The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-09-30
Why an Englislman Came South.


English author of "Tom Brown, at Rug
by" and other favorite works, has estab-
lished colony of young Englishmen in
Tennessee. He was entertained at Chat
tanooga few days since aud made quite
lengthy speech, during which he said (:
~ can promise that you will find US a
law-abiding and loyal folk-proud of the
State of our adoption, proud of her re-
cord in the past, jealous of her honor in
the coming time, resolved that so far as
in us lies that record and that honor
shall remain untarnished. We hope, my
friends, to be on the very best terms with
all our neighbors. We are conscious
how much we have to learn from you,
how almost entirely we must rely for
years on your teaching and your SYM
pathy.
"And now, Mr. Chairman, let me turn
for moment to our settlement at Rugby.
1t was a matter of sincere pleasure to me
that after our inquiry in England, lasting
over two years, we were able at last to
come to the conclusion that your beauti-
full Cumberland mountains offered the
very best site for our enterprise in all
these broad and magnificent States of
your great country. l had felt for years
that it was the first duty of every man
who speaks our English language to do
all in his power to heal up the breaches
which still, to some extent, are at any
rate believed to divide the great sections
of your republic. The great city, your
Northern ncighbor, to which l have al
ready referred, has set us noble ex.
ample. The splendid line over which we
have travelled to your city has been built
by Cincinnati, and will do more than any
other enterprise to bind these States to.
gether in solid and lasting friendship.
All honor to her for her courage and
patriotism ! We, in our humble way,
have hoped and hope to follow in her
steps: I was told in my own country
that it was madness to go South for Our
experiment, but did not pay muck heed
to predictions coming from that quarter,
and which have too often proved TO be
founded on profound ignorance of your
country. But I confess that in the first
days after my arrival here among you my
own convictions were somewhat shaken.
l had to visit your famous fashionable
retreat at Newport, and there met old
friends, patriotic Americans of famous
historical names, who shook their heads
and drew dark picture of the immedi-
ate future. In the event of the success
of the candidate favored by the South in
the coming Presidential contest, they
drew a dark picture of the probable re-
versal of all that has been done since the
termination of your great struggle fifteen
years ago. I was disconnected but not
convinced, and few days residence in
your mountains greatly restored my con-
fdence. I found the mountain folks as
staunch friends of the Union and Con.
stitution rs it exists in its amended form
at this day as any Northern Republican,
and since my arrival here, sir, that con-
fidence has been turned into absolute
certainty. l cannot tell you the pleasure
with which 1 have heard the free discus
sion of the events of your great struggle
between men like General Wilder, who
took so active and prominent a part
on the Northern side, and many of your
selves who owned frankly to having been
"rebels," who met him in fair fight on
these renowned battle-felds, and who
would tomorrow join with him in draw
ing sword and freely risking life and for
tune again for the maintenance and in
tegrity of the Nation as it exists to-day.
II visited the National Cemetery,
where nearly $4,000 Union soldiers,
number equal to the present population
of your city, lie. In their neighborhood
are an equal number of Confederate SOL
diers, not in a noble National Cemetery,
but buried for the most part where they
fell. "Pause, for they tread on the Ma
ton dust" That splendid passage came
into my mind, but it very imperfectly
touches the deep rathos or the impor-
tance to mankind of the issue which was
decided here, of which the memory for
all time will hang round this place Of
sepulture, and these ridges and valleys
I say it deliberately, that the battles
round Chattanooga were of as much, if
not more, moment to the world than
Marathon, or Tours or Waterloo. / feel
again more strongly than ever that all
danger for your great country from civil
war has passed.
By the inside of the inland rivers,
Whence the fleets of war have fled,
Where the whisp ring grove grass quiyers,
Asleep are the ranks of the dead.
Under the sod and the dew,
Waiting the judgment day,
Under the one the blue,
Under the other the gray.
No more shall the war cry sever,
Or the inland rivers run red
We have buried anger forever
In the tombs of the sacred dead.