The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-07-07
The Centennial Shall South Carolina
be Represented?

in which he urges the appointment of q
South Carolina Centennial Association
of 177G' for the purpose of securing the
co-Gperntol of the State in tho pro-
posed celebration. Major Woodward,
in his reply declines to take any part in
the Centennial Celebration, on account
of the appointment of Gen. Quincy, OF
Charleston, as the South Carolina Com
missioner. ~:.
Thc3uJgc seems to think that the
Commissioner may be ignored, and
that il is all importantthat'the State be
represented. In support of this view
he urges the following strong array of
reasons : M.
II feel assured that the General AS
scmbly, which it is now the fashion to
berate most harshly and often most un-
Justly, will, if properly mcmorialiZed,
make the requisite appropriation, sny
five or ten thousand dollars, TO carry out
the objecNsof the association. His EN-
cellsncy Governor Chamberlain, who is
always ready to cooperate earnestly III
all efforts to advance the substantial
prosperity Of the whole people OF South
carolina, or that reflect horror upon the
State, assured me recently that such Il
memorial will receive his cordial sanc-
ton and-active support. l need hoC ell
ter into an elaborate argument to DEM
onstrate the advantages that may lnurc
to our State by the exhibition OF Its
resources and products to the eyes OF
not only the American people of every
section, but under the Immediate eyes OF
representatives from all the nations OF
Europe. Those resources and products
will certainly attract attention and
command the highest consideration
from intelligent observers. Our vast
forests of pine, livr-oak, hickory, ash,
and other valuable tiinbers, can supply
the shipyaIds OF the world. Already,
within the recent past, we have shipped
numerous cargocs of lumber to the great
lumber State of Maine. while Northern
shipwlyhts pay large sums for even the
ro~,ls of our yellow pines, TO BE used for
making ships knees, for which purpose
in strength, durability and natural
shape the far famed tnmarack tree OF
the Northern swamps, heretofore deem
ell Uy ship builders the most reliable
material for that important use. Our
inexlaustblc' beds Of pllosphatcs fur
nish mankind to-day with the only fer
tilizer derived from phosphate nodules,
to be found Oh the globe, except, l be-
licvc, Il limited deposit in Siberia. The
improved varieties OF our short staple
cotton will doubtless receive high COM
mcndation, while our sea island cotton,
whose silky fleece rivals the floss of III
dia and the product of the cocOons OF
italy, will distance all COMPETITION.
Cotton may lot be king now, yet, as il
furnished an article Of export which
amounted to $3.50, ,OO0,0 gold value, in
1873 ~, it is still power strongcnough
to break the financial sceptreof this IA
ton, and sweep from its brow the dla-
dem of commercial supremacy.
Our representation iii this department
therefore, will be exceedingly attractc
i've, and will enable us, us the Scott
say, "lo stand bOnncttcd among tbs
best cannot even glance, in the com
pass of u letter. at the great variety OF
our resources, all worthy of being rep
resented in that exposition. Certainly
il, with our -lbounding wealth Of ag-
riculturM and mineral products, Soutl;
Carolinu is not there represented she
will bc "conSpicnous by absence"
Moreover, u iii exhibition of our varied
products at this .junctuiE, while 1t can
not fail to reflect some benefit back up
on the State. will furnish q striking H.
lustratiou of the wisdom of Lord Macl-
lays remark, when reviewing that pc
ri0d of English history between the
time of the Tudors and the reign o!
William OF Oraugc he observes that,
"No ordinary misfortune, no. ordinary
misgovcrnment, will do SO much to
make u nation wretchcd as the constant
progress Of physical knowledge and the
constant effort Of every man to better
himself will do to make q nation pos
porous. 1t has often been found that
profuse expenditure, heavy taxation
absurd commercial restrictions, corrupt
tribunals, disastrous wars, scditiOnS,
pelsecuiiOns, coulllyrations, inunda-
tons, have not been able to distrOy cap
ital. 50 far az the cXcrtiOns of privatecit-
liens have been able to create it," II
will also serve TO show that our fields,
scorchcd aud blackended by the fires
Of internecine war, have bi00med again
even beneath the ashes, and once moro
yield their rich tribute to the prosperity
,atsthe country. 1t will exhibit South
Carolina, not rs often falsely represent.
ed as the paralyzed and torpid extrcmi-
ty Of the national body polite, bnt as q
vital, active and valuable force in the
American system.
Aside from the substantial advantag-
cs to be derived from having. the State
worthily represented at the Centennial
Exposition held in honorof the Nations
birth, there is surely something duo
from South Carlinians to the spirit OF
the great occasion. When Americans
NEE. to commemorate the days of 177G,
South, Carolina should have "a place in
the picture" For her to be unrepre-
scented OH such an occasion would be as
if the Black Prince had been absent
from the gorgeous pageant with much
the third Edward celebrated the victory
at Crecy, Her star, in days that are
gone, burned over many II field, the cy-
nosure of patriotic valor, where her sons
bore the honor of the Republic triumph
on the points Of their advancing bayo-
nets. Permit me to remark the period
is cmincntly anspicious far the reunion
of Americans incident to the coming
Centennial, and which is earnestly de-
sired by those who have been most &C.
tive in promoting it. The spring of the
present year had scarcely opened when
that spirit of harmony which appears
to be brooding over the late discordant
sections was happily illustrated by the
arrival in the chief city of our State of
the standard of Massachusetts, taken
from the arsenal of that ancient
and renowned Commonwealth, and
sent by her chief magistrate, with the
good wishes OF all her people, to wave
over tables spread with the unsought
and costly contributions Of her citizens
for the purpose of raising funds to ell
dow an asylum for the maintenance of
widows and orphans of Confederate SOL
dicrs who died in battle. Even now. as
/ write, the flag Of South Carolina is
being borne across the waters by its