The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-09-16

stand. Ono of the first Revolutionary
engagements here in the old fort called
"Ninety-six was one in which Delaware
men were present and mingled their
blood with yours in the common defence
of the liberties of all. So feel in coming
into community so tied to my own peo-
pie in the past with common object at
all times in government and common
object to-day, I feel sonso Of gratifica-
toni may say in plain language that
I feel perfectly at home among you.
[Great applause.] Another thing in these
times brought me close to you-an Incl
dent which think it we'll to repeat and
not we'll to forget. had watched the
varying fortunes of bloody civil war
between my countrymen with feelings
of unmixed sorrow. Victory or defeat
brought woe on one side or the other,
and 1 could not forget that my country
men who fell on either side was my coun-
tryman. It was terrible thing to see
American valor arrayed against Ameri-
leans on both sides. 1t was, perhaps, in
evitable, but it was struggle from which
we should gain ono great, grand eXper:-.
once, that it shall never occur again, II
the cultivation of the National spirit OF
fellowship and mutual justice can servo
to avert it. Immense cheering
In 1866, nearly one year after the last
man in the armies in opposition to the
Federal Government had surrendered -
when there was 10 opposition to Federal
power anywhere when the flag of the
Union foated everywhere, and was obey
ed everywhere, still the surges Of civil
strife ran high enough to deprive you
people of the liberties which law alone
can give, and which our Constitution was
intended to secure to the hunlblest. Yet
the insolence of military power prevailed
the animosity of sectionalism prevailed,
and here in your midst five of your citi-
zens, eminent for their responsibility,
well-known and regarded as men OF good
order among you, were suddenly arrest
ed, taken from their homes and carried
several hundred miles away to Charles
ton to answer to terrible Charge
charge false and absurd upon its face, but
which by dint of perjury and malice and
the refusal of every principle of justice,
they were, by tribunal unknown to the
laws of the United States and unfit for q
free country to tolerate, tried in the midst
OF peace with civil courts in sight and
were sentenced to die the death Of felons
fo1 crime of which they were totally ig-
norent and innocent. It was the pleasure
of the then President of the United States,
himself Southern-born man, to spare
their lives and to mitigate, if it can be so
called, their punishment to imprisonment
for life on the dry rocks of Tortugas.
The tyrannical military commander,
Sickles, had sentenced them to die, but
President Andrew Johnson prevented the
execution of that sentence. They Ian
guished in the Tortugas for awhile and
were then sent to Fort Delaware, in Della
ware Bay, not fur from my home. When
T learned that five men of Carolina had
been tried by an unlawful tribunal and
were languishing under sentence that
no law had imposed, in the name of the
law and for the sake of the liberty that
the law was intended to secure applied
for and. obtained from venerable magis-
trate of the United States the great writ of
liberty in their behalf. Immense cheer
ingl Judge Willard Hall has gone to his
last account at the advanced age Of 80 and
he has passed away to receive the reward
of the just. In the face of strong public
opinion he bravely led the way after the
war to the restoration of that law for tho
perpetuation of which is the great object
of this meeting to-day. The government
of the United States responded to that
writ. The commandant of that Fort
obeyed the writ. He brought in those
men of Anderson, one of whom is on the
stand to-day and others I believe are
within tho sound of my voice. The Ad-
ministration at Washington sent down
their counsel and proposed to change
the instrumentalities of a government OF
law into military despotism. There
was no authority in the Constitution for
4, ~ of ,f
ment the judgment came. And I wish it
were inscribed on the tomb OF Judge Hall
as the most honorable epitaph that could
be given him: "That he loved the law,
and exercised it without fear of the
threats of power" And SO from the lips
of that venerable Old man came forth the
law that the men Of Carolina, unjustly
imprisoned by an unjust tribunal, should
be set free in tho State of Delaware in
the name of the law that governs US all.
It was Just for such results that the battle
of liberty was commenced century ago,
and has been waged ever since. Peace is
the end Of all righteous war, and law and
liberty are the great results for which
freemen should struggle. Need I say
what pleasure it has given mo to meet
unexpectedly two Of these mon here to-
day, and find them part and parcel OF this
prosperous, manly community?
Passing from the recital of this Incl
dent, dear to the memories of every man
and woman in Anderson County and Of
the deepest interest to tho whole State,
Senator Bayard dwelt with much force
upon the duty which the people of the
States owed to their common country.
Consider yourselves, said he, citizens of
this great Union of States. There are
other obligations than written laws.
There are duties just as oncrous, as holy,
as important, which are not defined by
statutes or constitutions, and among
those sentiments which desire to kindlo
in your hearts to. day is the spirit of
American nationality. want you to
feel, to know that you are members Of
the Democratic party of the Nation. Re-
gard not yourselves as mere Democrats
in South Carolina, but think of your
selves as part of that great Democratic
Guard of Freedom that exists all over
this country. You must cooperate with
that great army. Every object of the
National Democratic party tends to the
advancement of the welfare, honor and
prosperity of every man within our
limits. Not only of Democrats, but Re-
publicans as we'll; not only of white
men, OlC OF Ulack 1leu tlS WCll, duu 1 Ue-
lieve, nay, am sure, that the best in
terests of every American is bound up
with the success OF tho great Democratic
party OF the Union.
He compared the struggles of party
to those of an army, and said that the
same principle that ruled in one ruled in
the other. There are somo who will
raise their puny resistance to the will of
the majority, but such men arc enemies
to the best interests oil the country.
There is such thing as treason being as
foul to a party as treason to country,
especially when the objects of that party
are to secure good government for that
country. We eshould be true to our party,
but we should not part with our con-
scientious conviction for party's sake.
"Truth and honesty demand that man
stand by his conscientious convictions"
No man who will yield to projudices
should be entrusted with the power in
any party. The Democracy is fighting for
good government, the blessings OF which,
said that great statesman, Andrew Jack
son, fall like the dew on the rich and poor
alike. There is great deal of truth in
that remark of John e. Calhoun's, that
the resources of country could not
safely exceed tho economical needs Of
the government. Speaking Of the money
4