The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-26

great author, the only great actor In revolution
unexampled for grandeur of results, who stood
upon the authority of his character, and surveyed
mankind with the comprehension OF a philosopher
and the shrcwdness of man of the world, Us to
evoke from competent critic the remark that
'his article Is Of itself sufficient to prove that he
Is master of style and thoroughly imbued with
the true spirit Of classical literature"
The remainder of Mr. Pelham's life was spent
apart from the sequestered walks sacred to letters.
After his retirement from the college, he engaged
in the profession of journalism to which he hence
forth assiduously devoted himself. He soon be-
came prominent among the leaders Of the Fourth
Estate, and was at his death the oldest of South
Carolina editors. The political exigencics of the
time called for the establishment of daily journal
at the capital representing that essentially South
ern view of grave matters of State policy which
Mr.. Pelham intensely sympathized. AS editor and
proprietor he conducted the daily Southern Guar
dian, at Columbia, an able and vigorous paper,
which, through good and evil report, upheld the
Southern cause with ceaseless energy and never
| tagging zeal, wingng its eagle flight against the
blaze Of Northern rapacity with an eye that never
winked and wing that never tired. 1t fell with
the sack and piage of Columbia, its last issue be.
ing on the very day on which Sherman obtained
possession of the city.
After the war, in conjunction with the gifted
VIM. H. McCaw, whose early death Southern letters
will long deplorc, he for time resuscitated the
Southern Guardian. The brilliancy of It's editorials
and protests against the misgovernment of the
State, especially during the reform campaign Of
1870 is still fresh in the recollection of Its readers.
The Southern Guardian ceasing to exist, he be-
came editor of the PhRnir but being unwilling to
take sides for Mr.. Chamberlain, the nominee of the
regular Republicans for Governor in 1874, against
Judge Greene, the nominee of the independent
Republicans, who was generally. supported by the
| conservatives, or even to remain passive In tho
contest his relations with that paper were soon
dissolved, and he became contributor to several
Southern papers, notably to the Charleston Ne,us,
his racy letters to which from Columbia, over the
signature of "Congaree," were always looked for
ward to with avidity. e
sented to the public. From the first he was our
editor-in-chief and he soon assumed editorial con-
| troll relation which time has only endeared and
which ceased only with his life. Unfettered by
any e1acions and free to impress upon our readers
and enforced, day by day, line of policy which,
fully recognizing the inexorabe logic Of events and
the changed condition of afhirs produced by the
every sentence the old honor, glory and virtue of
South Carolina Advocating not only as policy but
duty, kind treatment and education of our former
slaves, and the cultivation of the most amcabe re-
| lattOnS between tne races welcoming VIII ueArt
and hand the incomings not only Of capital but OF
the bone and sinew Of all our Northern brethren
! Who tempted by our more genial cline, might de-
sire to chance their fortunes with us, anxious to
the SSS5i Sng Se s5 ~ 4,
sternly and immovably, once and forever set his
face against air. those sPecous devices Of mere e1-
pediency which tended, even in the remotest de-
Traditional honor, the true glory Of our people.
Just to his political antagonists, Che had none
other,) and fairly and freely bestowing upon then,
applause whenever as public men In place they
smoke the right word or did the brave deed he
recognized and insisted upon the true distinction
between principle and policy. between honor and
profit and ever recoiled with inefable disgust from
the ingenious sophistries which sought to confound
them. No man ever perceived more clearly or de-
nounced more severely those syren songs Of thu
tempter, whose voices are not to be heard IN the
courts Of conscience or before the atars Of patriot
under the name and guise of circumstances, to de-
lude and entrap the unwary. Recognizing the true
status Of political affairs against fearful odds, he
in our columns sounded the ralying cry for the re-
its full fellowship with the Democracy. Of the
Union; and as the contest deepened and the issue
became more sharply defined, day by day, line up:
line, precept upon precept instant In season ane
adoption of the only policy and the only action
which could redeem the State-the policy and tn
action which have redeemed the State-the Stra1gnt
out policy, the straightout action; to have don'
once and for aye with foreign sharpers and native
traitors, and to put in nomination and bend every
energy to put in position guards who would neec
no guards, men Of our real choice, our best, mos
true and tried.
God, In His infinite wisdom, has taken him from
these earthly scenes, but, in His infinite mercy
permitted him before he had departed TO see onc'
| more the glorious dawn Of a brighter day, to SCI
once more elevated to the highest post Of honor II
the State the peoples choice, Carolinian, NATIVE
and to the manner born, peer and worthy successo
of the noblest Of Carolina's storied past. And tn
proud consciousness that the straightout policy ant
straightout action which he advocated had succeed
ed, that Carolina was redeemed, regenerated ant
disentralled, that our people made merry and re
70 pass over the poor old State was among the las
earthly consultations which cheered the dying bet
of him who had worn and spent himself IN tn
service of that policy that action, that State tha
people.
Exemplary in all the relations Of life as husband
father MASTER friend, citizen, to his family his los
is irreparable, to us grievous, to the community
blow, to the State serious loss. In that momen
tous future, bristling with difficulties, on which W
enter, more vigilant foresight than his may guard
more intrepid spirits than his may command, a6le
brains than his may devise, cunninger tongues thai
his may charm, but no truer heart, no nobler pulls
will beat. And when In the fullnes OF prosperity!
he Is not permitted to see, our mother, Carolina
looking back over these dreary days when she wa
the "prostrate State" the Elysium of adrenturerl
and ingrates, the golden field of rings for her scn
who never bent the knee to Baal, will know, recog
nize and appreciate Of her jewels the 1ntrepit
Journalist who dared In the darkest hour never u
despair Of the Palmetto State.-Register.