The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1875-07-21
triasoosioSiS,,E

thss pfeSent condition Of affairs, I sonSe
ihndaividesl must sso@s and mar every
thing, One, day itsis Jefferson David,
anotherS Bob IN ombs, another.
Raphael Semmes, and go on.
Tho latest blunder is one We grieye
to mention, on account 81 the high'
respeetwehaye over had for the gen.
tleman who has this time been unfor.
tunate. But at this time when the
country is wavering besweenI hatred
and reconciliation the least toaGsgo
mayspreduceGef effests. Itgbecornesans.
'oepsnsary, then, TO lay asidsgpersonal
feelings in order to ,subseEve the
public good. B s.sg.
Gen. John s. Preston, of this State,
was selected to deliver tho Semi. Cen
tennial address before the students Of
the Virginia University. ,,.s'
he delivered the oration, which
was eloquent and highly. polished.
But he had chosen the wrong subject,
and however beautiful the roses hc
spread before his audience, they could
not conceal the serpent lying beneath.
Instead Of choosing some topic upon
which all men can agree, he preferred
to contrast the civilization of Ply
mouth Rock with that, of jamestown
the puritan round head with the
dashing cavalier. He denounced tho
former with great bitterness, and vir-.
taally said there was no good, no
honor, north of Mason and Dixon's
line. He was very bitter, and showed
that incorporating hatred to every
thing in the North which we'll suited
the days of secession, Undying
hatred was his theme. ... 1H.a.
This was unfortunate in the ex.
treme, and thu orator soon discovered
tho fact In the ooolness of his audi.
ence, who showed by their conduct
that they repudiated him. 1t must
'haVe beon n severe NOR tification, but
he brought it upon himself. We
doubt not he was sincere, and that
every word may have como from his
heart. But if he found that he could
not attuno his harp to tho prese MT
condition of affairs, be should have
been silent, knowing that any other
course would tend to tear open old
wounds afresh. He was impolitic,
and in behalf Of ou- people we rcpu.
diate his sentiments. #..I
But furthermore his assertion was
not true. He believed it to be true
or he would have soorned, to utter it.
But he Was mistaken. .
1t is foolish and narrow.minded to
assert that there is no good in the
North, and that che Plymouth Rock
civilization is all mass Of eotrup
zion. Massachusetts is agrand State.
Her people are Of tho bluest blood,
and hor aristooraoy is one also of in
tellect. Many of tho purest moral
lists most devoted Christians trace their
podigree back to the Maytlower.
Many OF. the brightest intelleots of
America also claim Plymouth Rook
is their crado. In soionco, art, lit
erary and statesmanship, Plymouth
Nock civilization has shared the Lon.
ors with tho Jamestown civilization.
And he is narrow minded and bigoted
who cannot see this. '..-- ....."
Injustice alway creates sympathy
for its object, and weakens its own
cause. And Con. Preston, by this
blunder, has aided tha civilization
which he so ahhors. He has also
furnished ground for the assertion
that the jamestown civilization is an
Inferior civilization, as it produces
types of exceeding narrrowness of
mind. . l.nn ,s..s
AS the News and Courier remarks,
Gen. Preston's oration was out of time
and out Of tune. Ten years have passed
since the war. A new generation, has
oome upon the stage, and new issues
are springing up. There should now
be no sectional differences. All the
South wants is justice, and she is fas.
learning that injustice to the North is
poor way of obtaining it. Bour.
bons and the reconstructed must
take . back seat. Moderation and
compromise are the order of tho day.
And Whoever North or South, throws
bimself against them will;be ground
to powder. We can tolerate proiu.
'dice no longer. h2" a'TYlH#1N ~
---------SssS e-.o-ss sr---- g.,
Reconstruction. Is
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