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

Freedom lives. and when the spectacle
tor stands before the monument that
commentaries the place OF the final
surrender Of Lees army, at Appomat-
tox. in the land of Virginia, where
sleep the bodies Of Washington, Lee
and Jackson, and the soldiers Of the
mighty armies that contended there
for victory, il will not be the voice
less marble that will command his at
tention, or the fiowery landscape that
will engage his mind, or the echo OF
the bugie that long age sounded the
charge, that will haunt his ear in the
| silence, but the rude, wild. raucouS
Rebel yell, lost and gone forever, tina.
; will sound over Ian and sea, sound
from earth to heaven for a lost cause,
q persisted ambition, and nos of ali.
for the d~arkening and shipwreck and
ruin Of a gallant and knightly people
The northern army returned to its
home with arms glistening in the sun
light, banners waving and bands play
ing, to receive the plaudits hat the
world ever gives 10 the victorious. The
southern soldier turned his face TO the
south. He kept step TO no drum beat,
his cause was lost and his bards We're
silent. They found but wasted and
devastated fields, seed corn exhausted.
cattle and stock persisted, and black
| ened chimneys marking h spot OF the
old homestead. Hunger faced him, but
with pride and defiance he raised his
mead in solemn determination anG
braveIy set about to make his lana
bloom and blossom as the rose. Ii
this he rose 10 the heighth of moral
grandeur and showed as much bravery
as he did when a. the head of his
column in the deadly charge, proving
that though adverse circumstances
might surround him his spirit was in
vincible.
To the women Of the south too much
praise cannot be given. Let me re-
peat what Corporal Tanner, head OF
the Grand Army of the Republic, says
about them: The union forces would
nave achieved success, in my opinion,
eighteen months OOner than they did,
if it had not been for the women of
the south. 1t is worldwide knowledge
that men never carried cause forward
to the dread arbitrament Of the battle
field. who were so intensely supported
by the prayers and by the efforts OF
the gentler sex, as We're you men OF
lllc SOuLu. Evil . ~ ~"
knew, that if you did not keep exact
step to the music of Dixie and the Bon
ME Blue Flag, if you did not tread the
very front line of battle when the con-
test was on, know, in short, that if
you returned home in aught but sol
dierly honor, that the fires of hell could
not scorch or consume your unshriven
souls, as you would be scorched and
---~,-ooI nv {hn canpp on6 HNntaT.DT
Of your womanhood."
They have kept alive the memory of
the dead; they have builded monI-
ments and placed stones at the graves
of all who struggled in that holy cause,
so that men could see and not for
! get. The monument near where |
stand was placed there by their eff
forts and their love and as it stands
with eyes looking into the future, it
speaks of hopes that are undying and
of a vigil that knows no sleep.
The memory of the soldier will not
fade. These anniversaries will keep
! alive his remembrance. The returning
spring time covers him with flowers
laid on by hands that are prompted by
the hearts holiest affections. Wher-
ever man has died for man is holy
ground, and greater love has no man
than this, that he lay down his life
for a friend"
Today we are an united country. The
martial strains of war have long ago
died away and the people are keeping
step to the music of the factories and
the loom. The lannon's look with dulI
eyes from our forts ready to blaze with
Indignation on any foreign foe, While
from the w~atchtOwers of the country
the statesman treasures us with the
cry of CA. is WE'LL"