The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-23
WASHINGTON light INFANTRY.
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE w. L. T.
CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION.
ODE BY G. HERBERT SASS, ESQ
'RATIoN BY REv. J. L. GIRARDEAU, d. D.
supper, Speeches, Toasts, sc.

evening, by public exercises ut the Central Presby.
terian Church, and society supper at Masonic Hail.
Notwithstanding the unpropitious weather the
church at the appointed hour was filled with the
beauty and fashion Of the city,
The exercises were opened with prayer by the
Rev. W. @. Daua, the pastor of the church. whose
touching appeal to the Throne of Grace compelled
the devout attention and enlisted the prayerful
sympathy Of the assemblage.
Rev. c. p. Gadsdcn then read the ode written by
G. Herbert Sass, tsq.,) which will be found ip the
poets corner Of TIE News this morning. 1t is a
finished and grac etul composition, full ofexquisie
iapcies; and its beauties we've greatly enhanced by
the manner in which it recited. The clearness
OF the readers enuncaton, the purity of his accent
the cor ectness Of his apprehension the pathos of
his tones, enabled the audience to have better ap-
probation OF its merits than most readers could
obtain by their unaded efforts.
AT the conclusion Of the reading of the ode, Rev.
j. L. Girardeau pronounced the Grafton, taking as
his subject, Charity. Avoiding generaities and ab-
stractions, and tue trie reflections which usually
form the stock of charity discourses he brought the
attention Of his audience to the suffering condition
Of the seaboard of South Carolina as compared with
its hourishing condition before the war He said
truly that this was subject OF immediate interest
to his audience and one more particularly connect
ed WIN the OBJECTS OF the association whose ami.
Versary was the occasion of the celebration. He
spoke OF the natural affection Of all for the
land of their birth, and with picturesque de ,crip
ton and eloquent illustration he proce eded to show
that the love of the low-country South Caroinian
1or the rivers sw amps woodlands and sea shore of
the scenes of his youth, was far from unreasonable
Leaving the description of the natural beauty of the
country, he next spoke of the charming refinement
ct the so al life of the people, and tho thrilling his
associations kent ali ~,
the sent meDts Of patriotism and honor The part
which slavery filed in Southern society was admira
bly, described. and the institution and the people
VINO cher1sned 1t were warmly and effectively de-
1ended from the SANDERS and Misrepresentation of
the outside world. The breaking out Of the war,
and the consequent suffering of the people, espe.
ciay the refugees, next claimed the attention of tho
speaker and the dreadful and pait full scenes of that
terrible time were portrayed with vivid ruthfulness
that none would appreciate keeny til IN the au.
dience TO which he spoke he blazing hom estead
fair women working in the field, households bereft of
their beloved; but, above all, the dreadful catas-
trophe OF defeat the death the nationality which
weee enrapt cvcry sentiment and affection which
docs honor % humanity. Tho peace which for many
has been revival OF prosperity but which to the re-
1ugees has been worse than war period of suffer-
ing wit hout hope, was alluded TO in the most pa
thetc terms and duo credit was given for the noble
eHorts which bave been made by many of this un-
fortunate class to recover from their misfortune
The contrast between the condition Of this class and
the rest of the people of the South was noticed and
accounted for and the sympathy of the latter asked
for the former In conclusion, the speaker compli.
mented the association their charitable efforts
and said that his only object in portrayng suffering
as he had done was to elicit sympathy Tor the suffer-
ers, and nothing was further from his purpose than
to excite one angry err otion
After music by the choir the audience was dis.
mlcsed with the benedicton.
AT the business meeting the following officers were
elected for the ensuing year
Colonel Q. H sMoSToN.* President
a. b. OLNEY. Senior Warden
Major T. q. BARKER.t JUNIOR Warden III.
D. L.. HoNoUR, re retar, and Treasurer
Prof. F. L. PARKER, NJ D., surgeon
Rev: E; 9. DaERToN, Chaplain.
". NJ MUoKE >FUss. solicitor.
u. 3. GILLILAND, s+ouoa
Comhtttee on Charty.-E O. Edgorton, r. p. Nc
nowell. Jr.. II. L. Greer. A. w. Taft, j. A. Atkinson
,' Gsmnstss ~ e. Q" acc .ants-L. B. Loyegr en, J. J.
small, u McC. oOnOur.
;. Committee Q, Letters IT. Fl. Honour. H. H. Will
liams Jr., q. Rel ke.
committee on Burial Ground at Magno,ia Ceme-
Schultz. - S'''n'0n' &c "~c'0; s. .. burger J. H.
Committee on Fasr-H B. olney. II Greer s.
burger, A. w aft, j. j Small, D. B. Giiand r.
H. Mcdowell, Jr., j. II. schreiner, Jr. Dr.. r. r..
rarkef. f. O. Edgetton. J: L. Sheppard, H. II. VIII
L. a.
*vice Captain J. M. Carson, declined reelection.
fVice b. l. Greer declined -eection
About halfpast nine O'Clock the association assem-
oled at Masonic Hall where supper was served as
only Tuly knows how-the banquet being accom-
panied with music from Meyers band The enter
tainment was somewhat marred by the absence of o
NUMBER OF invited guests who were unavoidably
prevented from attending. Revs. J. L. Girardeau
Z. r. Gadsden and W. c. Dana and Colonel p g.
dalllard were all numbered among the missing as
was also Hen. Charles H. simonton, the newly elect
ed president of the society.
In the abseace OF Colonel S1monton, H. b. Olney.
Senior Warden, presided. With few introductory
remarks, Mr.. Olney read the first regular toast as
follows:
1. The Day we Celebrate-Nor time. nor change
can dim its lusre; 1,s hallowed memories grow more
tender as faction seeks to mar their sanctity.
1heo. r. Barker, Esq, responded. and set forth
IN eloquent terms the just calm the South to cele
brate Washngton's birh lay, because she had sa ri.
icod herself for the principles Of Washington, and
nc was Wiling to leave to the world hereafter 20
judge who had the oest right to celebrate Washing
tons birthday, the south or her opponents.
The second regular toast was read as follows:
2. Orator Of he Day--Wor;hy Of tie grsst theme
Of t0-day's discourse.
"A. L. the Esq responded for Mr.. Gi sarde au
and on his part returned his thanks to the society for
che compliment Mr.. Smythe then spoke of the
services OF Mr. .'irardeau o chaplain In the army
The third regular toast was gwen as folio vs.:
Charity. he central idea of Christian ciyiliza-
ton. - "
Roswell T. Logan. Esq, briefly responded,
The fourth regullr toast was read as follows:
Our Sister societies-We welcome them here
10 nasht as earnest co-workers In the cause Of hu
manity. -
Letters were read from Mr.. Archibald Cameron,
president OF tue Burns' Association, and Caplaia
JACOB smali, President of the German Hrienaly
society.
Ihe fifth regular toast was read by the President
as follows
o. Inc Press-Its true value consists in its indie.
pendence and impartisty, aud truth ulness
Major j. Il. Murrell responded.
The sixth and last regular tcast:
g. Woman-Always court card in the game ~
life. - .Ao E""e VI