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Extracts from the Oration of James M
Smythe* Esq
IN HOMO* or THE CONFEDERATE DEAD,
DELIVERED IN MAJOR I. I*. GIKAKDKy’s
OPERA HOUSE, AUGUSTA, ON THE
23kd of Januar 1872.
Ladies and Gentlemen of thin As
sembly :
W e have met to commemorate the
valor, the patriotism, the heroic deeds
of those who died in defence of the
the liberties which our patriotic ances
tors bequeathed to us and designed to
be an imperishable heritage. In one
sense the cause for which they died was
lost, in another there is reason to hope
that the. example of their martyrdom
for principle will redound to the
cause of liberty at home and through
out the civilized world. The Con
federacy was lost, but true freedom in
vites us still, to effort, and beckons us
onward to eventual triumph. It may
be that the South is destined to restore
it, not aloue, for her owngood, but for
that of her oppressors. Those clouds,
which hover darkly over us, may yet
disappear, and the majesty of a brave
outraged but re-arisen people, be once
more seen in controlling power. To
effect this great result mil demand the
the utmost wisdom, energy and skill.
Let us not despair. The slaughtered
forms of our fathers, sons and brothers,
teach us in their graves, that tine men
can die for principle. Let us who
survive learn from this mournful lesson,
that it is the duty of the living to
struggle for every sacred right. I am
not advising a resort to arms Our
strength is m peace. We must con
quer by example, by precept, by adher
ing at the ballot-box, to those great
principles, of our fathers, which are
now trodden down, and not upon
ensanguined plains. The glutted vie
tor may see in time, that his own
liberty will be lost unless he shall resort
to those original doctrines which, like
an infidel he has trodden under his un
hnllowed feet. All Southern hearts
should throb in sympathy and union.
Our united strength and effort will be
needed not where the artillery thunders,
but where men peacefully congregate
to reflect and reason, and perhaps,
somewhat fearful, to look in their politi
cal pathways, for the foot prints of
Washington, Jefferson, Madison.
Adams, Hancock, und other revolu
tionary fathers. These noble patriots,
of ’76, knew no triumphs and taught
no doctrines save those which secured
peace and liberty for Ihemeelveß and
their descendents.
We have met to commemorate
the deeds and services of the Con
federate dead. We do that with the
more affectionate zeal, because, they
died for their country around whose
sacred flag were entwined the principles
of justice, oiirdearest hopes, our rights,
and honor. This hallows their patrio
tism and endears tlv ir memories the
more, to ,the friends of Southern
liberty and equality. Their footsteps
fall no more within our hearing, silent,
arc those loved voices which fell so
sweetly upon our ears, and absent are
those manly forms on which we
proudly looked. They are mantled,
now, only in their deeds of noble
daring, and in the silence and darkness
of their tombs.
As soon could we be apostates to our
homes, to our God, to our country,
our families and children, now with us
under these Southern Skies, as to the
memories of those, whose spirits whisper
do us their dying love from hundreds of
sepulchral hills and vales. Some of
them were cradled in infancy with
those who hear me now. Mothers
may be present who fondled them in
their loving arms, and fathers who
looked with pride upon their manly
forms on which they hoped to lean in
their declining years.
They were taken from your arms,
but not your hearts, to be* offered as
bleediug sacrifices for your country
and your rights. Some were taken
from the arms- of young affection
where love had joined their souls in
indissolubleties, others from the impul
ses, merely of affections ripening
smiles. And has the farewell hour
gone to be forgotten ? Perish the
thought! that dark oblivion could ever
blot from memory these sacred visions
of the past. ******
The story of these great battles, as
well as others not mentioned, must be
BANNER OF THE SOUTH aND PLANTERS’JOURNAL.
read at leisure. It is thus only, that
! the super-human efforts ol the Con
federates can be known. A combat
scatters into inumerable details. A
regiment moves in steady column t*
take a destructive battery and the con
solidated movement speaks to the eye of
conceit, strength, motnentnm, and com
bined courage and effort. This is seen
in grander colors, in the movements of
a whole brigade, or larger forces in a
grand charge. Here is the thundering
tramp of the horse shaking the
ground like an earthquake amidst the
rattling of sabres and the clash of
swords. There is a well manned bat
tery disgorging the tremendous missiles
of death and shaking the skies with
itS thundering echoes. Yonder, bodies
of men may be seen covered with
dust and sweat, thrusting their bayo
nets into each others breast in a ter
rific hand to hand eucouuter. These
murderous sights, the wounded, dy
ing and the dead with the reeking tide
of blood admidst the thunders, pomp j
and circumstance of horrid war, will
be painted upon the historic page. I
make allusion to them, merely to ex
hibit in general terms, the dauntless
valor, the indomitable spirit, the faith
ful devotion of the soldiers of the Con
federate, army.
It would seem to be almost impracti
cable for them to have achieved the
victories that they did with often two,
and sometimes three bayonets to their
one, flashing in their eyes. Yet it has
become an historic truth. It can be
accounted for only in their superior
prowess, and a holy confidence in the
rightfufness of their cause.
Os such as these are the Confederate
dead in whose honor we have assemb
led upon this occasion. Perhaps,
in some instances, if patriotism
needed an additional spur, it was
found in the inhumanities of the foe ;
in burning, pillaging, and tor
turing the victims of their power, and
worse than all, their hellish brutalities
to women. Midnight fires, in some in
stances, drove the old and the young,
feeble women and children, from their
burning homes into the lanes and
woods, when winter winds were bleak,
and lroze the rain drops as they fell.
In addition to dwelling houses, facto
ries, mills and foundries, plantation
tools and every useful thing within the
reach of the enemy, were burned or
destroyed. And where did these Con
federates die? On fields of slaughter,
with freedom’s banner waving o’er
them; in charging bayonet, to main
tain your rights; in silencing deep
throated cannon brought to batter
down your liberties, and subject you
to political inequality ; in baring their
breasts to balls and bullets to preserve
you lrom social degradation. Or they
may have caught their deaths on pick,
et, in the bivouac, or on the fatiguing
march. Or, it may be in the miserable
dungeons of Camp Douglas, Point
Lookout, Elmira, Johnson’s Island, or
some other fort or place, where they
were subjected to the inhumanities of
Federal guards. Be that as it may,
they were sacrificed upon the altar of
Southern patriotism.
It is a mournful sweep of thought to
look over those ensanguined fields.
Lightning speeds the news of the
drums deep roll, the trumpets clangor,
—artillery's deafening thunders—the
storms of battle—the shouts ot com
batants. All is over save the groans
and sighs of the wounded and dying.
Some were suddenly consigned to end
less sleep. A chilly sweat is on the
limbs of others who, with shortened
breath, murmur low the last farewell to
loved ones at their distant homes. One
parting kiss! One last embrace! No,
This is denied me. Go, spirit, and
tell them of the deepening agonies I
feel; but, tell them, too, I bravely died
for them. Yes; the spirits of those
noble martyrs still whisper to us the
gallantry of their deeds and these last
dying words. They were our Southern
jewels ; they had the souls of patriots.
Oh, Confederate dead of Georgia!—
of the whole South !—of every clime
and nation! who aided the South in
her struggle for freedom!
Embracing the doctrines of the
fathers of the Republic, that each State
was sovereign within herself—that al
legiance was due to sovereign power—
you obeyed the summons ot your
States to arms, not to destroy the old
Union, but to maintain these vital doc
trines in the new. For that reason
you hailed the star of Confederate in
dependence. Rising before the dawn
to see their coming, your hearts leap
ed with admiration as their constellated
splendor burst upon your enraptured
vigions. Each one distiuct, but all
1 united in silvery harmony to perpetuate
| the principles, the hopes, the glories of
I republican liberty. To you it was a
; fascinating presentment, the rising Eos
of new hopes, new’ destinies, new na
tional glories. For your country and
the liberties of your people, you gave
the highest and noblest evidence of
your devotion with baptismal blood.
Some of you closed your eyes in end
less sleep upon fields of battle Some
in the cold and frozen dungeons of the
North; some in far distant hospitals
where no voice of home or love could
reach you. All of you, doubtless, turn
ed there your dying thoughts. Alas!
that cruel fate denied an exchange of
parting looks, of loving words and
blessings. But, Ohs Confederate dead!
in hospitals and prisons, in cold, un
feeling graves, the deep affections of
our hearts were with you. In griet
we mourn we cannot call you back;
your race is finished; but, pride of the
South! brave knights of chivalry! we
love you still. Pulseless are your
hearts, which so nobly throbbed for
freedom, but the beauty and power of
principle, illustrated in your lives and
death, teach us that you did not die in
vain. Your people, in their grateful
admiration, will erect a monumental
shaft on which will-be commingled the
light of Nature's glowing king and the
splendor of your heroic deeds. It will
he at once a symbol of our gratitude
and that devoted patriotism which
made you die in defence of your land,
your homes, your people and their sa
wed altars.
* * * • * * *
You will perceive, ladies and gentle
men, that I have made incidental allu
sion to the names ol only a few of those
who acted in their official capacity. It
woidd have been both easy and agreea
ble to have referred to many, but I can
not allude to all, nor e\ en a small part,
either of the living or the dead, in such
terms and at such length as their merits
demand, and I have preferred to avoid
all appearance of discrimination. The
gallantry of all amidst the red fires of
war—their loyalty to duty, and forti
tude in suffering—made them objects
of our pride, and their loss, sources of
the profoundest sorrow. All were
steadfast and true. Death sealed the
earthly fates of some, and whether in
high stations or low, I leave them in
my discourse, to be embodied in the
general terms of the living or the dead.
Blessings and honor rest upon all the
living! Let honor and grateful remem
brance be accorded to all the Con
federate dead! And how shall we honor
them? llow be grateful? In our
hearts? Yes; but let us do more. Let
each one that can, unite with the mon
umental association ot Augusta, in
bearing a tangible testimony in their
■ honor, and expressive of our gratitude.
| Our hearts are monuments, but we
i must speak to the eye, and through
that, to the understandings of the pres
ent and future generations. The living
soldier must see that appropriate honor
is paid to the comrade who fell at his
side. The young, and those who may
come after us, must see that those who
wielded their swords in freedom’s holy
fight, were not forgotten, though free
dom sank with them for a time, to em
brace them in their silent graves. Let
it not be said, or thought, that affection
and gratitude were lost with the cause. ;
Spirit of liberty! forbid it
Time lies silent upon the bosom of
the future. The veil is down, but we
know not when Georgia may again
waut the aid of her sons. But the dead
are gone, let them sleep in j>eaee, and
live in our grateful memories! Where?
olt*people of the South ! is your proud
and patriotic thought The cross of
Christ is the touching symbol of God's
mercy to man. It speaks to the eye
and stirs the soul to holy thought in
his sacred temples, as it would in the
burning sands of Sahara, in heathen
groves, or by the side of the mysterious
pyramid*.
IV hat, if our cause was lost? What,
it the hopes which arose on the golden
shores ot the morning of our Southern
Confederacy were blasted so soon.
That is an additional reason for the
erection of a commemorative shaft.
Shall the sun gild our land to expose
! a cold forgetfnlness of our heroic dead,
( because we failed to conquer peace and
I freedom ? Where were these illus
; trioas martyrs in defeat ? Cold in death,
1 their mangled bodies covered many an
: ensanguined field. They bravely died
i for us; could we ask for more of them?
Let the monument tower towards the
j skies. We will gaze upon it with pa
triotic sympathy, our children will look
at it, and their hearts will glow with
pride, as they see in it a symbol of their
father's devotion to liberty and their
country.
The enemy triumphed not, because
our defenders were faithless, but, be
cause they were fiveefold numerically
stronger. When their warriors fell
they could supply their places, when
ours tell, a heavier responsibility rested
upon the remainder, for we had no
others to supply their places; and thus
the contest lasted until the Confederacy
with less than one hundred and fifty
thousand men, had to battle against
a foe with a million in the field, or at
hand to take it
• * * • * •
Mothers, who gave the last kiss to
their manly sons, when they left for the
seat of war, will remember how, with
tears streaming down their cheeks,
they watched their retiring forms until
they were lost to sight, and with many,
they were lost to "sight to be seen on
this earth no more. How many lovinsr
wives took final leave of their devoted
husbands, and thus throngh all the re
lations of love and friendship. All
such will take an interest in this grand
State enterprize of erecting a monu
ment to Georgia’s Confederate dead
They will sympathize, also, with those
who loved the dead of other States,
who were buried within our beloved
soil. Those, who were not bereaved
jin the death ot kindred, or personal
friends, must sympathize with an ob
ject which appeals so forcibly to their
patriotic sentiments and emotions.
How is it possible to escape the claim
ot honor, of continuous sacrifice, from
the call to arms through summer's heat
and winter's cold, through wars terrific
storms, and banishment from home,
with all its love and joys, to that dread
hour when death, ghastly and cold,
claimed our faithful Confederates :is its
victims.
PerhaDs it may not be amiss in me
to say, that those who w ill not aid in
I raising this monument, may plant the
| ashes of a vain regret in their souls.
| when lookiug upon it in other days, to
know that they had no part nor lot in
I placing it there. Tl* old man who
! witholds his mite, will feel that he must
soon meet those who fought and died
for his rights, but whom he failed to
honor with his grateful contribution.
The young man, who denies his pit
tance, will, when passing by it in
youthful pride, with the girl of his
heart upon his arm. be abashed in her
presence lest she may learn that it was
built unaidod by him. Even the North
ern man who differed with us on con
stitutional constructions, who fought
us bravely, but at the same time, recog
nized the integrity of our purpose and
devotion to. principle, can but admire
the sentimeut which animates our pert
j pie in thi.< grateful effort to honor the
j Confederatedead. Some of them, we
i have no will see the day when
they will come to us and hail us as the
defenders and saviours of true consti
tutional freedom.
This monument is not alone to per
petuate the valor, the honor and mem
ories of the Confederate dead, but
; the gratitude of our people, and their
l devotion to the great States-rights
principles of our glorious ancestors.
The object for which it is to be con
structed, takes in the broad sweep of
our people, and appeals to the patriot
ism of every citizen of Georgia.
To the fair daughters of Georgia it
cannot appeal in vain. Woman through
out the war was emphatically the sol
diers friend. Her tread was like an
angel s, w’hen she drew near the couch
ot the wounded soldier. Many w’ere
indebted to her ministrations for the
preservation of their lives. Even her
jnere presence and sympathy were of
incalculable value. Strange mysterious
power! for her strength lies in her
weakness, and her potency in her tears.
The babe sleeps on its mother’s bosom
and is happy. Man, like the infant,
leans upon her for happiness. Marvel
lous it is not, then, that the praises of
woman should be upon the lips of eve
|ry Confederate soldier, whose health,
j far distant from his home, needed the
I attentions which that home had given
him. We will not fail, for woman is
at work in this sacred cause. It would
lie almost vain to cherish hope without
her aid, and others will bring their al
most angelic help to give to freedom’s
sons a tribute worthy of their fame.
Man may work and fail, but woman
never fails to triumph. To those now
aiding in this grateful work, will be
added many othere, and when the work
is finished, young men and aged sires
may point to it with truth, and say, it
would have failed but for the magic
smiles and aid of woman.
Nations and peoples in all ages of
the world, have exhibited their admi
ration and gratitude in the erection ot
statues, obelisks, Mausoleum’s and
pillars, pantheons, pyramids, triumphal
arches, and other commemorative mon
uments. No people ever died in a
nobler cause than those whose services
the monumental association of Augus
ta are seeking to honor. A young na
tion sprung upon the world whose sun
soon set in blood. It is like a brilliant
dream in the flight of time, but its tale
of chivalry, though sad, will be the
story of our noble sons, fighting for
man's most sacred rights, country, hon
or, liberty and home.
What we do, let us do without de
lay. An early exhibition of generous
and patriotic contribution will encour
age others at a distance to come up
quiekly to this sacred work. One
thought alone, it seems to me, should
kindle a flame of patriotic sentiment in
the hearts of all our people; the ruddy
life drops of our heroic dead, stream
ing from their mangled bodies, upon a
hundred hard-fought fields, and freely
offered for them and freedom.
I can almost imagine, my fair coun
try-women and my countrymen, even
now, while dwelling upon this theme,
that I hear the love-tones of some Con
federate dead saying:
I may not perish thus—Farewell,
Yet no, my country, no!
Is not love stronger than the grave?
I feci it must be so!
Perhaps he was lying wounded al
most in the agonies of death, with its
dews gathering upon his pale brow.
Still bis thoughts were turned to his
country, and the verdant glades and
shady vistas of his childhood’s home.
Yes, love is stronger than the grave,
; and in saying that my task is nearly
| done, I feel in my kindling soul, some
1 magic power, which tells me that the
; principles for which our brave Confcd
] crates died, will yet blaze in triumph
I with ineffable splendour.
They never fail who die
lu a great cause; the block may
Soak their gore.
Their heads may sodden in the sun,
Their limbs
Be strung to city gates and castle walls,
But still their spirit walks abroad
Though years
Elapse, and others share as
Dark a doom.
They but augment the deep and sweep
ing thoughts
Which over-power all others, and
conduct
The world at last to freedom.
llow to have Eaki.y Tomatoes.—
To produce the earliest ripening toma
toes, just before frost, take cuttings
from the old plants and keep ‘ them in
sand, or in sharp, sandy soil during the
winter in a cool, dry cellar. The cut
: tings should be made from the base of
the old plants just above the main
roots, taking at the base end of each
cutting about four inches of the stem,
trom which new fibres or rootlets have
started, and then making the cutting
so that it will have two or more leaf
buds above the rooted end. Usually
the cutting will be about ten to twelve
inches long. It should, as soon as
taken off from the main or old plant,
have its fibrous end at once planted in
a pot or box of sand or sharp, sandy
loam, given a good watering and then
set away in a cool place, say in a dry
cellar or under the stage of a green
house. These cuttiDgs started into
growth in the latter end of February,
by plaeingthem in the south windows
ot a warmly kept living room or
placed o» the shelves of the green
house or in a hotbed frame, will give
fruit two to three weeks earlier than
the best plants that can possibly be
grown from seed. Again, he who
wishes to originate anew, early variety
by fertilizing the Alger with the early
red, will probably produce an early and
extra large, smooth variety.— Elliott.