The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-06

y
blessing and protection. with an un-
ceaslng admiratio of your constancy
and devotion TO your country and a
grateful remembrance of your kind and
generous consideration OF myself
Did you oil on affectionate farewell"
Surely no Boldier OF tho Army of
Northern Virginia will want approval
and commentator from higher
! source. save that of his God when we
trust through the merits and atone
ment Of our Lord TO receive that
plaudit We'll done good and faith
full servant. enter thou into the Joy
of thy Lord" Our Northern friends
sometime taunt us with the assertion
that we fought for the perpetuation OF
slavery. This is untrue; slavery was
| not tho cause. but only the occasion OF
the late Civil War: we do not wish the
Issue TO be misunderstood by our de-
scendants. Do not be deceived or
persuaded that the Confederate soldier
| fought to perpetuate the greatest
curse that ever afflicted the South
human slavery. 1t is true it was n
| Southern institgtion. in my personal
opinion and judgement morally and
religiously indefensible. but legally
and corstitutiorally right. Not one
I Confederate soldier in twenty proba b.
| ~ not one in a hundred. owned a
slave. We fought because our llber-
ties were threatened, our properties
stolen. our guaranteed rights disregard
ed. our territory invaded.
| After the veterans of lssl-fsb5. have
all passed away let our descendants. in
testimony and In recognition of the
fact that their ancestors fought for
the principles OF self-government con-
tinue TO observe Memorial Day. lay the
| tender tribute OF few flowers on
their graves. recognize their valor.
their heroism. let not the nres of
patriotism die In the hearts OF our
children. and our children's children.
The battle OF Thermopylae was fought
| four hundred and eighty years B. c..
and yet the Greeks Of to-day hedeck
the graves of those who fought un-
der Leonidas Do not look upon our
contest as a lost cause,"-you can
not leave out God In history: the war
ended as He designed It, and the con-
fict will result In renewed allegiance
! to our country. and perpetuation of
I our liberties. as one country under
one flag.
Ye ancient capital / greet you. now.
as ever, the mother of brave men and
| fair women! Williamsburg still lives
In the same old conservative way, the
new doctrines OF commerctalism. the
desire for greed. the worship of the
| mighty dollar. does not disturb her
calm serenity. Always noted for her
beautiful women her daughters are
as lovely. as chaste. as patriotic as
were their mothers before them, and
her sons as loyal as their sires of the
Revolution ana of lse1-ls65. The
! girls we adored in 1851 are now. like
form halo to their angelic and saint
ed faces. On the walls of an art gall
I lery in Paris hangs the picture OF
some celebrated artist representing a
husband and wife, who have lived
Ina ppily together through many years;
the husband Tough; under the great
Napoleon. AS the sound of the Angus
bell. from distant church, falls on
their ears they listen with bowed
head and reverent air; we con almost
hear them exclaim:
"Oh. for the touch OF vanished
The sound of voice that is
STILL"
So. my friends, these brief remarks,
these references to the past, may
serve as the touch of the wind upon
an Aeolian harp. playing upon the
chords of memory. revive scenes and
incidents of our more youthful days.
the struggles, hardships, hopes and
! triumphs Of our past lives. and we
/ trust will inspire us with the same
beatfhc hope. the confident trust. the
sublime resignation that emanats from
the eyes OF the picture of the great
artist.
The survivors of the Fifteenth Vir-
! ginia recall with feelings of pride, tina t
, when we arrived in your beautiful
and hospitable city fifty years ago,
Mrs. Morrison, one of your patriotic
ladies. on the campus OF old William
[ and Mary, presented us with the nrst
! nag that ever hoated over our heads.
1t was made from her wedding gowns =:
! | recall its colors were white and blue
silk. emblematic OF the purity OF the
heart of the giver. and OF the heavens
above us, whose blessings she invoke ed
| on our undertaking. This flag waved
| on many battlefield and Is endeare d
{ to us by many sacred ties and tender
memories. and. like the white plume of
| Henry OF Navarro at Iovy, acted as
| our orifamme on many a bloody field
1t Is our privilege and our pride to
assure the ladies OF Williamsburg that
| this flag was never captured and is
I preserved to-day in the Confederat e
Museum in the capital of the late Con-
federacy. 1t is deposited there as a
testimony of the patriotic devotion of
the donor, and as proof that 1t was
| courageously defended and carefully
guarded through the trying period of
four years conflict.
| Those who fought under the banner
of the Confederacy have no excuses to
make or apologies to offer Their
splendid achievements. their heroism
and fortitude, was unsurpassed in an
| cfent or modern warfare. The Con-
federate volunteer army was the great
est. grandest and most self-sacrificing
that, ever aligned under any flag or
fought in any cause. They believed
their first allegiance was due to their
respective States, and when their moth
err called 1t was their duty TO obey.
Their idea of fealty and loyalty was.
My Country. may she ever be right ;
but right or wrong. my country
When their country was invaded they
fought in defense of their homes and
friends.