The banner of the South. (Augusta, Ga.) 1868-1870, May 09, 1868, Page 5, Image 5

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eloquent effort, would be doing great in justice to the speaker and iiis theme. He spoke nearly an hour, and thrilled every heart by Ins splendid elocution, the pow er and lorce of his thoughts, the beauty' of his imagery, the clear succinct state ment of facts, and his touching pathos. The eloquent orator did honor to. the occasion, to his country, to the living and the dead. The vast majority of his audience were standing; yet such was the spell of glowing thought and fancy thrown over the soul by the speaker that none felt the sense of weariness. lie gloriously eulogized the lamented, chival rous Semmcs, whom he had often seen in battle, and whose new-made grave was before him, and paid equally' as just a tri bute to C. A. Bailey, one of the Colum bus Guards, and afterwards an officer of the 10th Georgia, Semmes’ Brigade, whose remains had just been re-interred. We would like to see this splendid ora tion printed. CLOSING EXERCISES. Another anthem was sung; after which Father Cullinan read a prayer. Night had then almost begun, and all wended their way slowly homeward, leaving the graves of our honored dead wreathed with the bright mementoes of love and reverence, and the recollections of the departed and their deeds glowing in each Southern heart. Oh! gallant heroes! ye who sleep Beneath our banner bright ; Who struggled with true bravery, For freedom and the right, What need of marble monuments To tell thy deeds of glory, When every humble soldier-grave Has proudly told the story ? A RIDE TO THE CONFEDERATE CEMETERY AT VICKSBURG. Yesterday evening we visited the Con federate cemetery, and examined the labor of love performed by our ladies of the Confederate Cemetery Association. Upon a gentle slope in a remote corner of the city cemetery, repose twenty-five hundred Southern heroes. No State is alone represented in the humble cemetery of the Gibraltar of the South—but to-day, in far remote States, dim eyes of love picture a fond form which is entombed in the love of that being, and beneath the green turf which wraps in quiet sadness, y'et unspeakable glory', the pulseless bosoms of his companions in death. Our ride revealed to us the fact that an almost superhuman amount of labor had been performed in a very short time, with scarcely any means, and without ostentation, by Mrs. Wright, President of the Confederate Cemetery Association, and her lady coadjutors. We also learn ed that a large amount of work is still necessary to complete what the ladies conceive necessary, and that they need assistance which can be given by the young gentlemen of the city. We there fore request a number of young gentle men to report to Mrs. Wright at the cem etery early to-morrow morning. She needs assistance. She has, with the as sistance of the other ladies of the Associ ation, performed wonders, yet there is much yet to be done. She can find any amount of employment for a number of young gentlemen, if they will report to her. The City Council has made an appro priation of three hundred dollars to aid the ladies of this Cemetery Association in beautifying the graves of our dead in this cemetery Vicksburg Herald. A communication in the Vicksburg 1 nncs, upon the same subject (the Con federate dead), says : “In your paper you ask, ‘Are the graves where sleep the defenders of this Saragossa to be uncared for ? Shall those who perished in our defence have no ilowers strewn upon their graves V In reply, it is only necessary to point to the ladies who are earnestly at work pre paring to perform the annual rites over the dead who rest on the southern slope oi the Walnut llids. For some time our devoted women have been engaged in their task of love, and on the 25th of April hundreds will repair to the sunny spot where lie our dead, to place upon the graves the floral offerings of their own clime. Rest assured, sir, that our dead heroes are never forgotten by our mauls or matrons, but are as fondly cherished now, as when they stood, a living wall, between our homes and the foe.’’ TUB CEMETERY OF THE CONFEDERATE DEAD AT PETERSBURG. i lie iOt of four acres in the Blanford ( e mete it, donated to the Association last year by the Common Council for tiie in terment of the Confederate dead, has lately been laid off in artistic manner IIU Bird, whom the ladies employed to assist them. For several weeks he has employed in laying off the grounds, and he has prepared a beautiful design of the work. The ground is divided into sections of various sizes, separated from each other by roads ten feet in width, at tne intersections of which it is designed to have plots for flowers and shrubbery. On the highest eminence, overlooking the whole, the general monument is to be erected. Nearest to this monument is a large space to be devoted to the ‘'unknown dead,’’ which will probably form the most numerous class. Next to these, in lots of the smaller dimensions, are to be in terred the dead from the distant States— each State to itself. These occupy places more or less remote from the monument, according to their respective numbers. But the dead of A irginia probabl v exceed all the others combined, not counting the ‘‘unknown.” These are to have position in the outside sections, on the frontier, as it were, embracing the whole. This re sults from numerical considerations; the same attention is to be bestowed on all, since all fell in the same cause. To carry out this design will be the work of time. In our present prostrate condition the progress will necessarily be slow ; but whenever it is perfected, as it must be one day r or other, it will be one of the most beautilul cemeteries in the South. Those who have not been careful ob servers ot the doings of the Ladies’ Memo rial Association are not aware of what they have accomplished during the last twelve months. They' work in so unpre tending a manner, and with so little assistance from the stronger sex as almost t° escape observation ; but theirs is a labor ol love, which, though prosecuted under many disadvantages and discour agements, has never been lost sight of for a moment. DECORATION OF THE CONFEDERATE GRAVES AT LOUISVILLE. Ihe pelting rain and general forbidding aspect of the weather yesterday afternoon stayed not the maidens and matrons of our city in the affectionate observance of memorial day. * * The rain and gloom served tint to render more vivid the lecollection of the soldier s uncom plaining submission to the hardships of the camp, the march and the field, and to deepen the sense of appreciation felt by all their true hearted survivors. At the appointed hour—four o’clock, P. M., and soon after—the bivouac of the Confeder ate dead, in the eastern portion of our beautiful cemetery, was surrounded by more than a thousand ladies, and their escorts and attendants, who, laden with choicest flowers and evergreens, had come in carriages, on the cars, and in various ways. Every grave received the tribute of immortelles, fashioued in the most expressive forms that loving hands could weave. It was remarked that the collection of flowers, both in variety and luxuriance, excelled that of either last year or the year before. In thus decora ting these lowly graves with the emblems of loving remembrances, the gentle ones who engaged in it scarcely honored them selves less than were the .sainted dead. May the hallowed custom never fail to be kept in this heaven-approved spirit.— Louisville Journal, April 26. WHO WILL CONTRIBUTE ? The Oakwood Memorial Association having finished the work of erecting headboards, are now anxious to beautify the grounds by planting shrubbery, and earnestly beg persons having rosebushes or shrubbery of any sort to spare, to aid them in this design. Contributions can be sent to the store of A. Y. Stokes & Co. —Southern Opinion. A LONG AND WEARY JOURNEY. Major Head, formerly of the staff of General M. J. \\ right, of the Confeder ate army, has just got home from the war- He started, alter the close of hostilities, from Johnson’s Island, where he had been a prisoner, for home, penniless, and on foot. In Illinois, he found an ac quaintance, through whose influence he got a school, which he taught two years. —Selma (Ala.) Messenger. [From “Der Katholik.” 1867-68. NUMBER ONE. The terrible suspense into which the whole Catholic world suddenly found it self thrown, during the months of last October and November, has passed away. The universal fear and anxiety of all true Catholics the world over, lest Rome might fall into the hands of the Revolutionists, and the Pope be driven from his See, lias given way to glad shouts cf victory, and made room for more than ordinary confi dence in the hearts of all true believers. And justly so ; for God has visibly aided His Church, with His omnipotent arm. He has broken and shattered the sword of those who attempted to make a mock ery of his Vicegerent on earth, and He has covered those wicked scoffers with confusion and shame, not only in the face of Italy alone, but before the whole world. After we, 200 millions of Catli- olies, for the last seven years had seen falsehood, deceit, and revolution, rushing on from victory to victory—after we had felt confused and troubled to see our way through the labyrinth of difficulties which beset the Holy Father on all sides—after we had heard day by day from a thou sand quarters, that Popery was coming to an end—then, all of a sudden, a light gleams amidst all this darkness, the morning dawn of a better time appears in the East, right prevails once more over wrong, truth over falsehood, and the re presentatives of revolution are met by the champions of justice, who smite, dis perse, annihilate them completely. And we all, those millons of Catholics, breathe more freely since then, and, while we thank God for the unexpected victory, we, at the same time, become aware of our influence and our invisible power, so long as we remain firmly united. Hence, we behold Catholics, as never before, vieing with each other in devising ways and means to sustain the temporal power of the Pope. And, this time especially, it is the Catholic people, the true and the. whole souled many, who are at the head of the movement, and will insure its success, not only for the immediate present, but, probably, for all time to come. So far as ice can see, the Church henceforth can expect but very little, if anything, from the Princes, the mighty ones of earth. True, God has called the rulers of earth to defend the right and to administer justice, but their generation has fallen la mentably' of late, and we see them now, some obsequious in the service of the revolution, others paralysed by the influence of that salf-same spirit of overthrow, while others still arc too cra ven-hearted to stand up for and defend even the most sacred rights of our com mon humanity. On the other hand, we have seen, during the weeks of October and November, just passed, what the Catholic people can accomplish. Those soldiers of Pius IX, who achieved such a glorious victory over the Revolutionists of Italy, from the Ist of October to the 4th of November—who are they ? They are the sons of the Catholic people in France, in Belgium, in Holland, in Switzerland, Spain, Ger many, and England. These volunteers from among all classes of the people, from the hut of the poor no less than the palace of the rich, hurrying to Rome, have formed the army of Pius IX, and are now covered with the halo of immortal glory. And these soldiers—who has maintained them ? Again we answer : the Catholic people. The diocese of Cambray alone, maintained 330 Zouaves in the Papal Army, and many, many other dioceses, nay, even simple parishes in France, but more especially in Paris, have maintained from 10 to 30 Zouaves in the service of the Holy Father. In like manner, the good city of Aix-la-Cha pcllc has, to-day, her eight Zouaves in die field, and thus we find it all the Catholic world over. But, who is it that has made provision for the wounded ? for those whom excess of labor and long marches have stretched on a bed of sick ness? Again, the Catholic people. A single newspaper in France, the “ Union,' 1 has collected, up to the present day, no less than 700,000 francs for the army of Pius IX ; and other French papers, the ‘‘(hirers” and the “ Monde collected also, within the space of from four to eight weeks, the sum of 700,000 francs, while the collections of some other fif teen or twenty provincial newspapers, which were hitherto barely deemed worthy of notice, bad, up to Nov. 30th., already reached the sum of upwards of 1,000.000 of francs. The Catholic press of Bel gium and Holland has met with compara tively the same success. Even from Ger many, where the movement was started last of all, there is already cheering news all the way from A ienna to Aix-la chapelle.. Where can you find a party, which, in so short a time, lias brought about such gigantic results ? Where can a similar enthusiasm, a like spirit of sacrifice be found ? By the united ex* ertions of this Catholic people, and by their countless and willing acts of self. sacrifice, the plans, the labors, and the exertions of all the secret societies in the world, who were making tools of, sup porting, and spurring on Garibaldi and his hordes, have been frustrated and over thrown at one fell swoop ; and now, what is left to those poor, misguided, revolu tionists save to look on and grind their teeth in useless despair, and the know ledge that they are fairly beaten ? Are we saying too much ? Who, then, was it that forced the Emperor of France, compelled Napoleon 111, to take active sides against the revolution in Italy, and to come to the Pope’s rescue, even at the eleventh hour ? It was the day' by day louder and stronger-growing voice of the Catholic people of France; it was the clarion notes of warning, sounded from his watchtower at Orleans, and thence re verberating through all France, by tho great-souled and mighty-worded Bishop Dupanloup. And, as in France, so, also, are now, the Catholics of Germany at work. They avail themselves of their political rights, such as they can command, and are laying their outspoken wishes at the feet of their rulers’ thrones ; they are holding con ventions at Cologne, Munich, Mayencc, Coblenz, Minster, and other places of im portance, where, by energetic and soul stirring speeches, and by clear and well defined resolutions, they give expression to their thoughts and feelings, thus giving the world at large to understand that the Roman question must and can only be solved in strict accordance with the prin ciples of right and justice. Nor are we alone in the defence of this point ; but on our right and left we are supported by conscientious Protestants, by all honest men of thought, and by all true friends of liberty. For they' arc all convinced, to a man, that the Pope, in this, our other wise so gloomy nnd portentous day, is one of the few, if not the only represen tative of right and justice on earth. Nevertheless, the aid which Catholic Germany will be able to extend to the Pope, can hardly swell up to such refresh ing figures as it has, for instance, already done, and is still continuing to do in France. The reasons for this may be most clearly gathered from the pastoral letter of the Rt. Rev. Bishop of Mayence on “The present condition of the Apos tolic See.’’ The Emperor of Austria is no longer in a position which would ena ble him to fulfil the grand mission that is dedicated by bis title of “Apostolic Ma' jesty.” For “not only the foreign ene mies of Austria have lamed his imperial arm ; it has been done also and even worse by the home enemies of the realm, who, at the present day, control the Aus trian press, govern many of the larger Austrian cities, anti sit in the highest seats, even in the very legislative coun cils of the nation itself. And these are men who scoff at ami ridicule the Church and her rights, who mock every demonstration of Catholic belief and Catholic practice, in a manner which ex ceeds even the hatred of a Voltaire and his associates, and who, if it were possi ble, might reconcile a Catholic German with the idea of living far away from a land, where, at present, our religion and our Church finds itself daily exposed to such shameful treatment and such un pardonable outrage.’’ But what will the King of Prussia, who is to-day receiving so many addresses from bis Catholic sub jects, say in the matter ? Aye, what will be be able to do ? After the Em p°”or of Austria, he is evidently the only one of whom we need speak in this mat ter, for the other German princes may be looked upon as in a great measure deposed since the late turn of affairs in Europe. Let us hear on this subject, also, the memorable words of the Bishop of Mayence. “It is true, the Xing of Prussia, in his last speech before the as sembled members of bis cabinet, took occasion to express bis wish and desire of upholding the honor and independence of the Pope. He did this in considera tion and for the love of his many Catholic subjects. But, although we are certain that his royal words were kindly and well meant, we are, also, equally certain that they will bring no aid to the Pope. For, independent of the fact that the King is a Protestant Prince, and there exists in his kingdom, a no doubt strong and influen tial Protestant party, whose highest aim and whose dearest wish it is, to greet Garibaldi or A ictor Emanuel as rulers of Rome, there looms up this other diffi culty , that Prussia, after the events of ihe last year, clare no longer pretend to the guardianship of those saving princi ples of right and justice, of which we speak, even though its Kings should have the best of intentions, and make the most solemn of promises. True, accomplished facts, as such, may be easily defended or smoothed over on some plea or another; but the log'ic which lies within those facts, brought about and accomplished with our consent and assistance, that very often is inexorable, invincible, and cannot be explained away. The idea that any of the other German governments, some of which are known to be strongly and directly opposed to the Church, should, or could bring any aid to the Pope, is al together out of the question.” Therefore, it is our duty as Catholics, yea, it is the bounden duty of the Catholic people exclusively, to do that which the necessities of the present demand from every true son of the Church. If we were but perfectly united in our ef forts, if our endeavors were all but as one, it each son of the Church would but do his own duty in his own place— yes 1 then indeed we would be invincible, for there are two hundred millions of us, and whatsoever two hundred millions of stout hearts and strong hands wish and work for, that is bound to be accom plished. True, we Catholics of Germany still want many things before, as a peo ple, we shall be able to accomplish such results as our brethren in France, or even those in the little State of Belgium, have already brought about. The out side pressure of the State upon the Church, which still continues to be felt more severely with us than in other great countries of the earth, the enmities and contentions daily' growing out of this pressure, the disintegration of the Catho lic Church in Germany, that is, the many and small separate territories—tiiese, and many other things, need to be removed before we can aspire to do great things. That this comparative inactivity and powerlessness which fetters us to-day, is not an iimato characteristic of the Catho lic German people, but must be chiefly, if not altogether, attributed to our pecu liar circumstances, such is clearly vouched for and proven beyond a doubt, both to ourselves and the world at large, by our brothers, the Catholic Germans of Amer ica, who are still, and have been for many years past, a chief pillar of the so glo riously growing Catholic American Church, and who, although far inferior to us in numbers, have exceeded us almost beyond computation in the number and ' value of their pious offerings to the Holy Father. LITERARY AND ART ITEMS, Ticknor Sc Fields are about to publish a full edition of Saxe’s works. The only book published in Florida since the war, was called the Florida Al manac. Greenwood, the Amateur Casual, has written a story called “The Soul Trap,” for the Eastern Annual. Miss Emily' Faithful makes he” ap pearance as an author, with a love story entitled, “Change upon Change.” Lady' Wood, not Mrs. 11. Wood, with whom she is sometimes confounded, is about to publish anew novel called “True as the Needle.” Mrs. Lusia Gilbert Calhoun, has so far recovered her health as to enable her to resume her brilliant pen, lor some months resigned. Mrs. A. J. Riddle, the novelist, con tributes the beginning of anew story, “A Life’s Assize, to the April number of Si. James' Magazine, of which she lug become the editor. Alexander Dumas offers further advan tages to the new journal If Antaguan. Each new subscriber receives a volume containing his autograph. To subscribers of large amounts, proportionately' in creased advantages are given. 5