Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1905-06-08
CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY.

anu very idISo NiO"N wac ~ O.
tendance, including a considerable
number of visitors from Maryland and
Virginia. The procession was formed
in front of the college building, with
Captain W. B. Colston, of Martinsburg,
as chief marshal. In line were the
Shepherd College Cadets, Captain j.
G. Knutti, commanding. the Sons of
Veterans, Captain R. T. Banks. and
the veterans, Captain Lee H. Moler,
commanding. The Shepherdstown
Band, Prof. ]. D. Muldoon leading,
headed the procession, and the invited
guests followed in carriages. At the
cemetery the usual service at the
monument was held, including cere-
mony by the Daughters of the Con-
federacy.
After the exercises at the monu-
ment, the service was resumed at the
speakers stand. After prayer by
Rev. DR.. H. G. Haithcox and music
by quartette choir, the speaker of
the day, Hon. John Lamb, member
of Congress from Virginia, was intro
duced by Capt. NJ. ]. Billmyer in elo-
quent words. Captain Lamb is an ex.
Confederate, having served with honor
in the Third Virginia Cavalry, and
the large audience that greeted him
seemed to inspire him. He devoted
the first part Of his address very
largely to personal "reminiscences, re-
called to his mind by meeting old
comrades whom he had not seen since
the war closed. His mention of the
gallant men with whom he fought,
so many OF whom have died, impressed
his hearers greatly and touched re-
sponsive chords in the hearts of the
veterans who surrounded him. He
took occasion to pay a just tribute to
the courage and gallantry Of the cav
airy branch of the service, and his
pointed illusions amused and enter
tanned the people.
Captain Lamb said that it was the
duty of the survivors of the war to
vindicate the motives and explain
the principles of the actors in that
great drama; the writers and speakers
of the South should show that the
Confederate leaders and those who
fought under them were neither rebels
or traitors. He spoke as follows on
this point:
AS we meet on these memorial occa-
sions, or beside the graves of our he
roes, without one bitter thought for
those whom they met in deadly con-
fict, we thank God for the courage
that enabled them to face the "dan-
gers nature shrinks from" and die in
defense of the manhood and self-re-
spect of this Southland. We could not
have tamely yielded our rights and
convictions to avoid suffering and loss.
The necessity for the war was writ
ten in the history of the colonies in the
climate, soil and productions OF the diff
ferent States on the flag Of the first
ship that brought slaves to North Amer
lea. The splendid eloquence and pa
triotism of Henry Clay and others de-
layed it, The madness of few men
on both sides fastened 1t.
Two questions had to be settled
The right of secession and chattel Slav-
cry.
Some writers have contended that it
was worth all our dreadful financial
losses, all the suffering Of the conflict
and all the blood of our precious dead,
TO have these two questions flung be-
hind US forever. From this conclusion
respectfully dissent, and will endeav-
or to show that the right of secession
rested with the South, while slavery
was an incident of, but not the cause,
of the war, and would have ceased in
time without so drastic measure.
The Southern States exercised pow
er that had been claimed from the very
adoption of the Constitution. In the
early days of the republic their states
men recognized the theory that the Con-
stltution was compact between the
sovereign States, entered into for the
common welfare. The sovereignty Of
the States was recognized, and the idea
of coercing sovereign State was not
entertained at all.
Captain Lamb declared that early
in the last century the doctrine OF
secession, characterized as treason and
rebellion in 1861, was openly advo-
Gated in Massachusetts,, and that in
1914 the New England States threat
ened a dissolution of the Union. He
showed that the right to secede was
advocated oy the North and West in
the early history OF our government,
and threats to avail themselves of the
right were made by Northern legis-
latures, leading statesmen and petit
TONERS in Congress. Through fifty
years of our history, said the speaker,
this discussion continued, and the
eloquence of Webster and the logic
of Calhoun were exhausted, while no
satisfactory conclusion was reached.
Finally, when the Southern States,
for grievances that are fresh in our
memories, and which far outweighed
all the fancied evils New England
suffered, or all the trials the MISSISSIPPI
pi Valley settlers endured, withdrew
from the Union and reas5erted their
sovereignty, they were coerced by the
federal powers and falsely represent
ed, not only to the world, but to our
own children, as traitors and rebels.
The speaker continued
Does the fact of failure prove that
we were wrong, and our enemies right,
in the contention Was Providence
on their side, and were we fighting
against the fiat of the Almighty If
SO, why Was religion and character
on the side of the North If America
had to suffer the penalty of violated
law, was the South sinners above all
others? In the conduct of the war
which side exhibited most of the Christ
ian and least of the brutal, character
To ask these OueStiOnS is hut To an