Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 21.djvu/54

 46 Southern Historical Society Papers.

with burning tears, and whose dauntless breasts were heaving with uncontrollable sobs. Alas, the star of our fortunes set when he fell, and thenceforth " unmerciful disaster followed fast and followed faster," until our meteor flag, conquered, but still spotless and glorious, went down forever !

On this sad anniversary day let us therefore remember him, and with him all our slain brothers in arms, of whom he is the noblest representative.

But how shall we, how can we do sufficient honor to their memo- ries? We look in vain around us this day for a stately structure to commemorate their names. Nothing meets our eyes, nothing but

" A simple sodded mound of earth,

Without a line above it ; With only fragrant votive flowers To show that any love it! "

Imperial Rome, rich in the spoils of a world, could eternize in marble and in bronze the triumphs of her legions; and the columns of Trajanus and Antonine, the arches of Titus and Severus, are still standing to-day to rescue from oblivion the proud names of her Csesars. Greece, radiant with the prodigality of genius, crystalizes the glories of her past ages in the unrivaled outlines of the Parthe- non, while nature itself endows her with the imperishable monuments of Thermopylae and Salamis.

But, alas! not for us, the despoiled sons of the war- wasted South, to build such memorials to our lamented dead. Not for us to dedi- cate the " storied urn or animated bust." Yet, let us not despond if adversity still forbids us to erect proud mausoleums to our fallen heroes. The day will come, doubt it not, when returning prosperity will enable us to do this. But meanwhile there are other monuments, " not made with hands," yet more lasting than brass, whose founda- tions it is our present duty to sink so deep that they may endure for- ever. They are those traditions and sentiments which live eternal in the hearts of a nation, and become interwoven with its very ex- istence.

The Israelite, descended from God's chosen people, needs no lofty pile to remind him of his deliverance from Egyptian bondage, so long as the Passover remains to him as a perennial memento of Ex- odus. His simple observance of his anniversary day has outlived Solomon's magnificent temple, merely because, though conquered,