The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1868-08-01

iison amid tho incessant storm of shot and
shelby the hcroic Elliott
These arc the memories SO full Of mingled
pride and sadness which arc allowed me TO
stand among my fclow-citizcns Of Charleston,
and which made me long to lcok once more
upon the spot that gave me birth.
have not forgotten how many of your no
blcst and bravcst sons followed my standard
through all the cvcntful days of the war; and l
wished to look upon the faces and grasp again
tho hands of these comrades, so tt ii and so
true. wished to thank them i'll tue presence
OF their kindred for their services, and to cx-
press my deep sense Of obligation to them.
desirod TO take counsel with them upon tho
grave issues that arc forced upon us, to draw
hope from their courage, and to adjurc them
by every memory of the glorious past,-Ly
their immortal dead, who gave their lives to
thcit country-by your children, who have the
right to claim Of you as their heritage an cs-
cutchcon untarnishcd by shame and dishonor--
by every hope Of the future to be true to them.
selves, aud to prove to our friends, as well as
to our enemies, that "thcrc's life in the old
land yet" The ingenuity of hate may seek
To humilatc you-malignity may strive to as
pcrsc your fair fame-tyranny may opprcss you
but remember that you cannot be degraded
save by your own acts. Be true, be firm be
patient, and dclivcrancc will surely come.
Gcntlcmon, hope and believe that the blessed
day OF our dcliver;nco is drawing near. The
signs in the political skies are full of hope, and
we bring back to you from the united Demo
cracy of the North tidings of great glcc.
When the Democratic Convention was called
together, and the Southern States were invited
to participate in itf deliberations. nv opinion
was decided that We should accept the invita-
tation promptly; and my conviction is clear
that in doing SO We have not only acted wisely
but VIC have done great good to the South and
to the Democratic party. Alter free and full
consultation with delegates in the Convention,
representing nll the Northern States, 1 am
lllloronghly CON- yinced That the great heart of
I, TINT It beats
in profound sympathy with the suffering South;
that it is fully alive to the dangers which
threaten to destroy the constitution and the gov
crnment and that it is unacrably fixed in its
purpose to rescue that constitution from de-
struction, to restore that sovcrmcn, to its lc-
sitma'c functions, aud to bring lack the
Soutl> =. States to their PLACE in The Union.
with all their rights, dignity anl equality nm
impaired.
These are The objects for which the Demo
cratic party are fighting; aud. pnuting them
selves on the Appiau Way ss ss the constitu.;~.
'sn.....s once more il ,,cndsh;, ,bc bon1s or
m -..or Drcthrtn Of The South, setting up again
the broken altarS of the country, they have
sworn never to cease fighting until their objects
arc accomplished. Aud, gentlemen, believe
they are honest and sincere in the professions
they make. l believe they will be true to us
if We are but true to ourselves believe they
not only have the will, but the power to relieve
us from this odious tyranny under which we
have groaued for three wears
Nor were these patriotic sentiments confined
to the members Of the Democratic party alone
for they animated in an equal degree the hearts
OF the delegates to that other great Conycn-
ton in New York composed of Federal SOL
dicrs ana sailors-thosc men who believing
that they were right-as we believed that VIC
were right-fought honestly for their States as
We did for ours; who fought only for the re-
storation of tho Union and tho supremacy of
tho constitution, and who, thinking their ends
gained when we laid down our arms, meet us
as brave and honorable men should be met ;
who recognize in us no longer foes, but brcth-
rcn; aud who, bnrying al past differences in
one common grave, extend to us the right hand
OF fellowship. |, for one, accept the hand SO
frankly extended. The man who fought
brayely for his State and cause rs l did for
mine, and who, telling me now that his sole
object was 60 preserve the Union under the
consttution-who, greeting INC ON the broad
and noble platform of the Democracy, extends
i'll that hand which so lately grasped the sword
the olive branch Of pcacc-I greet him us IA
comradc in that battle which we are now fight
ing ior constitutional government and liberty
Tremendous applausc]
yield to none in devotion to that "I.ost
Cause" for which VIC fought. Never shall
admit that the cause itself failed, and that the
V,in,;nIoo wb;nb ,,ovn :, l;i,, ,ynr, ,I,o,,r,.,