The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-03-14
ALL HAIL! TO A FREE PEOPLE
AN INVOCATION OF THE SPIRIT OF
JUSTICE, HARMONY AND PEACE.
The Annual Grafton Delivered Before tho
Washington Artillery of Charleston on
February 22, 1873, by General Samuel
MCGOWAN, OF Abbovillc, S. c.

February 22, 1878, by General Samuel
MCGOWAN, OF Abboville, S. G.
81 am now to address a free people" :"
These were the opening words of Grattan
when, in 1882, he moved the Bill of
Rights in the Irish Parliament. His
idolized country had been dependent for
ages--harassed by strangers and op-
pressed by extortion and misgovernment,
until the story of her woes had excited
the pity of mankind and all nations and
in every clime-when the patriot states
men, with heart full of love for his
country and of gratitude for the good
omens in America, where the struggle
for liberty was then approaching its glo-
rious termination, arose in his place and
proposed Declaration of Independence.
He saw that the measure was full-that
the time had come; and feeling within
him all the enthusiasm of the patriot,
mingled with the inspiration of the
prophet, he proclaimed in advance the
assured triumph of liberty and home
rule.
Such occasions arise at long. intervals
in the history of the world. Nearly at
the end of century, in the distant, ,coun-
try from which Grattan drew his iIRspira-
tion-after an exhausting civil war of
nearly five years, supplemented by un.
paralleled losses and decade Of social
and political chaos-we are happy in tile
consciousness that we can, in the same
spirit of grateful exultation repeat the
declaration of the great Irish orator that
we are "a free people"
There are events in the history of the
world which, from the interest attaching
to them, or from the magnitude Of the con-
sequences which fow from them, mark
the eras of chronology, and stand out as
landmarks along the course OF time.
Sometimes those events are of such q
character as not only to mark as a beacon
or lighthouse, but to give direction to
the current of events. No power of in
tellect can comprehend what would now
have been the condition of TIE world if
the printing press had never been inven-
ted or the Continent of America discov-
cred. Some one has written an interest
ing book, entitled "The Fifteen Decisive
Battles of the World, of which contrary
event would have essentially Taried the
drama of the world in all its subsequent
scenes" Among those named are Mara
thon, Arbela, Hastings, and Saratoga 1t
is no doubt true that those famous battles,
in connection with the causes that pro-
duced them, had much influence upon
the affairs of the world; but it is believed
that victorious battles-the development
Of bravery, physical force, and skill
have not had and do not have as much
influence in changing the face of history,
as the appearance, upon the stage of ac-
tion at certain epochs, of great men,
seemingly produced in the fullncss of
time for the accomplishment of great
purposes. The battles indicated are
among the consequences of the appear
ance Of those great makers Of history.
The incident must always be inferior to
the principal. We must no; take the
effect for the cause. NIiltiades made the
battle of Marathon, Alexande. the Great
that of Arbela, William the Conqueror
that of Hastings, and the ev.ntful sur
render of Burgoyne at Saratoga was
brought about by George Washington.
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
This is the Twenty second OF February,
and we are here to commemorate the
birth of Washington, which occurred one
hundred and forty-six years ago-a day
which should be ever memorable, and in
the calendar ofthis country diei. festissin1us,
for on that day was born man whose
virtues and heroic acts beyond all doubt
achieved the independence of these Uni
ted States, changed the history of the
North American Continent, and had, and
still havo, an influence for good to the
remotest bounds of the earth. What a
theme! How full of proud reminiscent
ces, of material Tor reflection, and oi
cause for admiration, gratitude and love.
and. all the generous sentiments! How
suggestive it is of thoughts about the
great events in our history that have
since taken place, our present condition
and future hopes and prospects.
The history of Washington is in fact
the history of the Revolution. No re.
hecting man can read the story of the
unequal contest with the mother country,
carried on by thirteen colonies, without
adequate means of forces, separate from
each other, with independent govern
ments, and afflicted by local prejudices
the riyalries of army officers, the caba
of Conway, the treason Of Arnold, and
the poverty, distress and want of disci'
pline in the patriot armies, without being
perfectly satisfied that the struggle would
have ended in misfortune out for the
great leader of the Colonial armies, who
in every calamity presented in his owr
person an unfailing rallying point
whose wisdom, patriotic moderation and
frmness allayed the troubled waters and
brought the great undertaking through
to its triumphant termination. Speaking
generally it is DO commonplace glorifi
cation-it is no false adulation, but it il
indeed the very truth, that George
Washington was the saviour of his coun'
try.
Every intelligent people in every age
of the world has honored ita early sage:
and heroes, and endeayored to perpetu'
ate the memory of their deeds. The
ancients dei6ed them. The Athenians
built temple to Theseus, and the Ro'
mans placed Romulus and Remus in the
Pantheon. The moderns give expression
to the same desire by "storicd urn and
animated bust" by bonfres and illumi.
nations, anniversaries and commemora.
tions. 1t is just and generous senti.
ment, springing from admiration, love
and reverence; and in those who are the
bene6ciaries, it is but the prompting oi
common gratitude for character estab.
lished and benefits received in the fruits
of their labols.
But such commemorations have q much
greater Importance. They are not only
creditable to the hearts of those who jolt
in them, but they are in the highest de.
gree useful. 1t is important to keep alive
the memory of great virtues and achieve
ments with q view to their reproduction
in the living present; to stir the fires oi
patriotic ambition, and to induce an EN-.
ulation which will shape character. II
is difficult to estimate the effect upon a
peoples character of the example OF theil