The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-04-30
BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE TO THE
soUTH's HEROES

fedcracy az starNe to deliver an ad-
dress on Decoration day in that city.
his beautiful tribute to our heroes on
that occasion follows:
Daughters Of the Confederacy, Ladies
and Gentlemen:
The beautiful custom inaugurated
and maintained by the women of the
south OF calling our people together on
each recurring 2eth of April for he
purpose OF recOunting the vaiorous
deeds ~ our immortal heroes and en-
banking their last resting places with
the fragrant hOwers of early spring
time Is without a parallel in the his
tory OF the world. In all ages people
have been accustomed TO remember
TIE deeds Of victorious armies. and
have been constant in their devotion
% those whose efforts have ended in
success. In every land the achieve
ments Of the conquerer are chiseled in
marble and the story Of his prowess
a. perpetuated in song IL is easy to
cultivate patriotic love of a cause
when triumph marks its pathway, and
when those who oppose its progress
have an least succumbed to overpow-
ering numbers and have gone down
On The gloom Of inevitable defeat. Love
Tor, reverence OF and devotion 10 the
cause Of the strong. the powerful and
me rich does not require the exercise
81 nor indeed does ii bring into play
the better. the nObler elements of hu-
manity. Those nobler attributes
which link us to the Master assert
themselves and make US to appear at
best advantage when. for the sake of
some heaven born principle. we take
cur stand In defense Of the weak. the
poor and the oppressed. even though
d means crushing defeat in the end.
Might does not make right" and
never win 50 long as truth and Justice |
have place in the hearts Of men. and
- bong as the Lond. God Omnipotent. |
shall reign. Imbued with such
thoughts as . am feebly expressing
tho women OF the south. to perpetuate |
the heroic deeds OF our gallant 6ead. /
10 teach succeeding generations the
lessons % patriotism to be CLEANED
from their unselfisb sacrifices: to pre-
serve FOR our latest posterity the in
disputable evidences Of the Justice Of
their cause; and 10 establish for all
time and before all the world that the
Confederate soldier was neither
traitor" nor A rebel established
this beautiful. tender and loving ser
vice. Beautiful. not only because of
thc custom OF strewing the graves Of
our honorei dead vNith the fresh TOW
err 81 our early spring but also be-
cause In our hearts there fingers no
bitterness against our late foes: ten
der and loving because they were
bone Of our bone. flesh Of our flesh
and blood OF our blood" they fought
four long years Of bloody war. con-
tencing against overwhelming odds
and amazing the civilized world with
their dauntless courage. they were
forced % furl the stars and Bars"
Tor the last time. here was no stain
81 dishonor or that tattered emblem
az the army which followed the i'm
mortal Lee.
when the star OF the Confederacy ,
went down in gloom at AppOmattox it ,
left only "A remnant OF the proud and
invincible soldiery OF the south. but A.,
that lttlc remnant tired, weary and
footsore. unconquered and unconquer- ;
able. were still ready to follow the flag ,
into thu very jaws OF death.
While the proud heritage Of unex- u
ampled valor which these heroes have :
icfi us b. II priceless value. and while ,
W. cannot too often recur to their glo- ,
rious deeds. ~ should ever keep i'm ! ,
mind the great central principle for D,
which they osntended.
Tn abolition 81 African slavery WAS a..
a mere incident ~ thu great conflict -,
and DO is allie Islander 10 assert that e.,
our p~ople sacrificed 81 much Of j,
blood and treasure for nothing higher d,
man th- doIisrs and cents as repre- 81.
scented iu the value Of our slaves.
Their was never moment OF time Z,
even ta thr issuance of Mr. Linccln-s q.
i'r'eianatiun declaring the abolition p
~ ~laNrrg. when the southern states ,
cpuld NOT have Effected "a settlement f.
euarant-ring the continuance of slav- =,
~ Doh the then >laye-holding states. .,
~. my friends. the principle for which "a
w. conirnded was Jhe continuance of y
constitutional government, in this d
oeunirl-. tho maintenance OF the r,.- q
l'uhic in accordance with the terms Or
81 an organic Raw. and tho preserva- =
iion inviolate OF the rights Of thu re- L