The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-11-24

tries; she knew a new country was
not, could not be the equal of the
old. Great States like great individ-
uals in deciding questions of honor
and duty do not with cringing knees
bow down to wealth and power, as
our good State remembered how her
sons had fought at Moore's Creek
Kings Mountain, Guilford Court
House in laying the foundation of
American Liberty; how her sons had
followed Andrew Jackson to New Or
leans, and Taylor and Scott in New
Mexico. All along the glorious past
had been embiazoned with the part
he played to build up the Union but
duty called. honor beckoned. and
he followed. President Lincoln con-
sidered her act an act of war, and the
North sent armies against Us to
force us to acquiesce. They invaded
our territory with gun. sabre and bay
onet; the invaders came as enemies
and as enemies were they received.
Did the South and did North Carolina
do their duty then-did they act the
coward then or did they show them
selves worthy of a great race. great
people? If your State had played the
Weakling then, we ought to hang our
heads in shame now and tear down
that monument. but if the old State
and the South showed the nerve of
herOes-if they did all that man could
do, then we should be proud of the
Confederate Veterans. Oh. my coun-
trymen, we are proud of the Veteran
and the record they made for us in
those times. Oh, Veterans, you made
new records for the English speak
ing world, your conduct deserves and
receives the highest praise of Euro
pean critics. 1t was the bravery of
these grizzled Confederate Veterans
that made Robert E. Lee take first
rank among English speaking COM
manderS: Veterans, you did all for sue
cess that nerve and endurance could
do, but it was not written in the book
for us to succeed. They Outnumbered
us three to one-we could not prevail
against such overwhelming odds of
men and resources.
When the Southern boy fell in bat
tie there was no one to take his place,
for uncle. brother and father were
already on the firing line; but when
the Northern boy fell there were
many to take his place until scarcely
a gray picket line remained to de-
fend the South. We lost all for which
you contended, my friends, except
honor and the respect of mankind.
1t is an honor for you to have worn
the Confederate gray, to have follow
ed the Southern flag. 1t is an honor
that your children will cherish and
your grandchildren. Our hearts go
out to those who risked their lives
for others. For generations yet to
come will your pOsterity point to your
record and rejoice that you were with
Lee, Jackson, Hoke, Daniel, Fender,
ZOllicOffer and the other great lead
ers. Why should [ undertake to name
them-that you were with any of
them in those times that tried mems
souls, we honor you've will always
honor you.
Fellow cOuntrymen. it so happened
that the great battles were fought
in other States. but never forget North
Carolina was there. Most of our
troops fought elsewhere, but for this
we deserve not less credit. In the
first battle North Carolina was there,
and offered the first sacrifice when
Wyatt fell at Bethel.
In the conflict at Chickamauga she
was there, and again her troops illus
trated her ValOr in the high tide of
war at Gettysburg. And l am glad
North Carolina was there on the last
sad day at Appomattox, firing the last
gun.
Among Greeks nor Romans, French
nor Germans there is nothing like
it, l would not detract from Vir-
ginia, South Carolina, or any of them,
but l am glad that out there has been
carved on a stone at AppOmattoX those
words: First at Bethel farthest to
the front at Gettysburg, and Chicka-
manga, and last at AppOmattOX."
my countrymen, if we do not
properly appreciate how do we expect
our after-comers to appreciate?
At last the curtain of war rang
down and the soldier left the field to
play a still more important part. He
came back, this Confederate soldier
came back with head erect, steady
step, knowing that the burden of the
Confederacy rested upon his snoul-
ders. He came back to open our
school houses, to build anew. Still
a man, subdued, but not in hope and
patriotism. His courage did not sur
pass his industry. My fellow country
men, our people had been tried as by
fire. You, Confederate Veterans
found our State governed by the mall
ice of the North, by fraud, duress.
The Constitution was amended to
make the blacks equal with the whites.
In those days the Confederate Vet
eran was pillar of Fire by Night
to the women and children of the
h
travagal ce crimc stalked abroad. Th1
women and children felt danger ana
by magic an ''invisible empire sprung
up-the Klu KluX. Yes, in those
times the women of the South leaned
on the Confederate Veteran an6
found their trust we'll placed. Wher
l look at the COnfederacy 1 am glaC
the leaders in War became the lead
ers in peace.
100000 Union Soldiers still draw
pensions and every soldier has give1
affidavit that you either wounded
him or made him sick.
North Carolina pays $450,000 fol
pensions and $4,000 to the soldier
| home, and though North Carolina i
not a rich State, no money is paiC
| out more cheerfully.
| w no can uSplCl the uODllliy VI NOIl
| federate womanhood? She gave hus
band, father, brother, sweetheart, sh
| gave time, talent and sympathy to tn
| Cause, she endured the agony of sus
| pense, long watches, had to suffe
| priVations. poverty entered her HON
! but she did not shrink-God bless tn
| Southern woman forever
l want to see a great white monu
ment towering to the sky erected i
her honor And on it, care not wha
| else is written but this. THE dar
| days of reconstruction never found
| scalawag among the women"
I congratulate you, that you VIII
saw the day when the North attempt
ed to perpetuate a party to make tn
| races equal. have lived to see it pul
| lifted. When this white race ha
| climbed to the mountain peak an
| looks down upon the races below
| historians will wonder how the Sout
| stood it so many years. It is the inevi