The farmer and mechanic., 1915-06-01
Read at Memorial Exercises of the
FaisOn-HickS and Confederate
Heroes Chapters, u. ID. G..


1t is fifty years since the war clos
ed and about fifty-four years since it
was begun, and it is sometimes asked
why We should stir the ashes of that
ancient feud? Why should we not
bury the past in it's own grave and
turn TO the living issues Of the pres
ent and the future? To this question
we return the answer with a ringing
voice because it is history because it |
IS our history and the history of our
dead heroes who shall not go with |
out their fame.
Each mound which this scene pre-
sents to the sight is consecrated in |
the memory proud memento of |
a glorious past: they speak to us of
other times and of other men, they
tell us tale of heroic fortitude and
patriotic devotion. To dwell upon
these soul stirring incidents even at
a day so remote as the present fills
us with enthusiastic emotions. AS
long as there are men who wore the
gray they. will gather the charred
embers Of their old camp-fres, and
in the blaze of these reunions. tell
the story of the martyrs who fell in
defence of country and of truth.
Born from the general level Of Amer
lean society, blood of a noble ances-
ern soldier, trained in America for
three hundred years in the science of
government, he inherited a talent for
leadership.
Drawn from the very flower Of
the South's chivalry, his daily life
bred in him habits of authority, while
his wealth, leisure. inclination and
ability, led him to make a serious
study of the needs of his government
the result was, race of men in
comparable as citizens, soldiers and
statesmen. Thus, it was whether an
officer in command or the men be
hind the guns has furnished the
standard Of military science with
an uneclpsed species of skill courage
and patriotism known to the annals
of war. words cannot portray
their galantry on the red fields Of
battle. and what is true of officer is
equally true of the thousands of pri-
Yates who for honor's sake, poured
out their lives through gaping
wounds" and for half century, have
been sleeping in the long scars that
mar the breast of our Southland.
The great struggle has preserved
the self respect of the Southern peo-
pie at time when we believed thai
our rights were sorely endangered
We could not have tamely yielded
merely to have saved suffering ant
loss and continued to respect our
selves. 'Tis better to have beer
brave and lost than never to haV'
been brave at all at time whe'
principle Of manhood clamored 1T
demands that we should stanC
for what we believed to be right an
just.
When Albert Lydney Johnston fel
on the field of Shiloh. a new an an
measurement of heroes. Fame foun
it necessary to add another string t
her Tyre, and Battles Magnificar
Stern Array" demanded grande
setting. He brought to the Souther
cause. a civil and military experienc
surprising that of any other leade
and had it been possible for on
heart, one mind, and one arm
save her cause, she lost them when h
fell.
4 king once said of a prince VIII
had been stricken, He seems tallt
died in their battered gray grow ta
Ter, and will continue to grow as tt
years pass on. But today we me-
beside the graves of our heroic dea
without one thought or feeling :.
bitterness for those who sleep yOnd
Their wars behind them, God
great peace before them, they foug
and failed. They never knew as v
who mourn them know how vain w
all their strife, how vast our woe, al
save returns them all she has to 81
"a grave
Now all is Peace, which is d
partly to the mobile character of o
people. partly to the ample resourc
of cur great country giving to all Ell
ployment and hope and partly n
withstanding our imperfectiOn a
short-coming to the influence
christianity. The early movemeT
of the South were invariably associs
ed with religious ceremonies, a
autograph letters from Gen. Jacks
show that he opposed Sunday maj
and urged the appointment
chaplains in the army. 1t is 7
claiming too much to say that I
Southern people were an unusua
religious people free from the he
sizes and isms, and trusting impiic
IN an inspired Bible, and the reilgl