The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-06-10
THE Speech OF Lee
Read at the Reunion of Confed-
crate Veterans
AT BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
The Following Address Was Pre-
pared by tn Late General Stephen
D. Lee Who Was Conmander-in-
Chief of the United Confederates.

1t is now fourteen years since Tie
Confederate Veterans enjoyed the
hospitality Of this magic city. We re-
member 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 incompatible
Gordon, soldier, statesman and orator
who along with the valorous Long
street and the gallant Wheeler were
Alabama's Paladins in the armies OF
the Confederacy. 1t was from Ala
bana that Yancey's voice, like sill
yer trumpet, called the South to Arms
with an eloquence more potent than
Clan-Alpines' fiery cross. Alabama
was the cradle Of the Confederacy
Here was installed the Provisional
Government of the new nation, and
here her illustrious chief took the
bath of office which no man but him
self should ever take And from Ala
bama came the great Admiral who
hoated the stars and bars upon every
sea, and single-handed swept the ma
tons commerce from the waves.
Since the war, | have heard many
addresses to Confederate Veterans
Our orators have been rich in argl-
ments to demonstrate the correctness
of States Rights views, and thy
Soundness Of the Interpretation OF
the Constitution held by Southern
statesmen. They have displayed thu
firm historic basis of our political
faith. They have spoken in comfort
ing words Of unexpected bene6icent
results Of the war, of the preservation
of the rights of tie states in the
Union, of the discipline of adversely
which prepared us to meet the ter
rible race problem with unhincl- .lg
courage, indefatigable patience ana
united strength. They have taught us
that the Lost Cause was not wholly
lost, that the best fruits of the great
conflict came to the South, when the
master was freed from the slave, and
the old ice-bergs of sectional hate
were set adrift in the warm gulf
stream of new national patriotism.
Nevertheless it has not seemed the
whole truth to me that the Confed-
crate soldier went into battle to vim
dicate a constitutional argument. He
went to war because he loved his
people; because his country was in
vaded: because his heart was throb
bing for his hearth stone. Here was
the land which gave him birth. Here
was the church spire where he had
learned it was not all of life to live,
or all of death to die. No hostile foot
shall ever tread this consecrated
ground except over his dead body. It
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 a Lee to do battle against
Virginia, or Hampton to draw his
sward against South Carolina, has
never learned the language Of the hui
man heart. Nothing but the most
devoted love of country could ever
had sustained the Confederate sol
'dier in his unequal and terrible strug-
gle.
Neither do | consider it necessary
Ii find a 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 brave man. He
who loved his country had the re-
ward Of being a true patriot He who