The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-06-04
TIE SIMMS MEMORIAL.
EIoauent r. Remarks Of Judge Aldrich.

We reprint below the eloquent remarks OF
Judge Aldrleh, at meeting Of the people OF
Barnwell, to organize for raising subscriptions
In aid of the monument to William Gilmore
Simms. We hope the people of the State will
take this matter in hand, and promptly accom-
plish the work. A subscription of one dollar
each Will amply suffice for the purpose. Let
Charleston do its share of the work:
Gentlemen of the Conmittee-It Is very meet
and proper tnat Charleston, the city where
MIR. Slmms was born, and Wnere ne died, mas
inaugurated The movement 10 erect monu-
ment 10 his memory.
IL il particularly appropriate that BarnWell,
the district where he lived, and foc whose pso-
ple he worked 80 faithfully, shall second Inc
movement. It was here, ut his beloved
..Woodlands," that he wrote The most OF MS
works. and composed the most OF his poetry.
Il was here that his children Were born; here
he weoed their mother, and the broad OAKS OF
his favorite home, the tall pines and dense
swamp of the Edisto, under tne deep shade OF
which ne loved TO ramble, Inspired Nun WIN
mapy of those beautiful fances that he WoVe
Into poetry, and helped him TO finish out many
of the romauces which have delighted us III
the past aud will cheer US In the future.
Our purpose TO day Ia TO do tardy honor TO
the man we did not appreciate nile ne nVed.
a man who represented our dis ricL I'D tne
Legislature as faithfully and earnestly-per-
haps more faithfully and earnestly, Than
any one who preceded or succeeded hm;
VINO illustrated our history; created romances
from the stories and legends OF our ReVolu-
ton; sung brave and sweet songs IN the Gay
of our lrlbulatiou; worked for us day ana
night, and when defeat and poverty came, Was
strong and heroic. never uLterlng talterlnS
Woru, even on his deaLh-oed
You think you knew him, but you dld not.
r knew him inIimal ely and loved him Well; ne
encouraged me iu my youth, counseled me In
NV manhood, was the friend Of my ripen age,
and for more than thirty years OF ultimate and
aff.cC,undle association never narsn Woru
was exonanged between ui If the people OIL
this Stale could realize the wealth ei love
which that m IN felt for South Carolina ID ler
prosperity, aud which her atVersity only 10
creased, they would, In their poverty, rear
monument TO pierce the clouds. There was
mine of affection for his native S'aLe that no
tnluy could exhaust. Neglect could not dlnin-
Ish it. praise could not increase IL. Oh ! II yOn
had heard nlm talk as nave neard him. IN MS
moments OF perfect conf ience, you would ap.
preciate how he loved this State, anu loved
tnpse people; but you could not, as cahnoC,
express it. .,o
sweet spring-Limr, under his grand Live YAK
10 front or .'Woudlauds,n DISCOURSE OF his oe-
loved SonLh Carolina 30 affectlonatey, Win
such tender earuestness, that 1t sounded more
like the praise of q lover Speaking Ut his lady,
love. And again have heard him inVelgn so
yehementIy tina, iL sounded like the indlgnant
repuke Of father 10 dIsobtdleDt child. But
ali the while you could not repress the feeling
that he almost broke his heart To utter the re-
buke.
And this Is the man, our Slmms, our neigh
/ Dor, our fellow-clizen, our representative,
our historian, our novelist, our poet, To whose
memory, to whose patriotism, to whose gent
us, to whose virtue we design 10 erect O mon
ument. Let it be worthy of him and OF us.
| Let 1t rise In that "City OF The Silent" wnich
he dedicated to It's holy purpose IN nOpie
verse. Let lt rise on the bank OF that river
which he has commemorated In song ano
story. Let it rise in sound OF The ''mlghtJ
roar" OF that ocean on which he loved 10 gaze
Let it rise In reach oil the hum OF the city
where he was born. Let it rise So that lne
sweet chimes of st. Michaers bells, that warm
| ed him In his youth and soothed him In his
i manhood, can reach the ears Of those WnC
linger around his tomb. Let II rise beacou
to Inc wanderer who approaches The City by
| the Sea-" where he breatned his last sigh, ano
| let ir rise grand mausoleum of gra.efu
| people, whose descendants 10 the far coming
Generations will love aud honor the man wht
illustrated and preserved their history.