Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1848-11-15
lFor The 4dreriiser.I
PRESENTATION OF A SWORD
TO Lieut.. Joseph Abney,
OF THE OLD '06 BOYS.

Edgetelu, al tnelr Seuelai paTaue ol the
3lsi ult., presented to The above named
Officer of The Palmetto Regiment, the
sword whic! had been agreed upon, al a
previous meeting ful that purpose. The
sword is a highly finished one, from The
alanufaclory of Gregg & Had en, Charles.
ton, with inscriptions dcnoIing the cause
and purpose Of the gift. Col. ARTHUR
sIMXISs, who was requested 10 act on the
part Of the Regiment. accompanied the
pre-enla,ion with the following address:
Lieut.. AsNEv-l have lhe honor TO dis.
charge a, This moment, what is TO me a
very pleasing duty. hold in my hand a
sword intended by The citizens of your ma,
live Regimeui, as mark Of The high aP-
probation with which We have all regard
ed your very handsome conduct during
The recent war with Mexico. Permit Inc
to say. that many Of your fellow-ciIlzens'
aud especially your early associates, watch
ed your individual progress through The
pcrilous scenes To which that war gave
rise, with much more Than ordinary inler>
est. Il was expected, sir, that you would
be found on all occasions fearless'y dis.
charging the ghduIies OF a soldier good and
true, and these expectations | speak not
for any purpose Of lattery,) have heen
mos, fully realized. We have indeed
been crallied TO recognise in your name
that of worthy representative from Old
Saluda, who bore himself wherever dam
ger was most imminent, with sallanlry
egualed by few, surpassed by none. We
were not disappointed in the confident Ie-
lief we entertained from the beginning,
that your generous enthusiasm could re-
suit in naught but honor 10 yoursel! and TO
the "home of your nativity" That ii
has done so. is doubtless, as il should be,
source Of honest pride TO you aud is GER
tainly cause Of cunSraiulalon, to your i'm
mediate felluw-oitizens. As an evidence
of our feelings towards you in this matter,
now, in behalf of The Saluda Regiment,
deliver to you this sword. Accept il, sir,
in the sense in which it is meant 10 be
given. as brave soldiers suerdon. And
if in tho progress Of The i'll boding events
which ,hicken around us, it shall become
necessary to raise the cry 40 arms for The
defence of Southern rights" we know full
well that this brish, blade will be among
The first 10 leap from lis scabbard, obedienl
to The impulsive grasp Of one who has al,
really been tried aud found faithful.
Lieut.. ADSEY, with an unaffected fer
vor, which is Que Of his highest character.
islice, replied as follows:
SiR:-I receive through you. The Re.
preventative Of The Saluda Regiment, thi:
elegant and costly sword, with The deepes
feelings Of gratitude. The handsome man
ner in which you have spoken The wishes
aud sentiments Of your people, enhance:
if possible, the value of the gift.
This testimonial of the gnod will o.
"Old Saluda," The land famous for war.
riors aud brave men. aud this high, public
manifestation Of her approval Of my ser,
vices 10 The country, is the mos, grate(u
reward I could ask, for al! The suffering:
and on the battlefield. II is an offering
too, by the ficuds Of my boyhood and by
nv fathers frieGds-by those who kne"
me a, an age when the mind has no con
{, cealmenl, and who have right to know
! me better than all others could know.
have the honor this day, and il is my slo
ry and pride. to receive from the assocl
a,es of my early youth, and from .hos
who have observed me from the cradle
",he paudit of well done thou good an
faithful servant" In the sincerity OF IN.
nature, | thank you-l thank you all 10
your uniform kindness in all The trials an
difficulties of my life. In sickness. in a
Fiction and in battle, your warm sympa
,hies, have ever, animated my heart. an
invisora,ed my feeble body. Wiiho,
this sir, should not have been spared
providence to NEE, with you on an occa
sion so full of feeling aud interest.
My absence from homo was attended
. every anguish that the body or the mil
could bear. Health was blessing, by Il
inscrutable will Of Heaven, wholly denl'
me aud the wounds Inflicted by the en-
nv had scarcely ceased to bleed, when n
bosom was made desolale by the intel
gence of The death Of all only parenl,
one of the kindesl, and nobcst and bt
of molhers. Though ii may indulge som
what TOO londly, YET the heart must sPe'
Ii She was the embodiment OF all the love
II ness, affection, purify and dignity OF W
). man; and to be a sulace and an honor
her declining years, had been The chIel o
and ambition of my life and when
= was so suddenly torn from me. fell Il
is is the great object for which lived and
- hored had been removed, The prusp'
;" before me was as blank as despair, as d;
as the grave.
You must pardon mo for aludlng Il
subject that you con only contemplate "
H. pain, hut which | dwell upon with meli
til choly fondncss. 1t was suggested by
Oh presence of my old neishbors who KIN
so well how to appreciate The warmth
my feelings.
h. Yuu have been pleased 10 speak IN K
~ aud complimentary terms of my cond
he in battle, and of my bearing in all the
NJ paIlng and exciting scenes of the er
TO campaign Of Gen. Scott. ln every SIT
ed ton in which | was called upon TO &C
to did endeavor faithfully to discharge
nd duty as a soldier, aud as citizen Of
Or great Republic. could scarcely h
tie done less than did do.