The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-15

On h1llSi0cS and In valleys, in unmark-
ed graves and battle field trenches, bid
us recall the days when they wen:
forth to battle. and tell again the
matchie<s story of their sacrifices,
their marches and their heroism. In
response to this triune cry we have
assembled. and listening Il the voices
from the tomb let us testify to our rev.
erence for our dead.
North Carolina has ever been distin-
guished for her conservatism. Her
people are homogeneous, honest, peace
loving and ~God-fearing; rushing not
madly into any engagement but weigh
ing well the cause and the conse-
quences, decides deliberately and firm
ly where her duty lies, and having de-
termined, goes forth grandly to per-
form it The union was dear TO her
citizens. Southern hands and southern
hearts, southern valOr and southern
sacrifice had established and reared this
grand temple of liberty and set into
the heaven of nations this bright con-
steilation of a free republic. The CHILD
was dedicated to his country and
taught that this was an union of Sovec-
eign states, with a government Of ex-
D pO"ClS l1llCtO Nv Tic IcUtct Vi
the written contract. This was he
covenant into which they entered, this
the treaty made by sovereign and in
dependent states.
At the time of the adoption of the
constitution no human ken could fo1e-
see the "~irrepressible conflict tina.
to arise, and the blood and the
treasure that e to be spilled, and
the agony and the sacrifice that We're
to be endured. The southern people
loved repOSe. The land in which they
lived was filled with the arts of peace,
the heavens with perpetual summer;
cotton fields waved the snowy banners
of prosperity and bursting %granaries
banished want. The roses blOomed in
the garden and the vine climbed about
the cottage door. They were loyal 10
their country, true to their family, de-
voted to their state and walked hum
Wy with their 2Gd. Hospitality stood
with open arms to welcome the friend
and the stranger to the fireside. Their
wives and children bound them to
them in affections strongest tie, and
happy and satisfied they w%orshipped at
the old affairs, reverenced their Bible
and loved the constitution of heir
country.
What made this man go forth against
his brother OF the north? 1t was be-
the compact entered into upon
the formation of this union had been
broken, and the sovereignty of states,
which had been made the condition
precedent to his entry into the union,
had been denied to the states. Like
the Beers, of Africa, who, by British
aggression, had been made to move
from place to place, at last took their
determined stand and said, 1--WE will
trek no longer" so the southerner, af-
ter making compromise after compro-
mise, and finding that each concession
but elected greater and more CALLING
demands, decided to submit the great
question to the arbitrament of the
sword, and history records how we'll
they performed their part. How grand
ly they fought, shaking the earth with
the tramp of their armies and waking
the sea and rivers, as with monitor
and RAM, new engines of war, they
stormed cities and forts, revolutiOniz-
ing modern naval construction de-
stroying the effectiveness of all wood
en- ships of war, and causing the ma
lions of the earth to begin anew the
construction of their navies.
How they fought while the battle
storm howLed UP the valleys and v
the plains and by the mountains, while
at home, pale with care and anxiety,
the wife and children prayed for the
husband and father whose breast was
barred to the pitiless blast. How they
fought while f1ocks and haryests per
ished; homes burned, want and anime
like grissly GOrgOns, stalking through
their plantations, while letters were
coming from far off homes telling them
who were on the line in Virginia tha5
loved ones were dying from starvation
and intreating their return. How they
fought Is at the sever days fight, end
ing at Malvern Hill, they forced Nc.
to seek the shelter of his sun
boats, his army broken, it's prestige
gone, seeking in retreat to ave an
army he SO shortly before considered
invinci5>. How they fought at Chan
c~ellorsviiIe, the death place of jack
son, where they withstooG the on
slaughts of the enemy, and of the ten
thousand confederate soldiers killed in
that battle, three thousand were from
North Carolina.
And in that great and decisive bat
tie, the battle of Gettysburg, what pen
can picture their greatness, what
tongue can tell their story. Two days
had been consumed in fighting and
General Meade still held Cemetery
Ridge, and was strongly ~intrenched.
That night General Lee decided to
storm the Ridge and take it by as
sault. AT n O'Clock on the third day.
the artillery opened fire; the infantry
formed into line and awaited the com
mani to charge. The order came and
see how grandly they march. Eact
man knew the danger of the undertake
ing and feeling that day might be his
last, and knowing the dreadful havoc
of the two previous days, felt like say
ing with the poet Moore,
Now, spirits of the brave, who roam,
Enfranchisei through yon starry dome,
Rejoice. for souls of kindred fire
Are on the way to join cur choir"
See how they rave the battle-torn