The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-08-22
CAPTAIN ALSTON'S GRAFTON.
DELIVEREsD B EEORE TIE SURYyY-
ORS or TIE SIXTH REG GIMENT.

a His tory of the Command, and the
Pa TT IL 70 in the Waf--The Past.
the Present and the Future.
Mr.. President, E'el1ow-citi@ens
and S.ryiving Conruaes Of the
tSiatA:-
1t is with no small degree of
diffidence, yet with unfeisned pleas
nre and delight, That [ appear
before you on this most deeply
interesting occasion, to pay my
humble tribute to distinguished
valor' to mingle with you my
sympathetic feelings in cherishing
hallowed memories, and to aptici-
pate the glorious future that awaits
the true, trieI, chivalrous and
PATRIOTIC of or State and country.
Then, how striking and universal
is the truth, that patriotism is II
predominant characteristic of man.
Even the benighted Hindoo is
welded to his jungle----the uHcivil>
lied Ethiopian CHAINED with his
native wilds-the savage Esquima,.x
captivated with his sterile and
frozen regions-and
''Lo, the poor Indian, whose untutorcd
mind
Secs God in clouds or hears him in tho
wind"
is enraptured with his rude forest
home. But far above all these it
has been reserved for the Anglo
Saxon to possess and enjoy II a
pre~cnlincnt degree This heaven
endowed principle, for the very
civilization cngendered ip his pltulo
IS the chief corner stone upon
which his love of country rests.
The enterprise Of civilizei IN, the
development Of the resources at his
command, the rapid progress in
agriculture, manufactures and com
merce, the wonderful proficiency in
literature, science and art, the
speedy advancement in civil, politi-
Cal and religious liberty, the gcner-
,ous and noble qualities in peaceful
and social relations, the unduuntcd
courage, Spartan heroism and
Roman fortitude. especially when
prompted by that sacred spirit of
resistance to unauthorized acts of
power-all these highly estimable
acquisitions attest his capacity for
superiority and excellence in every
emergency ana contingency Of life.
Therefore, under such peculiar
auspices as these, tho Southern
people, and particularly the people
OF South Carolina. who, by the wise
counsels and judicious legislation
of their former leading statesmen,
had hitherto given character to the
then existing national government,
not only at home, but also through
out the civilized world, became
restive, and even chafed ,ndor the
wrongs and oppression heaped upon
them by an irresponsible majority,
until "forbearance ceased to : be q
virtue" Thep it was that South
Carolina, taking the initiaiiye,
adopted the sentiment, that
'''passive obedience and tarno sub
mission to every degree Of tyranny
is the province Of slaves only," and
consequently, making q practical
application Of the piinciple, on tho
10th Of December, 1860, she pro
claimed to the :yorld her independ-
,ence, by the passage of the
Ordinance of Secessioffi. .Goerciyo
.measul es having thereupon been
instituted by the United States
government, the tocsin of war was
sounded throughout this grand Old
commonwealth, and among the first
to respond to tho call of the State
was the Sixth Regiment of South
Carolina Volunteers. This corps,
owing to its superior material, and
through tho extraordinary genius
of it's able organizer and disciplina-
rian, Colonol' Rion, soon attained
that high degree of efficiency and
,soldierly bearing which excited tae
admiration Of oil military devotees
and critics who beheld it's serried
files and solid column. When the
first booming shot sped across
Charleston harbor, on the ever
memorable morning of the 10Th of
April, 1881, tho Sixth Regiment,
the pride and glory Of Chester and
Fairfield, were at their post Of duty,
and welcomed the signal for