Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-07-13

creu spot Wnefe, hrst IN my youth, reclined
as supplant at the shrine of Minerva
fair goddess of wisdom--and sought to imbibe
tho fret elements of science and literature, und
wlierO waa wont to drink puro and unalluyed
dtnugbts from the perennial funpt of knUwl.
edge i; here, in my buyhoods ea,licr days,
have ofion met in scenes Of nirh aud peasu, F:
, nnd oft have heard the merry laugh, tie school.
boys joyous shout ringing through these splen.
did groves, and ieverLeraling From, the distant
llills. Ainoilg all these scenes, mnmuly finds Il.
resting place, aud loves to li,tgcr; buf t,ey have
vanished, gone .glimnierring IN the dream Of
things tli,tMclo." Aud, in glalcng or this
audience so'day ] recognize nnny 'nccs fami:
still, and rcnd - sacrcd by IN ), luyed asso.
ciations nnd ,asins recollections And,
though have evui cntcrtSiEcd tile most exalted
nplnion ut your generous nuturcs aud liberal
sentiments, yet must confess that l was lit
, tic priAcd--agrcchbly surprised and graificd
wien was 'nior"ci 'h"t it was your deter
minatlon to meet together upon this occasion,
with inc view OF organizing yourselves into an
nssocintioh, for the purpose Of aiding and sup.
porting the glnriuus cause of tho sunny South
Aud yet there is M ground for surprise when
we but tcmc!nbcr that tho precious blood of
iIo Is rccly conrsing your veins to-day
But when left my home my native District
| scmo six months since. for the purpose of pur-
suing my studies ut our Stmte Institution,
must confess tint irit rather de- s,un,lent for
anticipated this crisis, and wus ii little distrrst-
ful that our mountain District would not be as
prompt ns, ready III acting her part, us had
! long hoped to see her. Nut, that / had a cause
to entertain nny such nh opinion, but, simply
becnusc it wns spoken Of by others; for cor
tainly, thought aud believed that the hearts
and sentiments OF our people wero rs brave
ana rs generous as any upnn the face OF tho
globe; but being pursuudcd otherwise was
thcn nnxiuus for the test, it came, aud my ma
mi MI II,
honor, and soon she was pointed out to inc rs
the banner District Of our State. And when
heard Of her noble movements in the glorious
cause OF liberty and freedom, ! VAS clnted
my heart bent with cmotiui,, aud thanked INV
God that was still II citizen of this mountain
country. And since witnessed the unparal.
lelcd victory and triumph Mt the battle of Fort
Sumter, since seen tho tlash and heard the
music OF th,s huge cannons, since ! seen the
stars and Stripcs-oncc noble standard, hut clio.
rlous only III tho last-torn down from tho
Iatt"r"! val and smoking ruins nf that buastcd
fortress and i'iat Dt .hc gallant little Palmetto
state, together with tho Stars nnl bars Of our
Southern Confcdcracy-snrrlnnt it, hive cn.
tertnincd no fear lnr the Ultimate irccdum and
independence "f tho South. No, we've got
.lie cause; we've got the mon aud wnmon-we
mmt and We will bc tfcc.N We li,,ye van
Guished them in the first bnttlc---in every skir.
mish-nnd VIC will vunquisl tl,cm in the Wa
terln", FOR TINT victory was but tic prelude to
our final victory.
You ladies, burning today will, patriotic ar.
dor..rcmindcd me most OF the memorable ma.
irons ut tho American rcvtlution-thcv wc,c
not found cold and distant to tho cause Of that
rcvolutlon; but over ready md active, with
hearts aud hands to assist our frcfuthcrs in
the cause in which they wcrc struggling. And
he it ever remembered by you. That it was in
part ny the genial influence Of their smiles and
nrrr"valS. that the rights and liberties. which
you have so long and so freely cninycd we're
achieved, and forget not thu, in their lives and
characters you have pre.cminent example.
worthy Of your admiration aud invitation And
now, that America. like ancient Greece nnd
komc, has Just passed thrnugh the golden age
of our national existence, during which -four.
shcu the arts anil sciences, Tranquility and
prosperity prevailing But since these scene.
arc Der, mud The irnn ago is rushing mon US.
favorable for nnught but strife and confusion,
tiio timo again t. try mems souls. when we he.
hold III our midst the obscure visagc of Mars
the stern God OF war-nna when we hear the
soldiers tramp--thc clash and Resembling ,.r
arms-the sound Of martial music. and lrhnll
spread out before us the tented field. we trust.
nh! we know that you will not prove ungra,c.
tnl for the rnSt bu we too Shalt be animated
aud enc"nin, cd bvy, u" mile; ui apn.uynis-
hdcrd, y NJ ~ MS and resolutions icr,I;,,
acIu't YOU am a.c common liable in .,c high
Cat drgroc. We, ladies', are proud to-day .! o. T.
ancc> ors, the women OF the revolution. but
pr"uirr still are'wc ut ynu our mot hers sisters
and swcct-hrart,: And |. can assure yuu that
tho rights ansl influence of Your patriotic
movements will not lie confined alone within
tho narrow limits of our own Sunny cline, bu,
they will penetrate far within the Irearv re-.
gnns of the North. aud be scnSibly felt anil re.
allied there, and will strike terror and confu.
sion to tho hearts and souls (ir hearts and
souls they hnve) Of the infamous aud villain
ous Yankees. But whilst you tcrrfy those ty.
rants and braggadocios, rcmcmbcr that YOU are
nearing tho hearts and sonls Of the men and
boys Of Carolina. and indeed of The entire
South, and that they together with our Bcaurc-
gard, will send the last IIcssinn in dnnhc
quick q 40 time from the heights Of Old Vir.
ginia, and we'll soon teach those. dotestablc ty-
rants and traitors of the sccnnd revolution
lesson, as did our ancestors the British of the
first. Thus you will send on our brave boys
conqucring and to conquer" until the last
toe is driven from our soil. until the Inst wrong
is redrcsscd. tho last outrage avenged. tho last
battle fought, the victory won, and tho South
FREQ and independent forever.
In conclusion, ladies', permit mo to tender
you my sincere and hearty thanks for the hon
or and favor you have conferred upon mo.
. -
Roll
Cf Ma Tmclce Mite Iuiuntrcrs ,vho hare
fanSje'Ted Meir scrUiccS to tie Confederate