The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-09
In Honor of the Brave

was fired 43 years ago, and the junior organizations are indeed needed to
 keep alive the heroic spirit of the six
 ties and to commemorate the valiant
 men who fought for the south in those | days. Let no one think that reunions will pass away with the veterans of this war There will be reunions as 1 long as the spirit of liberty and the spirit of the brave remain in the south ern breast
 This city welcomes today the sons and daughters of the Confectionery, but its chief welcome is for the various soldiers who fought in the war between the sections. Scarcely one of the men who carried musket in that struggle is below three score years today. They come to us grizzled and time-bent with uncertain steps, but there is not an eye that sees them that does not love ; and reverence them for what they did and for what they stood for in the days that tried mems souls.
 The man whose hair is gray and thin, whose step is halting-what does he represent? He stood first and fore most for the sovereignty of the state. iIe interpreted the federal constitu- ton literally, seeking no excuse what ever for minimizing the reserved rights of his own political entity. And when his state spoke he responded patriotic ally and unfiinchingly to the bitter end. The cause for which he fought was lost, and centralization has become the accepted programme, but the further it is carried the plainer does it appear that the cause for which the Confed- crate soldier fought was Written in the constitution in. the interest of true lib- | erty
 Success or non-success does not, however, enter into the case today. The united republic stands, and all are absolutely true to it. But the people of the south cannot forget and will not try to forget while a single veteran lives what the men of 40-odd years ago fought for. In these piping days of peace little do some of us recall the stress and strain of the days when came the call to arms to repel inva- sion and to maintain the rights of the state. All responded then, and wars may come and go, but not one of them has or will furnish examples of deepe! patriotism or more permeating allegi- ance to d cause than did those gallant | soldiers back in the sixties. We owe 1 to the surviving veterans this lesson of devotion to state and home, and the 1 younger and succeeding generations will cherish that lesson to the end of
 time. To the surviving patriots of to- 1 day we owe all love and veneration. They are an inspiration for the future, and so long as any of them live they
 will be honored and cared-for in re- unions and in the states they fought for
 The lesson of each reunion should be renewed devotion to the right in what ever form it may appear The sword
 decided that the country should re- main one, and in that one country questions involving right and wrong
 are continually coming up. Let us ! gather from the old soldiers a feeling
 of patriotism and loving kindness that
 will enable us to meet the issues that l confront us from time to time. But
 first of all let us welcome to this city
 during the days of the reunion the veterans, striving at every turn to
 make their stay with us pleasant and
 even memorable. Our first duty is to
 the veterans who came to us IA years | ago and whom we cannot reasonably
 expect to entertain again IA years
 tence. Let us honor them today lest
 they may not come this way again.