The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-06-22

Thy Country's andTruth's; then if thou
fallest. thou fallest blessed martyr.n
Besides all these incentives to noble
actions, presented by the great traditions
and hallowed memories of the past, 5 on
have many Others connected with the
formation and history of your corps, and
in the sacred objects contemplated now
by your association. You cannot forget
that tho Washington Light Infantry
owes its existence to the patriotic i'm
pulse which called its founders to repel
foreign invasion, md made them resort
to arms to defend that liberty which
their fathers had achieved. Need I re-
call to your memory the namo of your
first captain-a name Justly dear to every
Caroliniau heart, honored wherever in
tegrity OF purpose. purity Of lifo, power
of intellect, are esteem med-the name of
one, Of whom Henry Clay said: "Of all
the men I have ever known, tho best
man, the wisest, the purest, and the
greatest statesman, was VIM. Lowndes?"
On the roll of your company, illustrated
first by this great name, are to be found
many others worthily distinguished in
the annals of our State, fit successors of
your illustrious captain Nor need You
fear to place the record you made for
yourselves during the late war by the
side of that of any other command, nor
to compare the officers and men whom
you gave to the "Lost Cause" with any
who served the Confederacy. You gave
three general officers-Pettigrew, Con-
ner and Logan-all worthlly distinguish
ed in that cause, and with them, as field
officers, johnson, DeTreville and Simon
ton, while almost every command from
this State drew from your ranks, SO pro-
life of gallant soldiers, many of its most
efficient subaltern officers and men. How
the rank and file of the Washington
Light Infantry did their duty to their
country is told in mute, but eloquent
language, by the long list of honored
names that meet your eyes on this monu-
ment, which you have dedicated reve-
rently and affectionately to your noble
dead. Well worthy are they of oil the
honor you can pay them, for they surely
fell blessed martyrs; and this conviction
on our part is full of comfort to those
who see the names of their kindred writ
ten on the South's roll of honor, that
list which records her dead.
I know how vain il all humun conso-
lation to the heart that is called upon to
give up some object around which the
tendcrest affections cluster. I know that
many parent in our mourning land, as
he looks through eyes blinded by the
tears that will we'll up from his heart, at
some loved name, perhaps on that tomb,
or some stone that covers all that was
mortal of one who was his pride, his
hope, his darling, cries out in the pa
thetic language wrung from O bereaved
fathers heart: "Oh, my son Absalom!
my son, my son Absalom! Would God
[ had died for thee! o, Absalom! my
son, my sonl' con understand, can
feel have felt all this. But still, feel
ing deeply for those who mourn their
kindred slain, knowing how and for what
our sons have died, cannot each ono who
has given his children to his country,
concealing the grief of the father in tho
holy zeal of the patriot, say proudly, as
he stands by the grave of his son:
"Why, then, Gods soldier be he!
Had aB many sons as have hRirs,
would not wish them a iairer DEATH"
It is right and proper that you should
preserve the memory of our dead heroes.
monument whose undations should be
as eternal as the great truths for which
they died; lofty as their fame; pure rs
ouA AOfS, 1aSIiuB I'D ouI STaLlLuue, IlSluS
proudly from the earth that holds their
clay, and pointing with it's spotless shaft
to that heaven where wo devoutly trust
that they are now at rest. 1t is touch
ing and beautiful article of belief in the
creed of that strange system Of theology
which takes its name from it's founder
one of the most wonderful men of the
last century-that those who fall in bat
tie fighting honestly and truly for their
country, are Immediately transported to
heaven, to partake Of the highest joys of
that blissful abode; and though no such
promise is held out by our religion to its
votaries, it surely is not inconsistent
with its holy spirit or divine teaching,
that this may be the case. The trust Of
the patriot and the faith of the Christian
may then unite in hope, so full of Joy
and consolation, that our dead patriots
Goods soldiers purified by the great
oblation of their lives for their country's
liberty, standing now in tho presence of
the Eternal God, looking down with
grateful hearts on this solemn scene,
bringing their prayers for you, who are
now manifesting your reverence and love
for them, to the very foot-stool of tho
TFhrOno of Gropa ora ipyo1r;,r ~ IN; ~, 10