St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-10-08

Mr.. Commander of La. Div. NC. Y
tnpelousas Progressive League
Hon Mayor of opelousas, u. s
c. Y, U. D. c., Comrades an,
Fri. ads:
1t has fallen to nay lot to respond
to the eloquent addresses Of welcome
to our Comrades in convention a..
sembled. The La. Div. highly appre.
ciates every word uttered by the
speakers and our hearts are thrilled
at the recital of events that stirred
the souls of men and women from
1861 to '65. We thank each and
every n of 0pelousas for his
hearty welcome of good cheer and
noble impulses, Your smiles tighten
our footsteps and will make our
stay with you long to be remembered
by our Comrades.
Permit me to call attention Of
Confederate descendants to condi-
tions, and the prevailing sentiments
that existed in our ranks from 1861
to the close of hostilities. AS nay
mind ~wanders back to that period /
cannot avoid the question that arises
in my mind: What manner Of man
was the Confederate soldier?
My reply: He was the enthusiast
tic cavalier, without the fiery zeal
of the fanatic. He was the devoted,
loving patriot, without suspicion of
mercenary motives. He was the
tender, gentle father who parted
with his prattling infant as he shout
dered his musket and marched away,
not with stern gesture Of the Puri-
tanic stole, but with the earnest sor-
row Of the Christian gentleman. He
was the Chevslier Bayard of South
ern Knighthood, who placed the fare
well kiss on the pale forehead of his
bride, and tried in vain to chase
from his own face the emblens of
keen anguish and regret IS he
smiled to her with confidence and
with hope. He was the impersona-
ton from whose shield shown the
bright image of truth. In his heart
dwelt ~unspeakable fondness for his
Southland; to women he bore himself
with gallant tenderness. When the
bugle called to arms in the year 1861,
no soldier ever set about . task
with such alacrity and discrimination,
and when the Confederate Govern
ment sprung into existence without
a snip, a soldier or a gun; without
financial credit at home or CONNER
clal standing abroad, yet with a full
knowledge of all these disadvantages
and difficulties, the Confederate sol
4 = I q M.@na 800
der left his wife or mother, brush
ing the tear of love from his manly
cheek, and stepped from his home Of
comfort into the firing line Of death,
with the sunlight of high-b born cour'
age falling full in his face, often
humming the words of that now
world-renowned song, in Dixie's
land I'll take my stand to live and
die in Dixie" and thus not counting
the cost nor the consequence, put
ting his trust in his God, he marched
and fought like a hero by day and
by night, IN storm and sunshine.
Can you find his parallel in all the
history Of all the ages? Six men in
the Confederate army at the close OF
the var fighting against twenty-eight
men Of the Federal army until CONF
exhausted-not conquered,
for that word is not in the lexicon Of
Chivalry Of our Manhood. His re-
turn to his desolate home, his slaves
free, his plantations laid waste. with
The very sky hungry above his head,
and the earth as it were parched be-
meath his feet, be did not give up in
despair, but took up his new task,
making the most orderly and law
abiding citizen.
The four years Of battle strife and
Dloodshed could not corrupt his IN
corruptible heart-you could not
make a rufian out of the Southern
gentleman. He took his rightful
place at the head Of the civic pro-
cessior, encouraged every enterprise
for the upbuilding Of bis blackened
and ruiaed home and country,
"Taus from the crosses OF war