The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-25

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each man Paladin, surged madly onward
to grapple with the foe. Then
Grew the smile to laugh,
Rose the laugh TO yell,
As the iron-clad hoofs
Gathered back into hell
From our b lrefooted boys.
Or else crashed and shattered by heavier
guns and stronger battalions, the southern
line fell sulenly back to renew the hight on
the morrow.
The clories of Manassas and Richmond,
of Gettysburg and Wilderness, OF Chancel-
lorsyille and Chickamauga, were not forgot
ten; nor had time healed the scars OF Nor
folk and New Orleans, Shiloh and Doneson
Roanoke and vicksburg. They who barred
their breast to the iron hail in earlier days
would do their devoir now. But they saw
with their own sad eyes that the thin gray
line grew thinner every hour. The bravcst
of the brave, the men who look not back
while there's duty before, were clasped ior
ave to the loving bosom Of the States they
had died to defend In the long summer
DAYS the wood birds sang their dirge; in the
winter nights the pallid stars smiled swcetiy
on their crave. And their comrades lived
10 mourn them-lived to peer into the
gloomy future, and wonder when they III
turn should bite the dust OF death.
God knowsl this was q sad outlook ior
the soldiers of the South on that dark Christ
mas day. Well might they
need assurance in their doubt.
r. God vet have O servant, man friend.
The weak saviour and the vile q ioc
The tolls were drawing closely around them.
They looked toward the South and well-nlSh
lost heart. There in the orange groves,
under the magnolias or meath the symbolic
palmetto rested some fair Southern woman-
A creature not too bright, or good,
For human natures daily food,
who eagerly awaited tidings Of him more
dear than life, and who on Christmas morn,
noured out a fearful supplication that he, II
only he, might piteously be spared till peril
and carnage were over. Before the sad
dened soldier rise the shadows OF tender
maiden, of faithful wife, OF modest home
stead where little footsteps lightly print the
ground, while the chimes fall duly on his
ear, and the straining eyeballs mark not the
leaguered city around whose gilded spires
s drawn a belt of steel Failing numbers,
a falling cause, traitors in council, mourn
ing and desolation at home! What wonder
that the Southern soldier yearned for peace,
though it came as 'long disquiet merged in
''rest."
Hand in hand with the blooming spring
tide of Nature came the black winter OF
despair. The men who had borne the Con-
federate banner across the mountains OF
Maryland, over the broad plains OF the Key
stone State, and amid the marshes OF the
Chickahominy, at the bidding Of the great
captain, Welded up their spotless swords.
From the capes OF Virginia to the mouth OF
the Father Of Waters stretched the straGG
pling line of wounded and wayworn soldiers,
carrying to every district and every State
the tidincs OF mortal disaster. They in
dulged no vain regrets The hand which
welded the musket and sword bore the axe
and hoe; the SCARED war-horse dragged the
peaceful plough. Desperately these gallant
soldiers fought with want and famine, and
thew have won a harder fight than their
four years struggle against the hordes OF the
boastful Union. What is called-Peace,
has had its victories The South grows pros
perous and rich, and it is time to remember
that there is more to live for, and more to
die for. than fertile acres and stately homes.
Absorbed in the struggle for existence
the Confederate soldiers, too many OF them,
have forgotten that they ever wore the gray.
The talking and the mouthing has been done
by the laggards who never set squadron
in the field, whatever their feryid oratory
before the dread game Of war began. Too
MANY of our braves, careless and reckless
of life, have pressed to their lips the chalice
of dissipation. In every district there is
weakening of the moral fibre, disposition
to finch and quail. All this is the fruit OF
the incessant labor Of four years OF varying
fortune; but now the rotten limbs should be
cast into the fire, the knife should be used
without stint. Without this South Carolina
cannot become as hale and hearty as OF yore.
Let by-gones be. by-gones. Let the dead
past bury its dead. Forgetting these last
four winters, let us return to the days when
the Confederate soldier proudly said
7 had not loved thee dear, 80 well,
Loved not honor more!
For if the men who wore the gray and bore
the flag, who have made historic the rivers
and hills of the South, who were lei by
Johnston and trusted by Lee, ifthcy VIII sell
their souls for place or power, IL they VIII
tarnisa their fair fame by tamperinS Win
personal vice and political deprarity-Detter
for them and their State that they lad mover
been born, or that they hat poured ont their