Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1913-06-19
Address of Rev. III. B. Lee, ID. D., OF
Charlottesville, Va, on Confederate
Memorial Day, at Shepherdstown.

Memorial Day, at Shepherdstown.
We meet today TO pay our continuing
tribute of respect TO the memory OF the
brave soldiers whose graves you cover
with flowers, and to honor the cause Tor
which they sacrificed their lives on the
field of battle.
1t was righteous cause, and therefore
should never be spoken OF as the lost
cause. The battle was lost, but not the
cause.
The subject which wish to present
for your consideration is, ITO prove my
loyalty TO the country's flag, it is not
necessary 10 disprove my loyalty to the
flag of the Confederate States while it
waved"
If any man can successfully controvert
this postulate, we are doing wrong in
keeping these graves green; we are in
stilling false principles in the minds OF
our children when we teach them the
lessons of loyalty we learned from our
fathers. Furthe more, you loyal, loving
Daughters of the Confederacy should
disband.
Then follows the hurting from its base
that graceful granite monument, and the
blowing over these graves. We should
think of the thousands OF Confederate
dead as miguided fanatics, if not as trait
ors. Even the suggestion OF such a
thought fires Our soul with indignation.
My object in selecting this subject is to
guard our children from the error that
our fathers fought merely for what they
believed right. confess to considerable
impotence when hear persons conde-
scendingly say, GAS the Confederate
soldier fought for what he believed right,
we honor his sincerity"
affirm with all tile intensity OF viii ich
am capable that his cause was right
eous cause, and the only cause for which,
in my opinion, nation should 60 to
war, viz: The defence OF home and fire.
side. To repel invasion will cause the
brave to spring TO arms as one man.
If | am asked, what of those brave men
who fought on the other side ? NY re-
ply is am not called on to defend the
motives OF the invader. | know have
the right TO defend my home. Read
the inscription on that monument, 1--WE
lie here in obedience to the command OF
our sovereign States" Then say ii they
fought only for what he believed to be
right.
Again, when asked, If you are so per-
suaded OF the righteousness OF your
cause, and if you believe in the justice OF
God, why did you fail of success? My
reply is, do not know. | do not pre-
tend to understand all the mysteries OF
divine providence. do not know why
an omnipotent, omniscient God allowed
sin in the world. bow in meek sub
mission TO His will, believing He would
say to me, what | do thou knowest not
now, but thou shalt know hereafter.
Let me now call your attention 10 GER
tain facts which will justify my saying
that our cause was righteous cause.
When the American colonies OF Great
Britain declared independence, they did
so in this language, Resolved, that these
United Colonies are, and OF right ought
to be, free and independent States"
Later, Congress adopted and the sew
eral States ratified the Articles OF Feder-
alton, in which this language is used:
Each State retains its sovereignty,
freedom, and independence, and every
power, jurisdiction, and right, which is
not by this confederation expressly dele
gated to the United States in congress
assembled"
The next article declares, "That the
said States hereby enter into firm league
of friendship with each other for their
common defence"
II is a well-known fact that the States
made the Federal Government; they
clothed it with every power it possesses.
insist that my first allegiance is to my
State, as all federal power was dele
gated by the States. We honor the
creator before the creation.
In this connection let me read you
what distinguished member OF Congress
from Mass. said, as far back as 1911: 'ff
this bill passes, it is virtually a diSSolu-
ton OF the Union; it will free the States
from their moral obligation and as 1t
will be the right OF all, so il will be the
duty OF some, definitely to prepare for a
separation, amicably ifthey can, violently
if they must" He was called to order,
but by vote of the house was allowed to
proceed, so he added.
"Is there principle of public law better
settled than that the violation OF a con-
tract by one if the parties may be con-
sidered as exempting the other from its
obligations ?" That principle OF law he
declared held in private contracts, adding,
"How much more does it apply in polit-
ical partnerships"
The celebrated convention of the New
England States in 1914 declared, "If the
Union be destined to dissolution by reason
of the multiplied abuses of bad admins
tration some new form OF confederacy
should be substituted among those States
which shall intend to maintain a federal
relation to each other"
These declarations show;
/. The Federal Government was form-
ed by, from, and out Of, certain free, in