troops IN
the Confederate army is one OF the
finest things in the history of our race.
Not only discwned by the nation, but
exiled from their state, with nothing
to lure them on but the high claim OF
principles for which their fathers
fought before them, with everything
already lost that men count precious,
and a forlorn and swiftly falling hope
before them, they battled to the end
with a stubborn courage that never
knew defeat We were fighting for
our homes and iresides; but these
Kentuckans were fighting for us, be-
cause they loved our cause better than
their own lives.
1t is impossible for Confederates,
standing on Kentlckian soil not TO re-
member that from this commonwealth
came the two leaders of the contend!ug
nations. Here was born the patient,
| frontier lawyer, trained in the hard
school of adversely, who, in the hour
! of fate was to stand at the focus OF the
| world, who was TO give to history a
new ideal of greatness, and to die at
| last like Caesar at the zenith Of his
fame, sealing his Immortality with a
death whose tragic pathOs will move
| the hearts of men forever. Here also
was born the pure and stainless gentle
man who stood al the helm of the sink
| ing Confederacy, the one and only
| ruler of brave people, who failed i'll
a mighty struggle for constitutional
liberty as they understood 1.-THE
chained captive at Fortress Monroe;
the exile, the gray-haired historian -
defending to the last the cause of mis-
people-the best beloved of all Ken
tucky's mighty sons Not Clay in the
hour of his glory; not Lincoln in the
hour of his passing, were ever lowered
:, with the love and devotion which were
given to this brave old man whose
white soul was the mark for every
shaft that passed over the people OF
: the south The south wrapped hin
Il living in the mantle of her love, and
poured upon his tomb an offering o.
tears she never gave to Washington
And when her heart shall at last cease
to beat, there will be found graVeI
: upon it the name of Jefferson Davis.
Il One of the reasons why the COnfed
=, eracy failed was that it's supply OF Ken
tuckians was insufficient. The historic,
Of the United States is accustomed Il
picture to himself united north con
n tending with a united south for su
premacy-the true picture is of unit
8 ed north contending against a dlvide'
L south. The slave-holding states gav
: to the armies of the union more thai
e half as many soldiers as they gave Il
I the armies of the Confederacy. Witt
her ports all sealed, not only was tn
. south fighting the north with access t
5 all the world for men and supplies, bu
IL the south was fighting her own sons
ri In the Union armies there were 333, -
i white soldiers from the south, an
1913 ,337 negro soldiers. The south fur
{ nished about one-seventh Of the arm
d which fought against her, so that
would appear from the record that IL
south played no insignificant part i
preserving the union of the state:
,rI These things are to be remembered ns
, | in sorrow or in anger, Or even IN re
gret; but that the world may begin t
understand the miracles of valor, Of e!
It durance, Of dogged courage, of devote
# heroism shown by the Confederate SD
der On the clock of the ages the hou
:. had struck when slavery would be
T. more The south was wounded for tn
= transgression of the whole nation, sf
was bruised for the iniQuities OF al
1t Thank God, her chastisement bs
l. brought peace and by her stripes II
I'd nation has been healed.
ie Sometimes the question is asked VII
re the old veterans gather at their annu
reunions We have no pensions to e.
&c pect. There is no political preferen!
II we can look for. We come togeth'
or because we love Ehe past, because OF
Il lives have been linked tongether by
ID great experience,-by the richest, dee
l. est experience that has comes to ar
+ generation of Americans; by comn,c
IS story so rich in ieroism, in sacrifice,
az patriotism that everything else we r
lie member grows cheap when we think
III the Confederacy. "Out there is A
Il pomattox,' said Henry w Grad
= 'where the Lord God Almighty la
ch upon every ragged gray-cap the swc
LII of his imperishable knighthood." l.
stead of the gray-caps, l see today On
Iuo gray dy-ucdUS, DuI IhC SclihO kAAAAShe
hearts are beating still. When We me
is together, we renew these great mem
n ries. these imperishaole friendship
lis The day is not far distant when t
" burden of our entertainment Will
or longer require the famous hospltall
IS of a Louisville-when no magnitice
es auditorium will be needed for the sea
tered and venerable survivors; os
lie as long as our days may be prolonS
lot by reason of strength, let us gath
he to renew ties of the battlefield and
1s keep alive the traditions which ha
he made the world so rich in honor
er-I Now that we approach the close
to our days and we are passing the !
Ias sponsibilities of citizenship to young
we and stronger hands, it is approprls
Ter that on an occasion like this we sho,
levi consider briefly the retrospect OF G