The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-05
Hf y. ROUSSEAU BoHBIrvT,
In the DlrminEbnm Accelerate
Wccp not that the world chancc.t
stable. changclesa course. ,twerc
cause TO weep.

TBj ~ Keep
= stable ehanseloss course, twere
cause TO weep
since Homer first sang 10 The deeds
q prowcss performed BY Hector. the
Godlike Achilles and other Grcck he
Toes before the walls OF sacred Troy
ana thus immortaHzed that place. In
ell nations The names of places at
which notable events affecting the
governments and institutions OF those
COUNTLESS. have occurred have sbccn
carefully memorized and Zealo,sly
guarded for their historical ana pa
iriotic value by Inc people OF those
countries. Runnyncdc has come down
10 US through The dim history OF the
middle ages 10 have Il marked Signit-
canoe since there 1t was that John
King OF England, In the year 1915,
\. T., signed that great instrument OF
human liberty guaranteeing some OF
the iHallennblc rights OF man, the
Magma Charta. The act Of abdcation
signed by the Emperor Napoleon on
April i, 1914. at Fontainblcar has made
the namo OF that palace famous IN
French and European History. The
surrender of Napoleon Ill: OF an army
OF 10000 men IN September, 1870. which
event marked the retirement OF aforc-
said Emperor as a factor In European,
politics, and BY which event the en-
been the head ended trasically, made
Sedan name in history that VIII en-
durc. Yorktown has Justly become a
memorable name IN American history
on account of its being the place
whore. by the surrender OF Lord Corn
wallis's forces. American national lib
erty and independence were first dch-
nitely assured.
III the history Of DIR country, then,
Yorktown marks The first definite step
in the progress of events upon which
tho foundation OF our nation as an in
dependent and seif-governing country
tests. Likewise. Dnnvillc should mark
the final step In he solution of the
greatest and most perilous national
crisis which oui. nation has endured,
and upon which our entire future wei
fare and well being Tor all time de-
PENDED, for il Was there shat the final
scenes In the Civil MAR drama were BY
the Confederate government enacted.
Tho end OF the war. when the Con
Tolerate government lief, Richmond, its
capital. and became wandrrer. having
no place, seemingly. whcrcwithal II
might become permanently established,
was only partially assured. But DUR
ing the occupation Of and Subsequent
retreat from Danvi!le by the govern
\ ment. the end Of the strife and blood
shed was definitely assured
into discussion in regard TO the reta :
tive merits of the legal and constitu-
tiolial or moral questions involved N
the conflict between the Northern and
southern States. TO do so would DC
Z outside Of tho scope of the subleor
dealt with in this article. However,
l must here d!Eress TO tho extent ot
saying that it is now by impartial his
torians conceded to be q we'll estab-
- f>S 81 s :
had undoubtedly n well defined con
stituiional right to secedc from the
union, but every one admits tina foi
them to have exercised this right as
they did was, To say the leastrcxtrcme-
~ impractical and injudicious.
"However much We may differ in orr
opinions in regard TO these things, tho
fact remains that these events Of
which have spoken, constitute to al
Americans a subject OF supreme IN
tcrest. And TO our people. ii natural
~ follows, that the end of the civil
government in the Confederate States
with the last wholly official act, n
(. procla nation, by tho highest eXo:u-
two authority. together with some of
the particulars in regard to those
things attendant upon those acts. is
ever q subject OF acute intcrcat know
Ing these things, and also knowing that
no definite and accurate detailed ac-
counts OF trem which is easily nc-
cessible TO the public has been prepar-
ed. and wishing to preserve for tho
benefit Of posterity, as we'll as OF our
selves the actual facts, have taken
some pains to secure u recital OF them
at first hand from one who was in
ttnately associated with Jefferson
Davis and his Cabinet during those