The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-21
A Tribute to Woman.
INHERITED OBLOQUY DIsPELLED
s.. BY WOMAN'S LOVE.

Gen. John s. Preston's Grafton on the
Occasion of the dwelling Of the
Monument Erected at Columbia to
the Confederate Soldiers by the
Women Of South Carolina.
When the people OF Israel fed from their
oppressors, the God OF their fathers babe
them be bf good courage, n his hand closed
OF their pursuers; and their prophet stood
, upon the banks of the holy river, and In the
am OF the God Of their fathers promised
them liberty, and for II country I'LL the land
from Lebanon To the Euphrates and TO the
Western Sea, and the promise was fulfilled.
When the patriot orator delivered his euOgy
on the heroism Of tho Greeks who had fallen
In battle, he stood In view OF Marathon and
sian invader and redeemed her liberty.
When Marcus Brutus stabbed the usurper In
the Roman capitol he cried aloud and babe
the father Of his country hail for 40! the
Is free" With all these, on the banks OF the
Jordan, on the shores OF the H;gean Sea, In
the Capitol Of the Caesars, the theme was LIB:
crty triumphant and redeemed by the blood
sacrifice redeemed Israel and Greece and
Rome, and made them free again. Such is
the kindling majesty OF the theme OF those
who praise the men who have fallen triumph
To preserve the memory and hold up TO tho
v%cneration of posterity those who have de.
voted their lives by heroic deeds to just and
holy cause, Is Il duty which imposes D sacred
obligation on all people, whether they be the
benehcaries or the sufferers from those nc
tions-whether they be redeemed or lost.
My conntrymen, we are not In view OF the
promised land: we are not by the resounding
Snp han anfh ryttnsnc t1rfpNn fhn fparSIplt ShtnS
lie shattered; we do not stand on the "Seyen
Hills" and overlook rcgenerated Rome; we
are not In the presence Of palms and laurels,
W ,MS atars the tn iG fpo ona OF ibi yic aoTys h nc trinTap ~
with kings and priests to consecrate them;
but here we stand on the dust Of desolation,
wet witt the silent tears Of woo, mourned by
the dlrge OF defeat: ond over this dust these
Is thus; and yet here, just here, beneath the
sun Of heaven aud amid the gorgeous bloom
OF natures ~sprinS-tidc, would to God / could
persuade my trembling lips TO give right Ut
terance to the emotions OF my soul-the 10.
cred reverence which fills my heart. the burn:
ing thoughts which crowd my braIn-as
look at this scene and try to rise to the sol
emn and mournful majesty OF our theme to
day. Oh, my countrymen, that / could sny
that I dare say, with tho Athenian: ut is
Liberty! Liberty! Liberty" Cheers.
In every attribute this monument is an
anomaly. 1t Is without precedent, without
| kitp kAAhtu6y ~ hasAA
history. 1t Is true Il column was placed In
the pass Of Thcrmopyl9, with the inscription
Tell Sparta we are here In obedience to hel
laws" And that column became q sanctun
ry; an altar revered by all succeeding ages
The names OF the martyrs and their battered
shields and broken javelins, were carved up
on 1t, and a marble lion placed near II as or
elnblcmatic g~uardian-as near to IT as thai
are TO thism monument. 1t is true the Athe'
Mans, after regaining their liberty, placed {
cenOtaph at the Pirfeus In honor Of Themis
tuclcs, who having been outlawed for trea
libeintcd Greece. And almost within gu
own day, within this century, an earther
mound was raised OIL the banks OF the Nistult
in honor of that Thaddeus Kosciusko whit
and fought for our liberty, almost in view
from this column. Poland, his country, wa
conquered, subdued, and Parcclled out amont
her conqucrOrs. But the devoted patriotism
aud heroic virtue OF Thadders kosciusko woI
the reluctant reverence even OF the despot
Isns which had crushed the liberties OF hi
country and obiilcruted It's. name from tn
maps OF Europe. (Applnuse."J And the EN-
prisoner, tie Polish patrioL.. NO" said tn
hero, II do not need a sword, l have no coun
try TO defrnd.' ..
robert Lee needed no sword after Apo
mattoX.
The body of Kosciusko was buried In thu
tomb OF kings, and all the women OF Polan
wcpt and wore mourning Mt his death.
LII Rome I could find no fragment OF n mon
dark centuries Of shame and oppression. HI
only garland IS u withcrcd lcaffrom the blast
ed trunk Of Roman liberty
While the Tree Of Freedoms witiered trunl
puts forth one leaf,
= Fen for thy tomb a garland let 1t be-"
When asked in the streets of Rome, "Wher
are the monuments Of Roman liberty:" til
Italian patriot took from the ground, at hi
I feet, q handful Of shining dust and said
'llcrc Is Rome" Go to the banks Of that fas
/ flowing ri%ver-nlong which rich culture CAV
\ c~xulting Notwithstanding, wealth, refine
i meht and virtue beyond its BORDERS, an
. there, pointing to the now barren earth say
This l. Carolina" Go to the groves Of acad
= cmirs there, once resonant with the voices q
@ science, Philosophy, Virtue nnd RELIGION,
! Carolina - But still more: / search listor.
In vain. l reason upon the ethics OF patrol
q ism IN vain, To find ali example or a principl
!. from which to deducc the slightest %Justifica
= ton, or even excuse, for this monument bt
fore the world. 1t Is built by these mourning
women OF Il conquered people, and here To
day they dare to dedicate IL To the memory q
nien who devoted themselves to q caus
= which they lost, and are thereby branded b.
C the world as traitors 10 truth and to liberty
Yes, these dead soldiers. to whose patriotism
{ valor, virtue, honor and trutll-tliese pur1
! and holy women, with tears OF plous grat1
= IuNt, III ptSiASCbih5 thto 80
G mony-stand today, and In memory, befor
+ the world as defeated and degraded traitors
Their land has been dcsolatcd, their Cause
proclaimed infamous, before the nations Q
4 the earth; and yet these cllaStc women COM
here, and in the light OF the sun OF HEAVIER
and Invoking with holy and solemn rite
Gods own very presence, consecrate tines
names to the admiration, gratitude and rev
ercnce OF their children. loud and prolonl
I ell cheering They go to those churches an
Q commune with the Son OF God ut Ills altar
, and then come here. and build an altar :
Treason and Infamy. 1t Is strange, 1t III yer,
%strunsc! speak it In humble reverence, tina
not even ut the Cross and Tomb OF the Son G
j God did the women kncel with Il surer trus
in the Divine Truth for which he died, thai
$ these women do here knecl tO-duy, by Ill
: mOny Of the truth for which the Confcderat
: soldier died. ICheers.l They. are pure an
$ cu;lstc womcn-the followers OF the meek an
lowly Jesus from Bethlehem TO Calvary al!
!; yet they bring their brothers, their husband
{ and their children here to-day, and bid then
! knerl ut the base of u monument they nav
| devoted more than ten years OF their lives, I
! celebrate Treason. Defeat, and 1niiimy. On
y IL Is very, very stranger! Human example
human logic fail to remove the veil from thi
: mystery. There is but one solution. 'Wher
g., can it be found ? blessed be the Ompiscien
! God, who knows all Truth, II Is found in tn
! outpOuringS Of His own eternal truth owe
the hearts and souls Of these women OF Caro-
I lima, and by their acts, under Its dictates, b.
their deed here to-day II Is proclaimed, bciOr
r God and mnn, that the worlds cutlery Q
sllumc and inlamy is q lie, IL dcep.dyed
damned lie, and that this monument to tn
D Confederate soldiers Is the emblem ana Tn
. substance OF Truth. [Great cheering and up
I I plnusc.l Yes, women OF South Carolina, D!
all thai Is sacred on earth and before God, b!
all that Is true, you arc Justifed In placln,
/ this monument here, on this spot az the nltar
$ the sanctuary, to which, In .pious pilgrlmag'
, y Ill may lead your sons In all the days I
II come IMOrcc cheering You nave made thi
:. ground holy for all coming time, and here to
: day those who saw these men fall on the bal
: tlctield and those who have grown IN reVer
encc of them under your tutelage, come Il
, the sanctuary to invoke blessings on you
? and to worship the yal0r which demanded
9 this monument and the virtue which ha
builded 1t.
And now. you maidens, whose fathers diet
! on the battlefield, unveii their efflSy to tn
! view Of tho men and women for whom the!
I died. Some OF you came into life after thei
! death, and therefore your vencration is bu
!. tradition appealing to the Instincts OF you
the pulSatiOns of YOU hearts. For that Vepe
, ration you need no aid OF association, or. o
; momory. 1t lives In every faculty Of you
; existence. Memory may be lost In oblivion
t Nature knows no apostasy. In obedience t.
her dictates. kDecl IN the prideand the purit!
: Of flial piety, and dedicate this monument Z
: the Truth for which your fathers died. Thei
Justified spirits are approving your act.
! And now, my cOuntrymen, standing by thi
, consccrated symbol Of the gravcst event II
U our histOry-thc grandest and most pregnan
|, event in the history civilization ON this Con
, tincnt-if We look back through the time O
: public OF Rome, glowing sublime with tn
, power of q thousand States; her curule cbal
on the thrones of II hundred kings, and tn
arm Of Roman liberty awning a subject world
Of right and justicc-when her law
were more powerful thar the commands O