The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-04-19

of the Government, could not be settled
by argument. War came to end it. We
are defeated. We cannot labor on our
own theory to effect the common pur-
pose. The object of the North and South
was tho same, sought to be attained by
different means. As we cannot attain
and secure it by arms, let us, in good
faith unite with them, if they will accept
our aid, and endeavor to secure it by
theirs. Let us strive with them to tho
one great end. Let us submit cheerfully,
and yet not servilely to the fate of the
conquered, to the sad and stern necessi-
ties of defeat.
1t is not necessary to our we]l-being or
self-respect that we should own slaves OF
possess wealth. To lose both is less
misfortune than to be wanting in courage
and consistency and self-respect. Not to
lose the last, let us neither be ungrateful
to those who led us, nor to those who
fought in the ranks. Let us not be
ashamed of our cause. Let hatred say
what it Will. 1t cannot change the final
verdict of history. There is no room for
selfreproach A man, it has been said,
and the thought is worth hundred SER
mons. is responsible for the uprightness
of his faith, but not for the rightness of
it; and to say that our people did not be-
lieve the cause they fought for to be just
and right, is both ungenerous and false.
said before the war that, in my opn-
ion, it was the purpose of Providence to
create on this continent one great homo
gencous people out of the discordant ma
terials existing in these States, in which
great chemical process much effervesccnce'
disturbances and explosions must occur,
all at last tenoing to the common end,
and all men and all events being Gods
instruments to make US one great nation.
1 think so yet, and that, as always, har-
mony here will be the ultimate result OF
the apparent antagonism. For the most
part, men are the instruments of Derty
to effect purposes quite other than those
which they themselves aim at. We may
divide into many smaller republics ana
then become an empire; or the empire
and peace may be near at hand. Wheth-
or empire or republic, we are to be one
nation; which we shall be depends upon
the good sense of our people.
Whatever happens, repeat, we shall
be people in these Southern States
with our idosyncraccs, our fixed habits
of thought, our interests and homo affec-
tions, our undying memories of glory and
sacrifice, our destiny and our duties. We
arc now being disciplined. God punish
es only to reform. Whom the discipline
is sufficient it will cease. We shall have
no monuments of the great struggle, ex-
cept those that tell of disaster and devas-
tation no arches of triumph, no gates OF
bronze, not even our captured flags and
cannon. But VIC shall have the story of
hardships greater than those of tire men
of l776 at Valley Forge; the concious-
ness that we deserved, if we could not
win, success.
Let us, then, have no memories OF in
gratitude, to those who bled for us, to be
ashamed of! Let it not be said to our
children hereafter, that their fathers, at
ter melting each other to take up arms
and endeavor to win independence, were
so lost to all considerations of honor and
duty and manliuess, as not to provide for
the comfort of the sick, the manned and
the helpless, who, having no country to
pension them, no sovereign to build them
hospitals for invalds, have only their own
impoverished countrymen to look to Tor
sustenance and life.
,rr;tor for the Madison (End.) Jour-