Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-04-29
The CENTENNIAL BANQUET AT Lex
INGToN.


GOVERNOR CHAMBERLAIN S ADDRESS.
Governor Chamberlain, after rehears-
ing the struggles of the revolution and
referring to the unbroken friendship
which existed between Massachusetts
and South Carolina throughout that
trying period, said:
! know that | am commissioned here
to day to say for South Carolina that
she joins with equal gratitude and rev
erence with all her sisters of the early
days in honoring the 10Th of April,
IT'S; that she claims her share in the
glory of the struggle begun at Lexing-
ton; that as of old she babe Massachu
sets cheer in the struggle, so now she
unites with her in these patriotic SER
vices.
1t is not for me, it is not for any one,
on this occasion, to speak OF later events
in which these two ancient allies stood
face to face as enemies Who that has
an American heart does not rejoice
that back of all the recent bitter strug
gle there lies the gracious heritage Of
those common labors, dangers and sac
rafices in founding this common gov
ernment? Who that looks with just
eye even on that recent struggle does
not now see, on either side, the same
high elements of character, the courage,
the devotion to duty, the moral Inca
ments of the Adamses and Hancocks,
the Gadsdens and Rutledges, of hun
dred years ago? Who that has faith
in the destinies of America does not
see in this early friendship, aye, and
even in this later conflict, the pretences
and promises of that coming Union
under whose protection liberty shall
forever walk hand in hand with justice,
wherein the North and the South, re
united in spirit and aims, shall again
respond to every call of patriotic duty
in the old tones of Samuel Adams and
Christopher Gadsden, of James Otis
and John Rutledge? That spirit still
lives, fellow citizens, in South Carolina.
If in later days she has erred, forgive
her, for even then she dared and suf:
fered with courage and patience not
unworthy in its strength of the days
when Gadsden and Rutledge illustrated
her civic wisdom; and Sumter and
Marion her martial proves. "Mag>
nanimity," says Mr. Burke, sis not
seldom the truest wisdom; and great
empire and little minds go i'll together"
''Fellow-citizens, l offer you to day
the fraternal, patriotic greetings of
South Carolina-of all her people.
She marches again to day to the music
of that Union which hundred years
ago her wisdom helped to devise and
her blood to cement. There in that
hallowed Union, endeared and sancti
fed by so many blessed memories and
radiant with SO many proud hopes and
promises, there she must live or bear
no life Oh, welcome her anew to-
day to the old fellowship! The menu
ments of marble and brass which we
raise here to day will crumble. Let us
therefore, build in the hearts of all the
| people that imperishable monument,
IAN indestructible Union of indestruc
tible State"
Gov. Chamberlain was followed by
Gen. w. F. Bartlett, a native of Pitts
field, Mass. He commanded a federal
brigade during the late war: lost leg
at Yorktown, and an arm at Gettys
burg; was shot twice through the body
in the Wilderness, and FINAL was taken
prisoner in the attack made on the
Confederate lines at Petersburg,in COM
nection with the famous 'springing Of
the mine Since the war lie has been
settled in Virginia, where he now re-
sides, in charge of the Powhatan Iron
Works at Richmond. He said:
Of the relations of the North to the
South l am not an unparalleled obser'
yer. On the contrary, I have a preju~
dice, which is shared by all soldiers, in
favor of peace, and I think I may safely
say that between the soldiers Of the
two great sections of our country
fraternal relations were established
long ago / have also strong preju-
dice against any man or men who
would divide or destroy or retard the
rosperity and progress of the nation
whose corner stone was laid in the
blood of our fathers one hundred years
ago. Moved by this prejudice, four
teen years ago, l opposed the men who
preferred disunion to death. True to
this prejudice l to-day despise the men
who would for the sake Of self or party
stand in the way of reconciliation and
a united country. The distinguished
soldier who is your chief guest to day
never came nearer to the hearts of the
people than when he said Let us have
peace and sir, the only really BELLS
gerent people in the country to day
North and South, are those who while
the war lasted, followed carefully the
paths of peace. Do not believe that
the light and dirty froth which Is
blown northward and scattered over
the land, oftentimes for malicious pur
poses, represents the true current Of
public opinion at the South. Look
to their heroes. their leaders, their Cor
dons, their Lees, their Johnsons, theil
Lamar, Bansom and Ripley, and tel
me if you find in their utterances any
thing but renewed loyalty and devotion
to united country These are the
men, as our great and good Governor
| Andrew told you at the close of the
war-these are the men by whom and
through whom you must restore the
South, instead of the meaner men for
whom power is only synonym for
plumber. AS begged you last sum
mer, / entreat you again, do not repel
1.-the returning love of these men by
suspicion or Indifference If you can
not in forgiveness kill the fatted calf,