Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-08-14
Unfaltering Allegiance.

ne spirit Ol ueOTSld anu VI the oouIh hhuS
stirring utterance in a communication APP
pearing elsewhere this page from Prof
Joseph T. Derry honored veteran of the Con-
federacy, a historian of distinctive attanments
and true interpreter of his country heart. Writ
ing on the debt of duty which every American owes
his Government and which every loyal American
stands ready to pay Prof Derry recalls the trench
ant words of the United Confederate Veterans in
their reunion at Birmingham in May, 1916:
I'VE do hereby renew and declare our I'M
faltering allegiance to the Government of the
United States in this its hour of great interna-
tional difficulties We recommend that
every male citizen over sixteen years of age re-
siding in the United States and its territories
be required to report Immediately to the pro-
bate Judge of his county. other like officer.
under penalty of the law, and there swear his
allegiance to this Government, pledging him
Loyalty to support the Government against any
and all foes whether internal or foreign. who
may attempt to hinder or destroy the rights
property or liberty of it's people,"
This loyal message, be it noted forwarded
to the President almost a full twelvemonth before
the cloud, then rolling darkly toward our
shores, broke upon us. These gray warriors who
fought for the South more than half a century
ago and whose heroic spirit fights afresh for Amer
lea today lost not moment in ranging themselves
ever since they have stood like a stone wall.
full year before the call for army service went
forth to the country's youth these veterans gave
voice to the principle, later proclaimed by Presi-
dent Wilson, that in democracy the duty to
and the privilege to serve fall upon all alike
how trumpet-like their words ring back to US:
To-day the remnant of the armies of the
Confederate States of America does hereby
offer itself. it's sons and it's property upon the
altar of a reunited country which we love and
seek to serve, protect and defend"
That is the true spirit of the South. That is
the true spirit of Georgia. Here and there some
demagogue rises to assai the Government, and a
few unthnking or wrongly-informed people are mis-
led But this is only to be expected for there was
never yet cause, however noble that did not have
It's recreants and foes. Our War for independence
had it's Tories and Southerners still living, remem-
Der the Scalawags There are always selfish or sim
lister interests seeking agents, and there are always
politicians ready to serve them. But 1t would be
as unfair and foolish to judge the rank and file of
Georgians or Americans by few demagogues and
deserters as it would be to merge the memory of
the Colonial patriots with that Of Benedict Arnold.
The overwhelming majority of our people believe,
as the Confederate Veterans believe in "UNFAL-
TERING ALLEGIANCE to the Government of the
United States
ment of the United States?" Certainly, it is not
continual opposition to the President and to the
measures needed for a vigorous prosecution of the
Certainly ii is not the narrow, churlish spirit
which for pride of opinion or personal spite would
delay or jeopardize the nations means to victory.
"Unfaltering allegiance" by no implies a
blind surrender of individual judgment. But 1t
does imply that there shall be blind insstence
upon individual prejudice. There is a world of diff
ference between that independence of thought
which, detecting the flaws that so often mark the
early draft of war measures. seeks sincerely to per-
feet them and that other self-vaunting indie
pendence which fights one essential measure
after another not simply in matters of detail but in
basic principles and does its utmost to thwart and
discredit the Government The apostles of that
policy may call it independence if they will, but
most people know it by shorter name.
'Unfaltering allegiance" is the spirit revealed
so shiningly in our heroes of the gray who stand
ready, as Prof. Derry declares to lay upon their
countrys altar themselves their treasure and their
sons. The young men of Georgia will not prove
unworthy of such Stress Demagogues and pro-Ger-
mans and slackers may peeve as they will against
the President, the Government and the war meas
ures which Congress has adopted But their petty
pipings will soon die away in the drum beat of a
loyal Commonwealth mastering its manhood to
freedoms defense And in the years of golden
peace to come, how proud, how honored, how blest
Ly their conscience and their country will be they
who fought or served to make that peace righteous
and enduring!
Uo-4oJ P;IJ;o,,