St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-10-15

constant; is purified and strengthened
by reason Of these Confederate Re.
unions. Here have been lighted
again fires of patriotism that inc1ted
she father to cross the seas, to settle
the new worlds, to conquer the forest
and the savage and to win a continent
into the circle of civilization. The
lamp burns in undiminished and un-
diminishing brightness. In contem.
plating this impressive scene, we take
fresh hope and fresh strength for the
work that lies before us. In this
wide Southern country Of ours no
young Hannibal has taken an oath Of
vengeance. On the contrary, each
son of the South has been taught by
his father to love his country and his
whole country with a devotion that
no power can break or rend as clear
and deep as was the fathers romantic
ardor for the meteor flag his courage
advanced so high and SO far. The
Confederacy is dead. It is a thing
of history, honored and glorious.
The ME who made it and sustained
it are, with the quick going years,
speedily passing from Earth. They
are, as those who have gone before"
literally a loyal race of-men illustrs-
ting in life the ideals Of true noble
ness. The South loved them in 1861
and loves them still. To them is due
whatever is now Of enduring value in
our social and political life. Under
standing who these men are and what
they have done in peace as well as in
war, the South has nothing for which
to apologize. The believers that the
late struggle between the States was
wal, not rebellion, revolution and not
conspiracy, and that her convictions
were as honest as the North's. The
South has indeed nothing to take
back. The lamented Henry W. Grady
of Georgia once said to a New En-
gland audience. In my native town
of Athens is a monument that crowns
a central hill-a plain white shaft.
Deep cut into its shining side is q
name dear to me above the names of
a brave and simple man
who died in brave and simple faith.
Not for all the glories of New Eng
land, from Plymouth Rock all the
way, would exchange the heritage
he left me in his soldiers death. To
the foot of that movement | shall
send my ehildren's children to rever-
ence him who enobled their name
his heroic blood But sir,
speaking from the shadow Of that
memory which | honor as | do no.
thing else on earth ] say that the
cause in which he suffered and for
he gave his life was adjudged
BY a higher and fuller wisdom than
his, and | am glad the onniscient God
held the balance of battle in his al
hand and that human slavery
was swept forever from American
,oH and the American Union was
saved from the wreck of war"
This is the sentiment cherished by
he people of the South, by the Con
sederate Veterans and the Sons and
of the Confederate Vet
Grams. Thank God, no man can
the past. Its records are
written and sealed, and there can be
On interliEeating or amendments. We
must open and read the pages as they
we're recorded by fate. Beyond this
We ask not to go. The love Of truth
is one OF the noblest impulses which
can touch the human heart, aud by
al the glories Of the past we demand
the truth shall he known and
declared. Any Southern soldier. man
or woman, who asks less, is a craven
and he who takes less is a coward.
With a patience that everywhere ex
cited admiration, the South waited
for a time of Yindication. That time
has come. Hundreds Of thousands
Of pages have been written to tell
The story Of Southern conflict and
struggle, More will yet be
written, more must be written. The
full truth will never be told. We
only ask that the fullest possible
truth be made known. And year BY
year the association, with diminish
ing numbers. but with increasing
zeal, demands that from every pos
sibIe source that truth shall be gath
cred. Southern people are wiling to go
ifnder the lim-Iight Of history. There