The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-12-09
7T ANDERSON s. c.; THURSDAY DECEMBER g. 1889

L zoos nave spoken; we obey. Inc pop
, ulace took up the cry and rent the skies
t with shouts Of "Rome foreverP' Let us,
my countrymen, as We stand amid our
!, ruins: plant our colors on the graves OF
:. our ancestors, and invoking reverently
!. the protection Of our God, shout with
more than Roman patriotism, with one
. voice, "The South nowlithe South forev-
erp p ri -. -e-. - Z. - . al :
Mr.. President and gentlemen of the
Committee, the agreeable task assigned
to me by your kindness is done,c and per
haps should here .pause;i but may
crave your indulgence and that OF the
audience for very few words more p
Standing here, as l have done for the
last hour, and looking over this; vast
throng have seen many faces which
have met me in other scenes than this,
and my ear, if I mistake not, has caught
the tones of voices heard often before
amid the fire, and rising high above the
din of battle.
These sights and these sounds have
stirred my heart to its depths, and Iwould
not, I cannot, 90 hence without extending
to nv dear comrades.ii-arms one sword of
cordial and heartfelt greeting. a. Men of
nv old command, brave soldiers, true
friends, you know that have not forgot
ten you; looking into youraown hearts,
you feel that can never do this. The
ties that bind me. to you are craven on
my heart with q, pen of fire. Looking
on you again, after years of absence,
memory carries me back to: those years
of heroic strife, when it was my pride to
lead you. I recall with the proioundest
emotions your deep sufferings, your con-
stunt privations. your dauntIess courage,
your devoted service, your cherries biv.
ouacs amid the SHOWS of Virginia, your
trusty picket posts on the Potomac and
the Rappahannock, your solitary watch
fires Which havetblazed on nearly every
hill and valley in Virginia, your heavy
marches, your baetle-fedsiw stretch
ed from Gettysburg to the Savannah, all
crowd on my memory asI stand among
you once more, Il recall to that scene in
the dark woods of North Caroiua-wbo
of YOU has forgotten, it-where as. the
earliest rays Of the last sun. that sE1one on
the Southern Confederacy, lighted up the
forest, the old First Brigade first all
ways in the fght-frst in. all noble ac-
tions and honorable enterpriscs--hrst ev-
erywhere, save in retreat, We're marsllaled
before nee for the last time, The Banners
they bad borne so often proudly to victo.
ry were furled-the sabres which were
wont alwavst to gleam in the front of bat
tic, hung idly in their scabbards, and in.
stead of the glad shouts which used to
herald the welcome approach OF battle,
in deep silence, with detected counten
ances and dropping figures tho men clus.
tered around me 10 say and hear that
saddest of words, s.furewell" While on
manyaa cheek bronzed by the smoke OF
moro than a hundred battle fields, the ST.
lent tear told more eloquently than words
could do how deep WAS the affection that
bound us together. ~ ~.
These recoIections come thick and fast
as greet again my gallant old soldiers OF
Georgia, and I would be false to, you and
false to every instinct of my nature were
not to bear, before this audience OF your
kindred, where the virtue, the intellect,
the patriotism, the manhood and beauty
of Georgia's noble State are 80 largely
represented, willing and heartfelt testi
mony to those biyh sodierys qualities
which made your career in our noble ar
nv of heroes secondzto none. ss:a..' s,ss
You will pardon, Mr.. President. trust
this depression from my legitimate theme
when you consider how strong are tho
ties with which men who have tor years
shared together common dangers, com
mon sorrows and common glories are
bound to each. other, and even those who
were once our foes can sympathise, l am
sure, with the feelings which prompt an.
old commander 60 yield a just tribute OF
praise to the brave men who once follow
ed him. 70 you my old friends, beg to
offer a few words of counsel, for / feel
that can speak to you with authority,
not thai authority with which accident
once invested me, but that given by at
lection. In bygone years you never re-
tused to hear me. | never called on you
in vain; never appealed to you that you
did not respond, alld would fain hope
that my words will notn fall nnheeded
on your ears. Let me adjure you then,
! to be true soldiers in the cause OF peace,
as you were in tina. of war. Dedicate
yourselve to the service of your State
and MD in advancing her IN. the noble ca
reer she is entering. March ON braveiy
in the line duty points out, shon'der TO
shoulder, as you used 10 40 anfd the
roar of battle. Resort to DO vselence TO
redress public wrong, but seek to remedy
them by peacefnE agencies. Help each
other along the path of life; extend the
kindly hand of charity to your disabled
comrades, and forget not the widows and
orphans of our dead brothers. For my
self, ask you to keepa place for me in
vour hearts rs shall do for you in mine.
and believe that l utter no idle phrase
when I say that pray God to keep and
bless you!