The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-06-29

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speak not only for myself and these
gentlemen who have accompanied
me, but also for our associates whom
we have the honor to represent here
to-day.
The accident which caused 80 much
interruption, anxiety and loss both of
time and money, has not been with
out its benefits. cit is an ill wind
that carries no good with it." Our
pains and sicknesses are often follow
ed by a tirmer state of health, and
our misfortunes often develop ener-
gies which before lay dormant. Under
the pressure of adverse circumstances
we often accomplish what seemed to
us impossibilities. So in the present
case. We thought we had done all
we could when we committed to the
unfortunate steamer Andalusin our
gift for the tiremen Of Columbia, and
when this was lost beyond recovery,
some hearts, perhaps, felt that no
thing more could be done. But
"where there is will there is a way"
The accident, as 1 have said, is hot
without its benefits; we have the
pleasure of being once more amongst
our brethren of the South, to look
upon kindly faces and hear words of
honest friendship and welcome. This
IS no small matter. But this is not
all. We have now the means of
proving that our first effort was not
the result of spasmodic sympathy,
but OF q genuine and continuous
friendship for our countrymen and
brother firemcn. We bring moro
perfect gift, if possible, and it will
seem to you, us it does to us, as if it
had arisen phoenix like from the ashes
of the first.
Nor is this all the benefit. We
ourselves have been aroused to greater
energy, and we soon determined that
what man could do, we would do
that you should suffer no disappoint-
ment, and that the city of which you
are, in some degree, the guardians,
should not be left without the means
of protection from the devouring ele-
ment.
remember standing in forest,
during great storm. Before, there
had been dead stiffness reigning in
the air. The woods were hushed, and
the waves of the broad river, that
rolled on beyond, were at rest, re-
tectlng on its bosom each form of
hill and rock in the vicinity. But, in
the midst of this delightful calm, an
awful peal of thunder broke over
my head, and Il deluge of rain soon
alter began to descend from hhe dark
1olds OF the angry clouds that crowd
ed the sky, while, at brief intervals,
and IN terrific splendor, the gather
ing hghtnings broke across the hea-
vens. On the river, the waves ran
high and dark, as the storm swept
furiously onward, and the tall masts
OF the shipping were bowed low, and
many men stood brcathless in their
peril, and felt that human skill was
batfied. On the land, the furious
winds swaycd the Old giants of the
forest, among which 1 stood, to and
fro, like the tender grass of the field;
and, after the storm, there came n
calm, so serene and beautiful, that L
shall never forget it, nor can L ade-
quately describe it. The wind en-
tlrely ceased III its violent course, and
the troubled billows softeucd down to
repose The forest trees, so tall and
powerful, stood us erect and noble rs
before, and stretched out their mighty
arms, rs ii for mutual embrace,
while, from their green foliage, there
hung, Glittering in bright sunshine,
that had burst in upon the harmony
of the scene, countless jewels from
the clouds, that seemed to light up
voice of triumph to the sky and wind.
Gentlemen, the blast OF the trumpet
reused our whole nation, from the
centre to its circumference. From q
hundred till-tops, the brand of fire
has been waved, and thousands of
gorgeous banners have been uMfurled
to the breeze, and the din and noise
and smoke OF battle became familiar
things to us during our late civil
storm But all these have died ont,
and peace has come among us, to
bless us with its triumph, and to-day
the iiremen Of Northern New York
strike hands with their comrades of
Southern Columbia; and in doing so
We N''i upon oHI 1clioW-cItIHcnS Oh Tie
two great sections 10 emulate our cX-
ample, and thus to hasten restora-
tlonto itsnorma! condition and grand
proportions OF our once beautiful and
still united national fabric. 4 COM
mon desire to be useful to our fellow
men has irresistibly drawn us together
into the closest brotherhood. Al
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