The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-12-25
Christmas, 1867.

Two years of time, two years of winds and
rains, two years of discontinued war have
changed the whole face of the battle-helds OF
the South. Where the armed men stood, the
red bird and blue bird twitter and chirp; where
the banners waved, now waves the rank luxu-
RANT grass; where shone the sword and bayo
net, now glisten the spear of the broom 'sedge
and the rich dark leaves of the Southern ever
green; where frowned the muzzles of the iron
guns, now creep the gaudy wild flower and the
ruddy shrubs of winter; over the half-oblite-
| rated mounds there droops the Southern myr-
| tie; and around the weather stained head
| board has bloomed the sweet 'forget-me-not."
| The edge of embrasure and parapet is blunted
and dull; and the agony of these who wear
the widows weeds or bear the sombre Grape
has been softencd and still.
The course of time has worn away the sharp
edge of the bling tooth of pain, and now at
lastt1m4y life and death bring forth a rich and
precious fruit.
In the memory of those who have fallen
there lies en- inspiration and o promise; in
their career shall lie an encouragement and a
hope. They watched and waited, they bled and
died, they suffered and did not falter. They
were not weary of living because fortune turned
against them; they were not disheartened
while there remained a single foe to meet; they
did not despair while the will was strong and
firm, and the sinewy frame was whole.
Here then is the model and the example for
the people of the South. They have to bear
the oppression of power and the dOwn-treading
of the fanatic;-but they must bear them with
fortitude. They have to endure the loss of right
and caprice of wrong;-but they must endure
with courage. They have to meet o thousand
trials and dangers;--but they must meet them
with patience and with hope. The Southern
soldier fought the battle Of war; the Southern
| people now fight the battle of life. This is
now o soldier people. Each Southern man is
| fighting against a host Of doubts and tempta-
tions. Inevery form, and on every side, is the
temptation to leave the ranks and desert those
/ COlOrS Oh WulCu IL lusCElucu,-
t~ice-Liberty. Can those be towards, for
whom the Southern soldier fell? Can these
turn back, for whom the Southern soldier brave
ly faced the foe? Can these be recreant to
their trust, for whom the Southern soldier
tough, and fought so we'll?
Tho lame of the fallen is our name; their
memory is our memory; their sword still hangs
upon the wall; their rifle stands in the chimney
corner; their picture is craven on our souls.
Cheered by them, encouraged by them, in
spired by them,-we will fight down want and
poverty, we will conquer hardship and trouble,
we will wrest fortune from the bosom of the
future, we will drag success out of the dark
depths of uncertainty and doubt. This can
be done, and may be done. Let US but live as
these men lived, and fortune, honest fortune,
must and will be ours; let us be brave as they
were brave, and the army Of the South,-the
army now warning against these troublous
times,-wiIl be victorious in the combat, and
make every Southern home smile with plenty
| and rejoice in the abundance of its wealth.