Page:Abraham Lincoln address (1909).djvu/42

 of that cause; they know that many of the things written about the cause and conduct of the North, and its leaders, and especially about Mr. Lincoln, are false. Are we so debased and cowed by the results of the conflict that we must remain silent about these for the sake of political expediency or material gain, and not tell our children the truth, when our quondam enemies have furnished us the evidences of that truth? If we do, then, in our opinion, we are unworthy of our Confederate uniforms, and to have been the followers of Lee and Jackson and their compeers. If we remain silent, can we expect those who come after us to speak? Nay, will they not rather interpret our silence as a confession of guilt, and that we deemed our cause an unholy one? So that, it seems to us, this address not only finds its justification on the low plea of "retaliation in kind," but that its justification rests upon the impregnable foundations of truth and necessity, as well as that of a duty we owe alike to the memories of our dead comrades, to ourselves, our children and our children's children.

"Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."