The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-03-14

subiecting the citizen to military disci-
pline. A greater advantage lies in its
influence upon character. 1t performs
for the moral qualities somewhat the
the same office that mathematics does
for the intellectual-as q trainer. 1t is
the nursing mother of all the manly,
hardy, heroic virtues-obedience, truth,
fidelity, bravery, and even patriotism it.
self, for in all ages and country there
has been an intimate connection between
bravery and love Of country. Military
discipline cultivates and stimulates per-
sonal heroism, without which safety, in
dependence and liberty are mere words
of delusion. Devotion to country does
not ordinarily exist, and if it did, it
would be useless waste. of empty sem
timent, without the spirit to defend that
country. All hail to the newborn citi-
zen soldiery of the State?
But you have a special source ofpride in
the honorable record of your own COM
pany. Organized and chartered in 1874
under Capt. Peter. Della Tore, and
Lieuts. Walter, Doucin and DeSaussure,
it will soon be time to celebrate your
semi-centennial. Your organization has
been kept up either rs company, society,
or club, during the whole of the thirty
five years from that time to this day
the most eventful period in the history
of the country. 1t would be interesting
but time will not permit, to pass in re-
view the successive officers, down to
Capt. Ellison A. Smyth and his officers,
and the muster-roll of the men, number
ing, rs I am Informed, about thirteen
hundred. cannot, however, refrain
from touching on some of the incidents
in your history. When you were young
in years, in 1916, the Palmetto Regi-
ment, as famous for its services as for its
sufferings, was raised for the Mexican
war. OF that devoted regiment Charles
ton furnished Company F, which was
for the most part formed from your men,
bers. Under the gallant Capt. VIM.
Blanding, my comrade and friend, that
company endured all the privations and
dangers, and shared in all the glories of
that modern "Ten Thousand" who un-
der Gen. Scott captured Vera Cruz and the
Castle of St. Juan De Ulloa, scaled the
heights of Cerra Gordo, triumphed in
the bloody meadows of Churubusco,
carried Chapultapec and the Gate Belen,
and flung out in triumph the banner OF
stars from the National Palace of Mex
leo.
When in later times the bugle blast of
war summoned every son of the State to
uphold her standard and defend her soil,
you volunteered and served through the
war, on the coast and the adjacent islands.
Besides this important work, your organi-
zation as the matri1 sent forth for SER
vice in Virginia large part Of that ia
nous company of artillery which at first,
as az part of the Hampton Legion, was
commanded by the cheyalier Stephen D.
Lee-who rose to the rank of lieutenant
general-and afterwards was known
throughout the Army of Northern Vir-
ginia as Harris Battery. That battery of
horse.artillery was connected with cav
falry, and on Che tanks and in exposedpo
sitions rendered distinguished service.
In reviewing the romantic incidents in
the history Of that comparatively small
command--its adventurous expeditions,
its hairbreadth 'scapes by flood and
field, its dashing, dragoon gallantry-
the mind in1oluntaraySecalls the pencil
| note which Napoleon wrote on the POM
mel of his saddle while his cuirassiers in
full view were sweeping as with a tenn
pest the stricken field of Eylau-"The
horse guards have covered themselves
with glory
When the bugles sang truce and the
war was ended you returned to the plr-
suits of peace. Leaving your fallen
comrades on the battlefield, you reached
your desolate homes penniless and friend
less. Your property destroyed, yourselves
under the ban of treason and excluded
by aliens and strangers from all places
of honor or profit, you had to battle for
subsistence; but you kept your faith, and,
in common with your countrymen, dis
charged as best you could all the duties
of good citizens. After period, not
long indeed, but which to us seemed
an age, by one herculean effort of Our
people deliverance came; and when the
expressed will of the people, which pro-
claimed that deliverance was about to be
set aside, you were the first company
iu the State to tender your services to
defend the right and maintain the triumph
of good government that had been
achieved by, unparalleled exertions, self
control and passive heroism.
Happily the title of governments not
disputed now. Troops no longer occupy
the Capitol. We breathe more freely.
The day is breaking. Good omens are
around us and it is ours to- act with
that moderation, justice and wisdom,
which will prove we deserved our tardy
good fortune, and contribute to make it
perpetual. Peace has her victories not
less renowned than war. Let US on this
great holiday recur to former times and
first principles. There owas nothing
about Washington more decidedly mar
ked than his lifelong opposition to sec
tional bitterness and party strife. He
was broad in his views and catholic in
all his sentiments. Imbibe his spirit,
emulate his virtues, and we shall yet
have peaceful and prosperous country.
His great example is more useful to US
now than ever before. Keep faith with
scrupulous fidelity. Make no false or
unmanly recantations, but speak the
truth with frmnes,, and modesty. Har-
bor no feelings of revenge, but cultivate
kindly sentiments. Respect the honest
convictions of others and demand the
same for your own without self-reproach
or shame or sense of inferiority to living
man.
In our condition of restored liberty,
looking back upon the Stygian pool
from which we have just escaped-hor-
resc9 refereW-and having faith in the
resistless power of truth, justice, endu-
rance and virtue, we may we'll adopt the
godlike invocation of the spirit DOM
ogorgon to Prometheus Unbound
Gentleness, virtue, wisdom and endurance,
These arc the seals OF that most firm assurance
Which bar the pit over distinctions strength.
These are the spells by which to reassumc
An empire DER the disentangled doom.