The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1880-07-21
JOB PREeT'YEHG.

| pie Of freedom and restoring the
centripetal forces of the shattcr-
ed IigamentS Of the constitution
OF :heir fathers, in the rebabiIita-
tion and autonomic restoration Of
once dismembcrcd but now reuni-
ted States.
Having agreed upon the proper
basis for the settlement Of the
novel and pcrplcxing questions
i n cld ent 10 the termination.
Of the struggle, &nd accepting
them as :; finaIity, the true men Of
both sections have turned their
backs on the issues Of the past to
the demands and obligations Of
the future. The wisdom of the
founders Of our peculiar form of
government, in the Federative
system OF States has been demon
strated while their rapid restora-
tion to relations of political equal
lty is an event without parallel.
Our belief in their perpetulty is
based On the conservatism, and
peculiar characteristics Of onr
American people. For the first time
in history has great civil strife
been free from physical violence,
confscation and bloody revenge.
Fearful wrongs, It's true, have
been heaped upon Us by the mar
row-mlnded and malignant leaders
OF the former dominant party, but
in the short space of fifteen years
there exists political condition
in this country without its counter
part in the annals of time. The
two sections then at war are now
one, and the States Of the van
Quished are not only represented
i'll the National Legislature but by
the. very men who were most
prominent in the work Of destruc-
tion. And aside from all political
and social causes incident to or
productive Of the condition of our
national lite, it is due, in very
great degree, to the sacrifices and
heroism Of the surviving soldiers
Of the late Confederacy and Of
those noble men whose graves we
annually decorate, and in memory
of q part Of whom this monu-
ment is erected.
Their splendid achievements.
against fearful odds, on the rocky
slopes Of Pennsylvania, in the
woodlands and by the streams Ct
old Virginia, along the Atlantic
coasts: Oh the swelling, plains of
the West ard across the Father
Of Waters, have cast halo Of i'm
perishable fame around the South.
ern Cross which time only makes
brighter; and when at last, few
in numbers and gaunt with hun
ger, they were forced to ground
their arms, it was done IN defeat,
jut, thank God, aclth0ut one spark Of
humiliation.
This feeling was consolation,
and when the survivors of the
cause they had lo7ed so dearly
and followed so faithfully, return.
ed to their desolate homes, they be.
gan at once to battle with the stern
realities Of sterner life, conscious,
however, of having fought, though
they lost, the grandcst battle in
history, while the victors them
selves felt no pride Of superiority.
This absence Of q feeling Of hu-
Initiation helped them to maintain
undaunted crests and to occupy,
in time, places Of honor and trust
With dignity and grace. Had the
South been easily overrun, or her
armies detected without inficting
severe blows in return or winning
superb victories, her surrender
would have been the death -kGell
of q Constitutional Union, the
ruin Of her future, with her States
but conquered provinces, while the
North itself would have been crush
ed beneath the heel Of military
domination. History has re epeated
itself. The memory Of Bannock-
bum preserved the pride of Scot
land amid all the subsequent dis
asters which betell her struggling
people, and when at last she and
her naughty neighbor united their
destiny in the indissoluble bond of
national unity, with one aim and
one purpose, there was neither
shame nor inferiority, but "whor-
ever the ensign Of Briton fQats, the
tartan is on guard, Malcolm stands
beside Siward, shoulder to shout
der, at the gate Of common con-
quest. and the blood Of Scottish
thames and English earls, of Gel
tic clans and Saxon tribes, beat,
with double action N q single
heart" Behold the reverse Of
this picture in the sad fate of the
"Iand OF the Shamrock, illustrious
for eloquence, poesy and song, the
mother Of Grattan and Shiel, Of
Curran, Plunkett and O'Coanell.
Londonderry, Dorgheda and the
Boyne, tell the too mournful tale
Of disaster and death, with pro-
scription and maladministration,
opposed by hatred and discord,
while the "Exile Of Eriu" has
given his courage and strength to
The wealth and glory of foreign
lands. German unity, the cap
stone Of Bisma, ck's diplomacy
and strategy, was achieved after
years of struggle and opposition
on the field and in council. vet