The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-13
THE WOMEN OF THE CONFED-
ERACY, GOD BLESS THEM!
BY COL. JAMES MANN.

How glorious were the achievements of
our Confederate wo men, and how gladly
we should unite In erecting to their MEM
DRY the beautiful series of monuments the
committee has planned. First. we will
select the grandest most inspiring de-
sign that Is offered, and then throughout
| the southland, we will raise on high in
each state this beautiful emblem of the
| devotion and patriotism of our Confeder-
| ate women, attestlng for all time to come
| the love and admiration OF those who
"Enew them but to love them" These
monuments will teach patriotism and de-
Votion to generations yet unborn and
! will create in the hearts of all who see
! them u desire to emulate the splendid
virtues of those in whose honor they
We're created As Judge Anthony NJ. KEEL
ley once eloquently said: 1T was not
the history of the heroes, but their stat
ues in the Ceramicus that would not al
low the young son of Philip to sleep"
Veterans. how strongly this movement
! must appeal to you. When in 1851 the
south rose In her might and declared that
she would defend, by force of arms. the
liberties that belonged to her people. she
! brushed away her tears. and sent you
forth 10 battle for the right; when
wounded and torn they bore you from
the bloody field; 1t WAS her hand that
soothed the burning pains, and her voice
that eheered you back to health again,
and when home they brought her first
born son, a hero martyred upon the altar
of the fatherland. she stified her sobs In
NIT bar
younger son left for the front 1reach in
that fatal firing line. When at last,
crushed by overwhelming numbers and
worn out by long years of fierce fighting
against tremendous odds, you laid down
your arms with which you had wrought
for yourselves crowns of undying fame;
when the stars upon your banner had
gone back to the heavens from which
they came; when you returned, broken
hearted at your CAUSES fall. to find your
homes laid desolate by the ruthless hand
OF long continued war; when you were
callod upon to face the horrors of those
dark days of the RECOMMENDATION. she was
by your side, and by precept and by ex-
ample, she taught you to be az noble In
defeat as you had been grand in battle.
to every comfort that wealth could bring,
she accepted poverty for your sake with
out murmur. Hiding In the sacred re-
cesses of her heart the grief she felt for
dear ores lost and cause forever dead,
she Sc. herself to the task of bringing
back the smile to your face and bappi-
ness to your heart. until inspired by her
example, you have brushed away all OBJ
stacles and have made this fair south
LAM of ours to bloom and blossom like
the rose.
Sons Of Confederate veterans. how plain
your duty Is, You are the sons of those
noble women, and you are the sons of
the men, engaged In righteous cause,
whose hands they sought to uphold. You
have as a precious heritage the proud
knowledge that your father was a Con-
feGerate soldier, and that your mother
was a Confederate woman, and you and
your children and children's children
should rise up and call their memory
blessed. 1t has been said OF the United
Sons OF Confederate Veterans that they
are "banded to- ether for the purpose OF
| soothing the declining years OF those who
| BORE unfinchlngly. the burden OF their
| tremendous struggle, and OF handing
do N to future generations the true
story of a great lost cause. how bet
! ter can we tell the story than In imper-
ishabl. marble and bronze? The SOUTH
| land - dotted with monuments southern
women have erected 10 Confederate valor
| every cemetery where the heroes sleep is
bautiaI by their tender care; every page
OF our history Is made sacred BY the de-
votion by Mich they consecrated their
| loyalty but hardly u single visible mark
stands today TO give evidence OF the APP
probation Of their countrymen. Now. IL
| Is proposed to declare to the people Of the
| world the south's unbounded admiration
| for our Confederate mothers
| Without the fierce passions of the con
| fict . sustain her. with no hope of fame
| or glory as the reward Of great deeds
| molly dome but prompted only by pure
| patriotism and deep devotion to her
countrys cause, she suffered in silence