The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-04-27
HERE rs MORE ABOUT
ADDRESS
STARTS ON PAGE ONE

InInS could say would Do AHI4CApnlVu
in your thoughts and / should suffer
the reproach of falling far below
| Them So today I feel that all can
say with this poor tongue of mine Will
add no leaf to the laurel crown which
garlands the immortal glory of our
Confederate dead. And yet we have
gathered in obedience to the prompt
ings of well nigh universal instinct
of the human heart. Men of all chimes
men Of all types of civilization, men
of all forms of religion, unite in doing
honor to the memory of their departed.
We are here as mourners today. But
we sorrow not as others who have no
hope. We have repaired to this beau
tiful temple to mingle the tears Of a
common sorrow, and to pay that trib-
ute to the memory of our departed
dead which their courage and bravery
so well deserved. Our gathering can
in no sense be taken as inspired by
any acrimony toward the living, but
only by affection toward the dead.
Simply retrospective in is character,
it has no political significance. It on
" affords an expression of grief over
the ashes of our departed forefathers,
our admiration for thteir character,
and our love for their memories. And
there is no noble or generous spirit
anywhere that would refuse us the
consolation of dropping tear and lay
ing our wreath of flowers upon the
mounds of our departed fathers and
brothers.
1--WE are here not only as mourners
for our own deep losses, but also as
representatives of the disconsolate
kindred OF many who are debarred by
distance, i'll health and old age from
participating with us in these beauti-
full rites. We are here as representa-
tives Of fathers and mothers who sent
forth their sons with their benedic-
lions, to see them no more on earth
forever. We are here as representa-
tives of wives and sisters, who slowly
and tearfully unwound the arm Of af-
lection from the neckS Of husbands
and brothers, whose faces they were
destined never more to see again in
this world. We are here as represent
atives OF the orphaned children who
chung tot heir departing sires, ana all
unconscious Of the dread Significance
of war, laughed In childish innocence
and glee at the nodding plumes and
clanking sabres. Alas, the fond hope
OF the soldiers return was never real
lied by so many OF them, for
Their bones are dust.
Their good swords rust,
Their souls are with the saints,
We trust"
Engaged n conflict with one Of
the great powers OF the world; barred
from intercourse with the nations Of
the earth; sustained by resources
which were barely adequate to the
supply of the most pressing necessi-
ties, they manfully endured every trial
and heroically confronted every dang
er. They were scantily fed. They
were ineffective1y armed. And yet
amid the bleak SHOWS OF Virginia, the
cold winds Of the mountains Of Ten
nessee and Georgia, the deadly Tnala-
ria of Carolina, the burning heats Of,
Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, the
bayous and rivers, OF the far west-in
1abors and watchings: in hunger, max
edness and cold: In the dreary trenches
and in the exhausting march: on the
red field Of battle and OF death; they
attested thir fidelity to their cause,
their country and their kin. Which
OF us today can think OF them in all
their hardships and not let fall tear
to their memories? z
It would be as idle as it would be
untrue. to deny that in performing
this office in memory OF our dead we
offer silent protest against any
which would consign them
to oblivion or to infaKny as the per-
petrators OF a monstrous treason.
Others may say what they may, but
1t is not in our natures to regard as
those whom we revered and
loved as pur Fathers, Husbands. Sons
and Brothers. We would be guilty Of
the deepest injustice to them, and the
grossest inconsistency with ourselves.
should we refuse to do them such
honor as it is possible to pay. We
cannot frame our speech to pronounce
ought but blessings upon their heads;
ana palsied be our tongues before they
pour one syllable OF reproach upon
their memories. Were we called upon
so to do. better far that we too lay
buried in the sands Of the Seminoles
than that we should obey.
Ladies OF the Memorial Association
and the q. D. c., Gentlemen of the
Camp of Confederate Veterans, Ladies
and Gentlemen OF Pensacola, must
close as began. / cannot
pay the Confederate dead such high
eulogy az they deserve, because my
tongue can reach to no such height.
In q little cemetery in the town of
&M ~
Virginia, there rises a beautiful shaft
Of pure white marble. Beneath that
shaft. and all around It are buried the
OF those who fell there in bat
tie, unidentified and unclaimed. And
On that shaft is carved these words:
ITO TUE UNKNOWN DEAD"