The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-06-14

The following is the message of
HE late General Stephen ID. Lee, pre-
pared by him TO be delivered before
the reunion of the United Confeder-
ate Veterans, in Birmingham last
week:
1t is now fourteen years since the
Confederate Veterans enjoyed the
hospitality of this magic city. We
remember gratefully the courtesy of
our beloved former unsurpassed well
come, but today we are ready TO be-
ieve that Birmingham can sGrpass it
SELF. Then there was with us the in
comparable Gordon, soldier, states
man and orator, who along with the
valorous sLongstreet and the gallant
Wheeler were Alabama's Paladins IN
the armies of the Confederacy 1t
was from Alabama that Yancey's
voice, like a silver trumpet, called
the south to arms, with an eIOquence
more potent than Clan-Alpines' fiery
cross. Alabama was the cradle or
the Confederacy. Here was installed
the Provisional government OF the
new nation, and here her illustrious
chief took the oath of office wAIch
no man but himself sdould ever take.
And from Alabama came the great
Admiral who hoated the stars and
bars upon every sea, and single-hand-
ed swept the nations commerce from
the waves.
Since the war, I have heard many
addresses TO Confederate Veterans
Our orators have been rich in argu-
ments to demonstrate the correct
ness of states rights views. and the
soundness of the Interpretation of the
contribution neld by Southern states
men. They have displayed the firm
historic basis of our political faith
They have spoken in comforting
words of unexpected ibeneficent re-
,sults of the war, OF the preservation
of the rights of the states in Union,
bof the discipline of adversely which
Fprepared us to meet the terrible race
kproblem with patience and united
hstrength. They have taught us that
the Lost Cause was not wholly lost,
that the best fruits of the great con-
fiict came to the South, when the
.master was freed from the. slave. and
Pthe old iceberg of sectional hate
was set adrift in the warm gulf
stream of a new national patriotism.
Nevertheless il has not seemed the
whole truth to me that the Confeder-
ate soldiers went into battle to vindi-
cate a constitutional argument He
went to war because he loved his
people; because his country was IN
vaded: because his heart was throb-
hing for his hearth stone. Here was
the land which gave him berth. Here
was the church spire where he had
learned. it was not all of life to live,
or all cf death 10 die. No hostile
1oot shall ever tread this consecrated
ground except over his dead body. 1t
was the prospect of invasion that
made the border states with bleeding
hearts try to cast their lot with the
Confederacy He who could have ex-
pectedfa Lee 10 do battle against
Virginia, or a Hampton to draw ais
sword against South Carolina has
never learned the language OF the
human heart Nothing but the most
devoted love of country could ever
nave sustained the Confederate sol
der in his unequal and terrible strug-
gle.
Neither do | consider it necessary
to find a reward for the Confederate
soldiers in unexpected good results
of the great conflict. The reward of
noble actions lies in the capacity to
do them. The Confederate soldier
who fought with un1inching courage
had the reward of being a brave man.
GIe who loved his country had the
reward of being a true patriot. He
who faced the cannon's mouth for