Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1862-03-15

and the dearest rights of mankind. The
whole land, North and South, will bear tcsti-
mony to the fidelity and earnestncss with
which the people of tho South warned, en-.
treated, and expostulatcd with, our once
!" brethren Of the North as to their proceed
ings ~ respect to our cherished institutions
and principles aud that they ouly gave up
the ship" when oil. was lost; when no hope
OF hvlng together, as brethren, remained. We
were with. God (" then, when We said to our
Northern brcthron (?) as. Abraham said to
lot, tos you g9ato the right and We will go to
SsS Is Y s,s ssxeTansat you ,',iiIg Ike, g
sa wss oxfsssaS Ws as Il tis ,rans
action. y If eyer a Government was founded
on prayer and the pious sentiments of pco-
pic, ours was ); and cvcry Providence relating
to Its establishment, indicated the Divine IA
vor. Among those Providcnces were the sur
prlslng unan'nity and cordiulty that prevailed
IN oil sections and among all classes, with only
here and there an exception.
Again, when our enemy (for such havo tho
North now become began to make prepara-
tons for war, as ,ncans Of wrestling from, us
our rights, and we were forced Sto initiate
measures for the defence and maintcnancc of
those rights say .fDrccd, for We used every
means that all honorablc,and patriotic people
could use to prevent soidire calamity-then
also God was with us and wcEwith Him. We
proposed not to interfere With any of our ono.
my's rights, and asked nothing, of him but to
be lot alone, But, 5fnding that he would lis,
ten to no proposals looking to peace on thcs
basis OF an amicablo separation, wo planted
ourselves on the Word Of God3as the fouuda-
ton upon which rested the Justice Of our
cause and, making our appeal to the Lord
God of Hosts, wo resolved to sustain that
causc MIwith our lives, our. fortunes ard our
sacred honor" Then was there all over, this
lind 81 looking uptot the hills whence com,cth
our help" Days of fasting apdSpraycr wore
appointed, d,--which have since been repeat.
cd,-andd faithfully observed by all classcs
amongstaa: We knew md felt that we bud
embarked on porilous enterprise, and we
sought earnestly and confdingly tho blessing
ot God upon our counsels and 9our aru,ss =:
which VIC could do? sincerely, because our
cause was tho cause of truth and righteous
ncss Our people then feltsand acted MS a
On ,isttaM ia people q spenk noW;of the. gsaer,9
ssaIsas sass pgsyailsa and rssog.ed e
las soldiers 70 put 81 tiieir Military
attire and to pitch their fonts, reports came
up from all quarters that they too were gener-
ally disposed to encourage religion, sobriety
and morality. Then it was that COD ,cas
tWlh .ps while we were with IIim-we sought
Him and lie was found of us. Need / re-
mind you Of tho many signal Provideaces that
favored US in our first engagements with the
enemy How the winds, the clouds and the
mists mnistcrcd to our aid and to the disco,nfit,
ure of our enemy? You have otforgottcn the
"Star of tho West" that sought stenthily to
reinforce and provision that Fort (Sumter)
that had been stolen from us and armed against
US, and how she was crippled by the we'll -direc.
ted (shall not say Heaven directcd) guns Of
our then feeble batteries, and thus compelled to
return whence sho came, withoutaccomplishine
he? purpose! Aud thus was our enemy not only
humbled, but discouraged from making siimi
lar attempts, the success Of which would have
materially damaged our cause. And&nced |
remind you Of the bombardmcnt of that Fort
and the blootlicss victory there, achieved b,
our arms? Was mt God witllus then, no,
only in giving us tho Fort, but in doing sc
without the loss of single life or limb? And
there it now stands a terror to tho enemy
and there believe it will stand if our people
will do their duty and trust in God, unless il
W tha1 hou uoSlSnS 10 CnaSton US Tor paS
transgressions. And need remind you agar
(passing by :" Great Bethel and other vcto
ries) Of tho bloody Plains of Manassas, whcrc
our army achieved world.rcnowned victory
against all odds, both as TO- numbers and mu
nitlons of war? Thoro VIC met the cncmv
inflated with the expectation of certain su G.
cess not only Of victory in tho field, but d
R{Sompletely ovcrthrowipg our Government and
lE!laeeacling our Rulers, Officers and citizens
!, ,tbut, God was with us, and turned tho enemy q.
r 7 uonnsels-tn into foolishness," and drove him
back whoncc he came, in confusion, terror and
disgrace. Who but an Iufidcl could doubt
that the hand of God sustained our troops on
that torrible day? Soldiers, spectators and
visitors, all united in ascribing the praise and
honor thoreof to Him who doeth His plcas
ure in tho armies Of Heaven and amoug tho
inhabitants of earth"
But, my hearers, / must now turn your at
tention to another md ,uournful view of OH,
case. The above.namcd victories, and others
taat preceded and followed In rapid succession
Inflated tho minds of our people with pride
md vain-glory. We began to feel our noun.
tain strong; and selfconfdeuoe and selfreli,
ancc took the place ofihunble dependence
upon God. Tho Yankees were denounced as
towards aud it was thought that our troops
had lothing6to do but march to tile feldiof
rcmain in their. Notifications, and victory
would bo certhin, oven should the eneIny out
! number @' thrco to ono. Then our people
forsook God, ceased to, seek Him as formerly,
X Il ~ A i =