The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1865-07-27
speeoh Of DIE Hon. B. f, Perry.


hes3d daylofJuly, 1865.
Mr.. CnMRstaN: This public meet
ing OF the citizens of Greenville Is one
of deep humiliation and sorrow. A
cruel and bloody war has swept over
the Southern States One hundred and
fifty thousand Of our braveSt and most
gallant men have fallen on the fields Of
battle I The land is filled with mourn.
ing widows and orphans There is
scarcely q house in which there has not
been weeping for some loved one lost I!
Three thousand millions of dollars have
been spent by the Southern States in
carrying on this war And now we
are called upon to give up four millions
of slaves, worth two thousand millions
Of dollars more! Our cities, towns and
villages are smouldcring ruins Con.
querlng armies occupy the country.
The Contederacy has fallen, and we
have been deprived of all civil govern
ment and political rights. We have
neither Jaw nor order. There is no pro-
lection for life, liberty or property
Everywhere there is Decentralization,
rapine and murder! Hunger and star.
vatlon are upon rs And now we
meet as disgraced and subjugated peo-
pie, to petition the conquerer to restore
our lost rights Sach arc the bitter
fruits of secession
How different, Mr.. Chairman, in tone,
spirit and character, was that meeting
Of the citizens of Greenville Just FIVE
years ago, in this same building, which
inaugurated this most fatal, bloody and
disastrous revolution Then all was
JOY, hope, excitement and confidence.
Seated in my law Office, looking towards
this court house, saw a crowd of per.
sons rushing in, composed Of college
boys and their professors, merchants,
mechanics, doctors, lawyers and idlers
from the hotels, with a sprinkling of
farmers and planters. Soon / heard the
public speaking commence, and the air
was rent with the.wild and rapturous ap.
rlause Of the excited audience. The
more extravagant the denunciation of
the Union, the louder were the shouts of
applause I repeated in my heartthe
memorable words of Christ-'Father
t0rgire them, they kaoW MT phat Hcv
do F' My mind was then filled with
the worst forebodings as to the future.
| thought ] Ioresaw al the evils which
have since belallcn our beloved country.
But my political influence was gone, and
my voice was powerless to stay the an.
gry and excited feelings of my fellow.
citizens.
r We were at that time, Mr.. Chairman,
the most prosperous, free and happy
people on the face Of tho earth. The
sun had never shonc Oh an empire or ma.
ton whose future WIS more bright and
glorious. But the public mind had, un-
fortunately, been prepared, in the South.
crn States, for thirty years past, for an
effort at disunion. The people had
been induced TO believe that disunion
would be a quiet blessing, and that it
might come without war and bloodshed
The leading politicians of the South
were nnxiously waiting for plausible
,psassxt for seeding from the American
Bhion. The election of Abraham Lin.
coin President of the United States by
sectional party, At the North, was re-
garded as favorable opportunity for
accomplishing their long cherished pur.
pose. We were told, after this event,
that there was no longer any safety in
the Union for slavery. or our cons1tu.
tiona rights!
Let us now see, Mr.. Chairman, if
there was any truth in this assertion.
Mr., Lincoln was elected in direct con.
formity with the Federal Constitution.
He was elected in consequence Of the
political divisions and dissensi6ns at the
South. Had the Southern States been
united on one candidate, instead of vot-
ing for three. the result would have been
different. Mr.. Lincoln only received a
little more than one third of the votes
cast in the Presidential election. He
therefore went into Office with large
majority of the American people Oh.
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