Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-01-30
Captain BumSardner'S Address.

This anniversary is set apart, as
a day hallowed and consecrated as
the concurrent natal day of two
illustrious men.
The organization under whose
auspices, the ceremonies of this day
are held, has, for its primary OBJ
ject, the vindication of the memory,
the character, and the honor of the
confederate dead.
That one of these illustrious men
is surpassed only by the other one,
in the greatness of his actual
achievement, in the splendOr of his
genius, in heroic devotion to the
cause of his people and in exalted
purity of private character, is now
universally conceded.
By the people of the Northit has
been slowly and reluctantly, but
not universally, conceded, that
these men were excusable upon the
ground that they acted under the
honest but mistaken belief, in the
justice and righteousness of their
cause.
But long anterior to this tardy,
reluctant and partial concession,
the entire generation who inhabited
the territory north of Mason and
Dixon's line, living at the close of
war, were pervaded with the ideas
and theories of constitutional law,
and of the powers of government,
which were asserted and sedulously
taught by the political party which
came into power by and through
the election of Abraham Lincoln,
as President of the United States.
These ideas and theories we're
still further prevented, still more
vehemently asserted, and still more
widely circulated by the politicians
who usurped and exercised the
functions and powers of the Fed
eral Government from the time of
the Assassination of President
Lincoln, until during the admins
tration of President Grant.
And hence almost the entire
body of the literature of the
Country relating to the causes,
and the events of the Civil War is
pervaded with the doctrines and
theories, which were asserted and
acted upon, taught and dissent
mated by the party which elected
Abraham Lincoln, and by the still
more revolutionary party which
impeached Andrew johnson.
This body of literature is still
extant, it is based upon and per-
meated by absolute legal and polit-
ical falsehood.
And this falsehood is a libeous
aspersion, upon the character, the
fame and the honor of our matyred
dead, and upon the character of
our venerated chiefs in whose
commemoration these services are
held, and whose fame it is our
sacred duty to vindicate.
In illustration of the teachings
which formed the northern mind
in this regard, and which teachings
are still spread unchalIenged all
over and all through the entire
extant literature of the period, on
the day after the assassination of
Mr.. Lincoln on an immense placard
spread across Pennsylvania Ave
nue., in hugh letters we're these
words:
A nation bowed in grief will
rise in might to exterminate the
Leadersof thisaccursed Rebellion. I"
Henry Ward Beecher said:
Never while time last. while
heaven lasts, while hell rocks and
groans, will it be forgotten that
slavery by its minions slew him,
and staying him made manifest its
whole nature. A man cannot be
bred in its tainted air. Ishall find
saints in hell sooner than / shall
find true manhood under its ac-
cursed influences. The breeding
ground of such monsters must be
utterly and forever destroyed.
DR.. Chas. S. Robertson said:
"On the Williams who led this
rebellion let justice fall, swift and
relentless" Death to every traitor
in the South. Pursue them one by
one, let every door be closed upon
them and judgment follow swift
and imp!acable as death.
Bishop Simpson said: Let
every man who was q member of
Congress and aided this rebellion
be brought 70 speedy punishment.
Let every officer educated at public