The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-04-23

gether' they have long labored to build
up the strength, the prosperity and the
glory of America Those precious me-
mories of the past ore secure. To-day,
at least, we may recall them. AkI,exing-
ton, surely, South Carolina may still
claim place to do honor to the conamon
cause of American liberty and indspend-
ence. 1 know that 1 am commisst toned
here to-day to say for South tOarolina
that she joins with equal gtstitude and
reverence with all her sisters Of the early
days in honoring the nineteenth Of April,
1775; that she claims her share in the
glory of the struggle begun Mt
Lexington; that as Of old she bade
Massachusetts, cheer in the struggle,
SO now she unites with her in these pa
triotic services.
1t is not for me, it is not for any one,
Oh this occasion, ta speak os later events
IN which these two ancient allies stood
face to face as enemies. Who that has
an American heart does not rejoice that
buck of oil this recent bitter struggle
there lies the gracious heritage of those
common labors, dangers and sacrifices
in founding this common government?
Who that looks with lust eve 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 ineaments of the
Adamses and Hancocks, the Gadsdens
and Rutledges, of hundred years ago?
Who that has faith in the destinies of
America does not see in this early friend
ship, aye, and even in this later conflict,
the potency and promise of TINT coming
Union, under whose protection liberty
shall forever walk hand in hand with
justice, wherein the North and the South,
reunited 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 md
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 suffered with n
courage and patience not unworthy in
its strength of the days when Gadsden
and Rutledge illustrated her civic wis
dom, and Sumter and Marion her mar
tial prowess. "Magnanimity," says Mr.
Burke, '.is not seldom the truest wis.,
dom; and great empire and little minds
go i'll together"
Fellow-citizens, offer YOU to-day the
frnternal, 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 sanctiicd by so many
blessed memories and radiant with so
many proud hopes and promises, there,
there she ''must live or bear no life"
Oh, welcome her anew to-day to the old
fellowship! The monuments Of marble
and brass which we raise here to-day will
crumble. Let us, therefore, build in the
hearts of all the people that imperisha-
BILE monument, s'an indestructible Union
of indestructible States"
Commenting on this speech, the New
York Tribune says:
Among the speeches made Mt the Lex
ington Centennial banquet. yesterday,
that of Governor Chamberlain, of South
Carolina, was especially noteworthy for
the eloquence Of its utterances as we'll as
fnr the apparent sincerity and earnest
ness with which the fraternal patriotic
greetings of the new South Carolina were
offered to Massachusetts, and ill the sister
States. Governor Chamberlain's admi-
nistration has thus far favorably disap-
pointed his opponents. and the decisive
stand which he has taken in favor of MI
reform movements in the State has SO
favorably impressed NIL the older citizens
and the better class of voters, that he
may be considered in every sense rep
resentative of the true sentiment of the
people, and we do not doubt that his
eloquent address expressed the real feel
ing of his people toward the Union