The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-07-01

| COniTOuIeu eaCll QUIET OIL ItllS SOll, anu
remembering who it is that now directs
your steps along the paths of virtue and
knowledge, memory brings back the
time when I, too, had the honour to
serve under the same great chief. STIR
red by these memories, standing IN this
presence, once again on the ground oi
this grand old commonwealth ground
hallowed by us precious blood as was
ever poured out en- battle-felds or scat
fold-surrounded by the brave sons OF
Virginia and her fair daughters, need
tell you how deep an interest this scene
possesses for ne, or how willingly
oboyed your summons hither7 Had
| any other mducemcnt been needed to
bring me here, it would have been
found in the opportunity thus offered
| to me Of manifesting my profound re-
spect and vencration for your illustrious
President, whose deeds in war have
shed imperishable lustre on his country,
and whose conduct in peace has shown
that speace hath Ter victories no less
renowned than war;"
These memories, he said, called up
the grand history of Virginia, and re-
minded him of the striking fact that the
men who had made Virginia what she
was did 80 mot more by the greatness
OF their actions than by the high prlnci-
Piles which prompted them" This
brought him easily and gracefully to his
ubject-"A firm, constant, and nncom-
promising devotion TO duty necessary to
achieve true greatness or to secure last.
ing happiness He alluded to the times
and circumstances under which these
young men would enter the battle field
Of life as we'll calculated to arouse them
20 an appreciation Of duty and an earn.
est effort to discharge it, Let the young
men of Virginia obey the order given by
Rome to her sons, "See that the Repub.
lie suffers no de,rlment." Virginia can.
not now order her sons in this proud
language Of naughty Rome, for her
voice that Of old was SO potent is stitled; /;
but in mute agony she points to the he
roic sons she has borne to teach her
younger born here to live for her, and
If need be, to die for her. He drew
an: eloquent and and vivid picture
ef Virginia calling up the heroes of her
past to speak for her. lie. held up
.WeliiL gton as an example fsteru dc.
votion to duty, ond lnotod him 90 o"J
ing, "Some Frenchman has said that
the word duty is to be found in every
page ofmy dispatches. and the word
glory not once. This is meant, | am
told, as a reproach but the foolish tel.
low does not see that if mere glory had
been my object the doing of my duty
must have been the means"
He cited many other examples from
history by which to urge to the faithful
discharge Of duty. He spoke Of the
material resources Of Virginia, and urg
cd that our young men should dignity
labor as they toised for he prosperity Of
their noble old mother. He refuted the
narrow skepticism that would refuse be-
lief IN the justice Of God because OF our
failure in the recent contest, and the no
less false doctrine that failure prove that
our cause was unjust. After many 9TH
er earnest appeals to the young men, he
closed as follows: "Should you ever
be disposed for the sake Of cxpediency
to sacrifice duty, GO to 20 Ter quiet
cemetery, and as you look upon the
grave Of Jackson. think Of that great
soldier, pure patriot, and humble Chris.
tan!
"Who taught as how to i've, and oh TOO
high, ~
For such price, who taught US how to
de."
''Shou!d any further incentive to con.
firm your wavering faith DC then need
ed, turn from the grave of the dead hero
and Christian, TO contemplate the living
one, and learn to live like him whose
inspiration has been patriotism aud
whose polar,star is duty" .,
The speech was interrupted with fre-
qnent outbursts Of applause, and the
utterances Of the honored chieftain found
an echo in every heart.