Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/526

 520 Southern Historical Society Fapers.

lina played in the bloody drama, permit me to close by commendino most heartily the purposes of this society, and congratulating you on its progress. There are among us unnatural sons of the soil, who being enlightened by the knowledge-inspiring sweets of Federal flesh-pots denounce your labors as evincing a purpose to keep alive the fires of sectional bitterness, and feed a spirit of ill-faith toward our presentjduties. Again, there are others in our midst, timid souls, abounding in those good intentions which are said to constitute the paving stones of a certain nether locality, who say they /ear these charges are just, or at least our action looks that way, and had better cease for that reason. I cannot agree with either. I am sure such imputations are libellous. The preservation of the truth — especially the truth of history — challenges the interest of all mankind. To set forth the real dteds which we and our associates enacted and the real issues before us as the only proper motives which incited to their per- formance, is a solemn duty we owe to ourselves and to posterity. It is especially due' to our own posterity — to those who are to succeed us as citizens of the United States under a peculiar and most compli- cated system of government. The light which our conflict will afford them in grappling with many difficulties of the future, will be as a lamp to their feet, if our story be truly told; but if falsely related, it would prove a delusion and a snare. False history must teach false lessons. And false indeed would have been the verdict of the muse had it been inspired alone by the bitter rantings and partisan war cries of one side ; and that side, too, making history, or trying to make history, for the purpose of keeping itself in power. But after a season, bold and representative men begin gradually to creep into the national Legislature and other positions where their voices may be heard. Your society, by a happy inspiration, is formed and begins the work. Both sides now make statements ; contention arises, and from its fiery heats, so alarming to the timid, comes forth the precious gems of truth, pure and glorified, whose lessons like the leaves of the tree of life, are for the healing of the nations. Surely, there is in our story food to satisfy the reflective and to fire the hearts of the brave for many generations; how that written constitutions, which men are sworn to support, are yet as feathers in the gale be- fore the fierce passions excited by interest, sectional hatred, and religious bigotry; and that the only hope of freedom is, after all, when her anchors take hold deep down in the hearts of men ; how that a simple agricultural people, unused to war, without manufac-