Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1905-06-17

Providence decided against us. Yet we are sure
we did our duty; "and it is our duty to the end
to preserve undiminished the treasures of our
devoted patriotism, our mistaken faith, and our
unalterable belief in the sacredness and business
OF our cause" One thing certain, no true Con-
federate soldier has ever hung his head before
any human being because Of his conduct. We
have through all our lives and under every con-
dltion, maintained our self-respect and In our
old age now, we see we have the respect not
only OF those who fought against us, but the
whole world.
We were tried in prosperity before the great
conflict. We were tested In the great clash of
arms. Some OF us were at Chickamauga, Shilo,
Murfreesboro-the three bloodiest battles OF the
war, when .s per cent. p per cent, and % per
cent. respectively, Of all engaged on both sides
were killed or wounded. Some Of us we're at
Gettysburg, whore i3,4i9 men were killed,
wounded and missing. SOM OF us were at
bloody Sharpsburg-in the seven days battle
around Richmond-at the Wilderness-at Cold
Harbor-at .vicksburg, in the battles in the
trans Mississippi Department. We fought un-
I'll about half OF our enlisted strength vas under
the sod. There has never been such a heroic
record in any other great war. We have been
tested and tried in prosperity, in victory, In de-
feat, in tribulatlon, in humiliation, and now
thank God, our lives have been spared to old
age, to see our beloved Southland restored to
prosperity again, and to see almost the last yes
tigss of war disappear.
The response through all your lives has under
all test been honorable and brave as true as a
bugle note to every duty az you saw It. We can
recall our patriotism and the pure motives that
inspired us; can recall he ardor with which we
rallied around our battle flags; the indomitable
heroism WITH which we followed them through
desolation and danger to death; how we fought
over almost every foot of .our beloved south
land in over twenty-three hundaed great battles;
we can recall the fortitude and patr lotto endur-
ance and suffering after the war when we were
under the feet of the conqueror; how with in
tegrity and manhood we stood nrm to preserve
our Anglo-Saxon civilization against the negro,
carpetbag, and scalawag rule, supported by the
Federal Government with the armies of the
Union, and by States Governments with negro
troops; how under enormity Of provocation, in
reversal OF our social and Industrial condition we
kept quiet and bidded our time with dignity, and
never lost self-respect or our confidence in our
selves, that we never gave our consent to the
debauch of Government and pollution Of so
ciety whils 1t lasted; and then, at appropriate
time, we conquered our conquerors by peaceful
revolution, and took matters in our own hands.
We have taught our children to honor the
flag of our united country, In the Spanish war,
we sent our sons and grandsons to follow the
flag, that forefathers filed with stars, and to
which we now give again our unstinted loyalty.
Best OF all, we Erestored our beloved land as an
integral living part Of the Union of our fathers.
With us now, all passion and bitterness has
pissed away. We are holding only to all that Is
sweetest and best and tenderest in living. Our
lives have been prolonged to see our country re-
covered from the struggles and effects Of war,
to see peace and good will even in the almost sup
plant the passion and strife engendered Il in those
bloody days, and what is dearest to all of US, to
BEE that we have the esteem and honor and love
of our descendants.