The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-10
SPEECH OF GEN. LEE;
 WRITTEN FOR REUNION.
Late Commander-in in- Chief Almost in His Last Breath, Paid Fine Tribute
 to Cause of The South.

Birmingham, June s.--The following address, prepared by the late zen. Stephen D. Lee. as Commander-ln- Chief of the United Confederate Nete- rams. was today read at the reunion of Confederate Veterans:
 It is now fourteen years since tne Confedarate Veterans enjoyed the nos pitality of this Magic City.
 We remember gratefully the cour- tesy of our fornfer unsurpasseQ Wei come. but today we are ready to believe that Birmingham can surpass tselI Then there was with us the incompAr-- orator. who along with the valorous Longstrect and the gallant Wheeler were Alabama's Paladins in the armies Sama aae that ontsas Yanceys voice. ike silver trumpet, called the South to arms, with an eioquence more potent than Clan panss af sTy tEs Here installed the Provisional Government of the new nation. and here her illus trioas chief t9oE s,, the ssf Sats abola or oss sSs take. And from Alabama came the great Admiral who fioated the Stars and Bars upon every sea. and, single handed, swept the nations commerce from the waves.
 Since the war, have heard many addresses to Confederate Veterans. Our orators have been rich in arguments to demonstrate the correctness of States rights views. and the soundness of the Incorporation of the Constitution held displayed the firm historic basis of our political faith. They have spoken in comforting words of unexpected bene- aeson of hs f6ts o s of the aes ns n e Union. of the discipline of adversity which prepared us to meet the terrible indefatigable patience and united strength. They have taught us that the Lost Cause was not wholly lost, that the best fruits of the great conflict was. freed from the slave, and the old ice-bergs of sectional hate were set adrift in the warm gllf-stream of a new national patriotism.
 Purpose of the War.
 'sNeverth eless 1t has not seemed the whole truth to me that the Confederate soldier went into battle to vindicate constitutional argument. He went to war because he loved his people; be- his heart was throbbing for his hearth
 hrt ra as ws sns ilsd the chprch spTe where he had learned 1t was not all of life to live, or all of death to die. No hostile foot shall ever tread this con. secrated ground except over. his dead body. It was the prospect of invasion that made the border States with bleed ing hearts. try. to east their lot with expected Lee to do battle against Vir- gfnia, or Hampton to draw his sword against South Carolina, has never heart Nothing but the most devoted love of country could ever have sus- taned the Confederate soldier in his un- equal and terrible struggle.
 Neither do consider 1t necessary to find reward for the Confederate sol dier In unexpected good results. of the great conflict. The reward of noble The Confederate soldier who fought with unflinching courage had the re- ward of being 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 be- death had the reward of a stainless honor. What other courHe could a Southernor have takenY
 tions of his English race-there were Hastings and Cressy and Agineourt; there were Naseby. Hsnheim and Que- Valley Forge sTn his veins flowed the blood of thousand years of chivalry. He could face the line of fire, but not the shame of standing back.
 'Au merit comes
 From facing the unequal;
 All glory comes from daring to begin. Fame loves the state
 That reckless of the sequel,
 Fights long and well. whether it lose
 or win
 ~.If it might be Imagined' said Sem eca, that the Almighty should take off his thought from the. care of his tacle could He reflect upon than va liant man struggling with adverse for tuner
 ssNo long ago read from an English review these words:
 s'when all is done that can could do and al. is done in vain, the human heart goes out to the weaker side---to tn soldier who fought on ragged and starving to the bitter inevitable end, to the leaders who would never admit that hope was lost, and to the noble women of the South who gave of their bravest and the best without a mur- mur.'
 Reward of Service.
 States are not great except as men ahall make them.
 "Men are not great, except they do
 SThese men fell bleeding and with