The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1908-06-18

week It was read to the veterans,
the lips of the commander having
been sealed with death. The address
is as follows:
1t is now fourteen years since the
Confederate veterans enjoyed the
hospitality of this Magic City. We
remember gratefully the courtesy of
our former unsurpassed welcome,
but today we are ready to believe
that Birmingham can surpass itself
Then there was with US the incom-
! parable Gordon. soldier, statesman
and orator, who along with the val
orous Longstreet 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 eloQuence
more potent than CIan-AIpine's fiery
cross. Alabama was the cradle of
ed the provisional government of the
new nation, and here her illustrious
! chief took the oath of Office which
no man but himself should ever
take And from Alabama came the
great admiral who floated the stars
and bars upon every sea, and single
handed swept a nations commerce
/ from the waves.
Since the war [ have heard many
/ addresses to Confederate veterans.
Our orators have been rich in argu-
ments to demonstrate the correct
mss of states rights views and the
soundness of the Interpretation of
the constitution held by Southern
statesmen. They have displayed the
frnE historic basis of our political
faith. They have spoken in comfort
ing words of unexpected benefcient
results of the war, of the preserva-
tion of the rights of the states in the
Union, Of the discipline of adversely
which prepared us to meet the ter
rible race problem with unfiinching
courage, fndefatigable patience and
united strength. They have taught
US that the Lost Cause was not Who'll
" lost, that the best fruits of the
great conflict came to the South,
when the master was freed from the
slave. and the old icebergs of section .
al hate were set adrift in the warm
gulf stream of new national pat
riotism
Nevertheless it has not seemed the |
whole truth to me that the Confeder-
ate soldier went into battle to vindi-
cate a constitutional argument. He
went to war because he loved his I
people: because his country was in
vaded; because his heart was throb- I
bing for his hearthstone. Here was
the land which gave him birth; here
was the church spire where he had
learned it was not all life to live, or
all death to die. No hostile foot 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-
pected Lee to do battle against Vir-
ginia, or a Hampton to draw his
sword against South Carolina, has
never learned the language of the
human heart. Nothing but the most
devoted love of country could ever
have sustained the Confederate sol
der in his unequal and terrible
struggle.
Neither do l consider it necessary
TO find reward for the Confederate
soldier 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 unfinching courage
had the reward of being a brave
man. He who loved his country had ]
the reward of being a true patriot.
He who faced the cannon's mouth
for those he loved dearer than life
had the reward of being a hero. He ]
who was faithful unto death had the
reward of a stainless honor What J
other course could a Southerner
have taken?
Behind him were the great tradi- /
lions of his English race-there were
Hastings and Cressy and Agincourt;
here were Naseby, Blenheim and
Quebec; ther were Kings Mountain
md Valley Forge. In his veins flow s
I'd the blood of thousand years of '
He could face the line of G
ire. but not the shame of standing 1
back. c
All merit comes v
From facing the unequal; d
All glory comes from daring to be- L
gin. t
flames loves the State c