The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-04

the sailors OF the South. Whatever else
may be said, no man has the hardihood
to question the splendid yalor and
prowess of the South whether by land
or by sea. With q courage 50 great
Matte 1t as sheer folly and madness.
she challenged the power of q great
nation, vastly superior in numbers, In
wealth. in everything that makes ready
for war.
without money. without credit. without
arms or munitions Of war without fac
tories to supply them, she entered upon
that fearful struggle. Against the APP
maintained 1t for four years, and for
long time the issue of battle hung
doubtful in the balance.
The Fatal weakness.
NAY, more-I dare assert that there
would have been no victory for the
Union if the contest had been on land
alone: It was the fatal weakness Of
the Confederacy at sea that turned
the tide Of war. Given men, the or
ganization Of an army is matter Of
comparatively easy achievement It is
another matter to improvise a navy
for instant service. The navy Of the
United States in 1881 ranked fourth
among the navies of the world, and in
proportion to its strength was second
to none, perhaps superior to any, in
the greatest upon the sea. A rich ma
ton with all the appliances for ship
building would have been at immense
disadvantage. The Confederacy had no
such appliances and was poor. Make
shift trading craft constituted the bulk
Of the Confederate Navy. Yet under al
these adverse conditions, the genius of
the South shone with as much bril-
liancy by sea as by land.
but, my countrymen. no just tribute
to the quality Of Southern lsanhood
could be made that did not incluSe the
story of its marvellous achievements
lin the redemption Of the South after
| the war. assg
ITO my mind, there is nothing in all
history so magnificent as the indomita-.
| BILE and invlncible spirit which enabled
! a defeated people to rise In arms and
victorious resistance to tho policy OF
| the conquerors government. The South
ern people could accept what they
deemed the legitimate results of the
war.
"Ihey could give up slavery without
| a sigh. They could live under the
Union and under It's flag-after all 1t
4 be despoiled Of their heritage, to be
subject to the rule of a servile master,
against such degradation and dishonor
\ they rose as one man, with one spirit.
lly critic. could not withhold his admira-
Etion for the indomithble men, who. be-
ling conquered In war. yet resisted
every effort of the conqueror to change
tthelr laws or their customs, and this
Itoo, not only with unyieldlng stubborn
In all this they showed the ele-
ments that go to make up n grand and
kingly people and that their triumph
twas incredibly gravc;' that it was the
most brilliant revolution ever accom-
lplished.'
The SOIIth's Tnrt
And grand it was, not for the South
alone. but foW the whole country; for
free government could not have long
survived under the rule OF the worst
the Ignorant negroes OF the South. Let
.lit beEthe proud boast OF the North
that, by tho power of the bayonot and
tho force Of numbers. 1t saved the
country from disunion. I is the proud
itbOast of the South that, with It's naked
hands. It saved 1t from degradation ana
! obstruction. 5l u
MY countrymen, let mo say that
such are not the deeds Of conscious
crlmlnals--they arc possible only ia
men deeply co ny Of tho Justice OF
just tribute to the Confederate leaders
/ md the Confederate soldiers. History
has placed the statesmen, the military
chieftains and tho armies OF the South
P Presh ot de-
written that the Southern soldier was
more effective In battle than his North.
i ern adversary. Those who would appI,
but teaching the youth of America tina
4 treason Is a nohler school OF manhood
4 than loyalty, and that crime can out.
rival virtue In the greatness OF it.
deeds and the sublimity OF It's suffer.
i ings, 8
\. my countrymen, the doctrine OF SO.
4 cession Is dead; but because 1t Is dead
because 1t can never again plague the
4 councils or disturb the repose of the
nation, we can afford to speak and
have a right to know that their fathers
n fought for q right which belonged to
\ them under the Constitutions that the
4 doctrine OF secession. from the very