The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1868-10-14
which were embodied and estab

which were embodied and estab
! lished by a heroic ancestry in 1889,
after seven long years of heroic
sufferings, privations, defeats and
victories that we might trans
nit them, purified, chastencd and
refined, to generations yet unborn
yes that we might make them
perpetual and immortal. (Cheers.) }
These were the high and lofty
i sentiments which moved the grand
masses of my countrymen, and
which caused them to make so
holy a baptism of the bravest and
best blood in all Of our beautiful
Southern land and a sacrifice of
untold wealth. You, on your part,
as proclaimed by Mr.. Lincoln,
fought for the maintenance Of the
Constitution and the preservation
of the Union in it's integrity, and
not for the conquest and .subjuga-
ton, of the South. (Deafening
applause.) This he proclaimed was
the only ground which he could
rest the justice of the war, either
with you or with foreign powers.
We have failed to achieve that for
which we fought. You by over
whelming numbers and greater
material resources, have prevailed.
AS we were desperately sincere
and earnest in our determination
to win when we went into the
contest, so when we sheathed our
swords and stacked our arms upon
the battlefield, and turned our
backs upon the vast armies Of
General Grant and Sherman, we
did so with equal sincerity and
determination to 60 to our homes
and spare no effort iii rebuilding
our broken and shattered fortunes,
in restoring our country to law
and order, and bringing her back
to peace, prosperity and happiness,
and in rendering every assistance
in our power to maintain the Con-
stitution and preserve the Union
in its integrity. cloud Applause }
These were the feelings and senti-
ments that moved the souls Of the
Scared veterans of the South
when they shook hands with, and
babe farewell to, their noble COM
manders and each other, and has
tened to their homes to move out
into new future. On our arrival
in South Carolina we found the
State government in full opera
ton in all Of its departments.
The latter part of May, 1865, the
Governor of the State was arrested
and imprisoned by order of the
President Of the United States, and
the State government, which had
existed from the foundation Of the
State, and which preceded in ex-
istence the General Government
of the Union, was suspended.
Hon. Benjamin F. Perry was ap-
pointed Provisional Governor Of
the State by thePresident. After
a hurried visit to Washington City
and a consultation with the Presi-
dent, Mr.. Perry returned to South
Carolina, and issued proclama-
tien calling a convention Of the
people of the State. The Conven-
tion met, repealed their ordinance
Of secession, and framed and adopt
ed constitution conformable to
the views of the President. In
this constitution was incorporated
clause abolishing and forever
prohibiting slavery or involuntary
servitude in the State. A few
weeks after the convention ad-
iourned, an election was held un-
der an ordinance of the convention
for members to General Assem-
bly, Of the State. To that body [
was elected a member, hence ! can
speak advisedly ofits action. Our
first session was held in October,
1865, at which time we adopted
and ratified the proposed amend
ment to the Constitution, known
as the Thirteenth Article of the
Constitution, whereby slavery or
involuntary servitude was abol-
ished and forever pl ohibited in the
cIL III Ioo, 4bo TToi+n1