The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-05-22
Centenary OF tho Peaoe OF 1888.

| =, INV ,io..NACO JCdlo ago ApIll 10, 100,
General Washington, then at Newburg,
N9ws 4ssrlat, IL ,~where his troops we're IN
camp, received the proclamation an
nouncing the cessation of hostilities
with Great Britain, which Congress had
issued six days before. The preliminary
treaty had indeed been signed in the
preceding November, but such was tho
tardy reluctance Of the British diplO-
mats, and the uncertainty and slowness
| Of transatlantic communication, that
the proclamation could not be ventured
| upon until mld-April following; and
the treaty definitively acknowledging
the independence of the United States
was not concluded until the next Sep
tember. The proclamation Of Congress,
however, declaring the end of the cruel
| war was sufficient for the Commander
in-Chief and for the army, and the next
day after it's receipt at camp, April 18th,
1888, General Orders - were issued by
Washington as follows: ''The Com
mander-in-C Chief orders the cessation of
hostilities between the United States of
America and the King Of Great Britain
to be publicly proclaimed tomorrow,
april l9), at twelve o'clock, at the
New Building, and that the proclama-
tion, which will he communicated here
with, be read tomorrow evening at the
head Of every regiment and corps of the
army; after which the chaplains with
the several brigades will render thanks
to Almighty God for all His mercies,
particularly for His oyerruling the
wrath of man to His own glory, and
| causing the rage of war to cease among
brief announcement, but went OH to re-
mind the army that the day designated
for this return of thanks had more than
an ordinary significance. On the 10Th
| of April, 1775, the war began at Lexing-
ton. con such a happy day-a day
which is the harbinger of peace-a day
which completes the eighth year of the
war, it would be ingratitude not to re-
joice; it would he insensibility not to
participate in the general felicity"
There is flavor Of antiquity in these
| General Orders Of hundred years ago.
The style is not that Of the present day.
1t shows what the writer felt and how
deeply, and that he did not fear to ex-
press himself in what would seem to the
public of 1888. the ambitious style of the
rhetorician. 'The COmmander-in-
Chief" he continued, ''far from ell
deavoring to stitle the feelings of joy in
his own bosom, offers his most cordial
congratulations on the occasion to all
the officers of every denOmination-to
all the troops of the United States in
general, and in particular to those gal
liant and perseverng men who had re-
solved to defend the rights Of their in
vaded country so long as the war should
continue. .. Being immortal
lied by the illustrious appellation of the
Patriot Army nothing now remains
but for the actors of this mighty scene
to preserve perfect. unvarying con-
sistency through the very last act; to
close the drama with applause; and to
retire from the military theatre with
the same appreciation Of angels and men
which has crowned all their former viz
tuous actions"
This was the style of speech which
marked many Of the public papers Of
that period. Critically, it is not to he
defended in these days. but criticism
should not be suffered to choke
patriotism out Of existence. We had a
grand illustration, during the Centcn-
nial of Independence, how the world
can unite in honoring the times and
the men ito whom all the world owes
so much. And in the same spirit, the
10th of April, 1775, and the 10th of
April, 1888, are always to be remember
ell; and General Prosperity, a hundred
years after, issues general orders for
mutual congratulations and devout
thankfulneSs.