The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-04-27
CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY
OBSERVED IN FITTING MANNER

inspired the democracy of Madison
who was the father of the Constitu-
tion," the greatest charter of human
liberties ever drawn.
These foremost leaders in the mas
cent struggles and constructive labors
of the American nation were all sons
of the South. And when the new ship
of state was launched and a great
pilot was needed to guide it through
the untried waters. from New England
TO Georgia one name was called, and
il was the name of washington. With
wise statecraft and skillful diplomacy
he guided the new state into recogni-
ton and power among the nations CT
the earth. The principles he estab-
lished, the policies he pursued and the
ideals he set up for the republic are
its sliding stars unto this day. One
cannot read his Farewell Address" at
this time of world crisis without feel
ing that.it was the utterance of a seer
who anticipated the very conditions
upon which the European nations nave
fallen, and conceived a vastly higher
destiny for America.
Through the first half century of
national life the South gave the nation
every president but two. 1t furnished
every chief justice of the supreme
court. 1t supplied influential leaders
for every branch of government and
every national enterprise. It was I'M
der the administrations of presidents
from the South that every foot of our
vast national domain was acquired, be-
yond the narrow strip of territory
comprised in the original grants of the
colonies. Jefferson negotiated the
Louisiana Purchase" Monroe acquir-
ed the FLORIDA territory" Polk add
ed the far vest and extended the do
main to the Pacific ocean, while Jack
son paved the way for the annexation
of Texaa- so all the territory save
Alaska and our island possessions
came to the republic under the adj
ministration of southern rulers. IT is
clear to readers of this history that
the South was active and influential
in measure unsurpassed by any other
section in the building of the nation.
The Confederacy.
/, The history of the Southern Con-
federacy has not yet been impartiaIly
written. Robert Emmett, the Irish pa
triot, said: Let no man write nv
epitaph until other times and other
men can do justice to my memory"
Revolutionary events can never be
viewed with perfect justice until the
violence of passion has subsidized and
all painful memories have passed
away. That time has not yet come
since the war between the states. War
at best is disastrous and painful but
civil war-strife between brother and
brother-is the most direful in the
catalogue of horrors. England has
not yet forgotten the War OF the
Roses" France will never forget the
Revolution. and Reign of Terror"
and the Ratchet is scarcely yet buried
out OF sight between the royalists and
republican parties. Spain's peace has
been in continual jeopardy because
ancient strife survives between the
dynasties of Don Carlos and Alphonso.
But the American civil war was far
worse than any of these. 1t cleft the
structure of government sfrom dome
to foundation and left the whole coun-
try demoralized and confused The
South from the Potomac to the Rio
Grande was covered in the ashes of
desolation and humiliation Her cities
were destroyed, her villages We're de-
populated, her homes were deserted
and her fields We're a wilderness. On
both sides prejudice and hatred We're
intense, and while these have passed
away the scenes and events that en-
gendered them cannot be viewed i'm
partially from either side while the
actors in that tragedy still survive, or
their children. into whose ears the
thrilling events have been SO often re-
cited.
/ shall not, therefore, undertake TO
discuss the rights Of secession. nor
the causes which led the South to
withdraw from the union which she
had been so influential in forming. It
goes without saying that the section
whose impress was on every institu-
ton and policy of the nation would
not have pursued a course of division
and disruption without the profound
est motives. and the impelling convic-
si0a thst vital principles were involv-