Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/190

 184 Southern Historical Society Papers.

of our recollections on this occasion of our annual reunion, any of the great achievements in battle of the famous army in which it was our fortune to have served, and our well justified pride to have. be- longed, I would rather, quoting General CoUey's estimate of the forces of the Southern army for my text, talk to you this evening of the Confederate army itself, than of its deeds; especially of that part of if, the memory of which this Association preserves. To recall how it was that from a few detached volunteer militia companies, the Army of Northern Virginia grew in the course of a year, as it has be?n said, into the greatest body of infantry the world has ever seen. To revive and catch again to-night if we can, somewhat of the fire and enthusiasm of that time which carried us so hurriedly into its ranks, and somewhat of the devoted patriotism which kept us there so patiently amidst all the sufferings and privations of those four long eventful years.

In his essay on Burns, Carlyle thus speaks of the love for his mother-land — Scotland. He says:

" We hope there is a patriotism founded on something better than preju- dice; that our country may be dear to u.s without injury to our philosophy — that in loving and justly prizing all other lands we may prize justly and yet love before all others our own stern mother-land, and the venerable structure of social and moral life which mind has through all ages been building up for us there. Surely there is nourishment for the better part of man's heart in all this ; surely the roots that have fixed themselves in the very core of man's being may be so cultivated as to grow up not into briers but into roses in the field of life."

May we, too, not hope that that patriotism, which a quarter of a century ago so fired our hearts, was founded on something better than prejudice and passion? That our country — our Southern country — was dear to us without injury to our philosophy, and dear to us now — dearer to us now — without injury to our loyalty to the government which, despite all our valor and struggle, God saw fit firmly to establish over us? That in justly prizing our American citi zenship, we may prize justly and yet love before all others our beau- tiful and sunny South? There is surely nourishment for the better part of our hearts in prizing the structure of the social and moral life which, through generations, have been forming our Southern charac- ter.

Do not let us believe that we can do honor or benefit to the nation at large by ceasing to be ourselves, and attempting to mould our- .selves upon others. If we would really serve this country — this whole country — this American nation, so far from suppressing our