The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-06-12
FRANCIS MARION,
"A Beautiful Word Portrait of the f;reat
Revolutionary Hero.

Revolutionary Hero.
The following sketch of Gen. Marion.
delivered some time ago before the Ma
rion Artillery by J. P. K. Bryan, ESQ. ;.
one of the most talented young men Of
Charleston, $50 eloquent and polished
in its competition as to afford pleasure at
any time. and therefore we publish IL be-
low:
Captain and Gentlemen Of the dariou
artillery: 1t is with a grateful sense of
your kindness and the honor done me
that rise to respond to the sentiment
that for you is enwrapped in "The mem.
ory of Francis Marion" that great
citizen soldier of the State, one of
the noble workers of the ReyoIu-
tionary struggle, whose name is the com
mon heritage of his countrymen." That
name you have enshrined here: to that
memory you have set up an altar of con-
tinual remembrance, and invoked it as
the inspiration of your civic and martial
1t Is we'll for me that that name speaks
always for itself, that it needs no inter
prefer, that its spell is as subtle as it is
universal, living in tradition and romance
and poetry, where it has eluded the slow
er grasp ofsober history. The memories,
gentlemen, that cluster round il recall
some of the noblest feeling and highest
living that has illustrated the majesty of
manhood and ennobled the dignity of hu-
man nature. 1t recalls the selfsacriice
and heroism Of the Huguenots-those
grand exiles for conference.-the force
and fervor of their creed, their deathless
love OF liberty and virtue. It. recalls n
strong character, high sentiments, simple
ana noble manners, the flower and fruit
OF noble mind. 1t recalls right thinking
ana plain living, personal honor, undaun-
ted courage and whole-souled devotion
tary insight that was genius and mar.
tial fire that was inspiration. It recalls
all the dangers and daring OF partisan
warfare on which hung the DESTINY of nm
oppressed people, and the cause Of civil
liberty in the modern world. It re-
calls the historic fame of Fort Sullivan.
our own Fort Moultrie, on yonder sea.pirt
island-Eutaw, Savannah, and the name
less and countless battles in the forest
fortress, where, with handful.o faithful
followers, he baffled or dispersed the ar
Wies sent 70 destroy him, anu kept alive
the tre OF patriotism in aState that was
well-nigh overwhelmed in despair. On the
very threshold Of our life as a people
there is set up great historical picture
that must ever stir the heart. exalt and
inspire the mind Of all the children of
this Niobe of States, whom we call
Mother. When Charleston was taken
and Moultrie was prisoner of war. and
his companions in arms were his fellow.
captives, and Sumter, sick and wounded
had retired from the field, and Gates de-
feated and broken, and the State parri.
soned from seaboard to mountains by the
foe, and her Governor was in o. sister
Colony pleading with his eloquence for
aid for stricken people, Marion alone
led the iorlorn hope, led it heroically and
cheerful!y, In the face of almost certain
ruin, with the quenchless hope and daunt-
iaas courage of prophet.
These are the memories that make n
people great. These arc the memories
familiar but immortal-that make this
land, even in its ruin and desolation.
Land of hope. These are the memories
which, as a people, we cannot forget.
which in late years, amid the peril fwar
ana the s.erner hardships of peace, have
made us men.
Your distinguished commander has this
evening portrayed the place and power
of the citizen soldier in q free corlntrv
There is, in the annals of our State. no
higher type CT these guardians of popu-
lar right and national stability than Fran.
els Marion. The patriot whose genius
and courage revived the despairing cause
aud bore up the faltering spirit of his
conntrymen, was plain citizen. a planter
ofSantee. He had, like Washington, only
an elementary education. He had no
training of the schools, no technical
knowledge of military science, no lore of
DOCKS, no experience Of travel. But he
lad the faculties and instincts of q atronp
simple nature. He knew men. ne
knew the human heart as he knew the
stars of heaven and the trackless forest
And not only did he know, but he loved
his fellow-man, and the welfare Of his
fellow-citizen. And more than ali be
loved liberty, not as an empty name. q
glorious lie to fool the crowd, but as The
priceless boon of freemen, the inalien-
able right of humanity, possible of reali-
zation, and which, as divine spirit of
life and light and blessing would. if wor-
shipped and invoked, descend and dwell
with men. It was native wisdom. tho
simple virtues of head and heart. the
manly instincts of courage and honesty,
the fearless energy OF thought ap1 cScci
ing, oil transfused with the glow of pat
riotism, that made this citizen-soldier
and chieftain great. The heartfelt tribute
of his comrade in arms, Col. Lee. was
Beloved by his friends and respected by
his enemies, he exhibited luminous ex-
ample of the beneficial effects to be pro.
duced by an individual. who, with only
small means at his command, possessed
uir of. 4
devoted to the common good" Sucll
gentlemen, is the man, the citizen sol.
dier, chieftain, patriot and hero, whose
name and memory it is our common priv
ilege as his low-countrymen to cherish
and to guard, your peculiar privilege rs
members of the Marion artillery 10 exait
in your emulation of an illustrious ex.
ample.
= In one of his speeches at the Queens
College celebration at Kingston the other