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world. The echoes of Prentiss's eloquent voice still linger in the; valley of the Mississippi. Breckenridge's body lies under the sod of Kentucky, but he lives among her sons an inspiration and a glory.
And to-day there comes to us, and shall come to those after us, the voice of our dead, solemn with the emphasis of another world, more eloquent than that with which he was wont to charm us. It says to us : Children of Georgia, love thy mother. Cherish all that is good and just in her past. Study her highest interests. Discover, project and foster all that will promote her future. Respect and obey her laws. Guard well her sacred honor. Give your richest treasures and best efforts to her material, social, intellectual and moral advancement until she shines the brightest jewel in the diadem of the Republic.
Men of the South, sons of the proud cavalier, bound together by common traditions, memories and sentiments, sharers of a common glory and common sufferings, never lower your standard of private or public honor. Keep the Church pure and the State uncorrupted. Be true to yourselves, your country and your God, and fulfill the high destiny that lies before you. Citizens of the Republic, love your system of government, study and venerate the Constitution, cherish the Union, oppose all sectionalism, promote the weal and maintain the honor of the Republic. " Who saves his country saves himself, saves all things, and all things saved do bless him ; who lets his country die lets all things die, dies himself ignobly, and all things dying curse him."
Illustrious citizen of the State, of the South, of the Republic, thou hast taught us to be brave in danger, to be true without the hope of success, to be patriotic in all things. We honor thee for thy match- less eloquence, for thy dauntless courage, for thy lofty patriotism. F"or the useful lessons thou hast taught us, for the honorable exam- ple thou hast left us, for the faithful service thou hast done us, we dedicate this statue to thy name and memory. Telling of thee, it shall animate the young with the highest and worthiest aspirations for distinction ; cheer the aged with hopes for the future, and strengthen all in the perils that may await us. May it stand endur- ing as the foundations of yonder capitol, no more firmly laid in the earth than thy just fame in the memories and hearts of this people. But whether it stand pointing to the glories of the past, inspiring us with hopes for the future, or fall before some unfriendly storm, thou shah live, for we this day crown thee with higher honor than Forum or Senate can confer. " In this spacious temple of the firmament,"
