The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1889-10-03
400 VETERANS.
OF SAMPSON AND ADJOIN-
ING COUNTIES MEET IN
CLINTON.
A Veterans Association Organized.

Pursuant: to call for a meet
ing of the Confederate Veterans
in the town of Clinton, on
Thursday, Goth 1lt., a large body
of the old and ever to be vene-
rated soldiers of Sampson and
adjoining counties assem- bled in
the grove within the Courthouse
enclosure, about II o'clock, on
the day stated. Here the veto
rams were formed in double col
umn by DIR. r. IL. Holiday, who
acted as adjntant, and stated
that the battalion would drili
Iby Hardee's Tactics under
which they fought during the
war. Mai. J. S. Hines then took
com mand of the battalion,
which marched TO the music of
two drums and a fife, up Fay
etteville street, down Presbyte-
rian street aud back Main street
to the Courthouse square, where
they broke ranks. At 2 O'Clock
the veterans reassembled in the
Courthouse square and the ora
tor of the day, Mr.. n. II. Fen
nell then delivered an address.
We give below extracts from
Mr.. FennelPs address and regret
that we have not space to give
it all:
My Friends and Comrades -
While I recognise and appreci
ate the honor land assure you
; it is no ordinary honor to adj
dress an assemblage of Confed
crate Veterans, [ can but wisl
: your choice had fallen upon one
; more gifted and capable of set
} ting forth in forcible and living
l language the reasons and th'
cause that impelled you to th'
f conflict, and to portray in graph
1 ic words the part that yod Dor
in that conflict. You were nj
4 hired, mercenary soldiery. Yo1
t fought not for glory. Yo7
D fought not for favor. Yo1
n fought not for domain. Yo
S fought not for conquest; bu
) from a high sense of duty-fo
d your Southland, from deep-root
d ed convictions of principles i
9 defense of Constitutional Libel
/ ty, for States rights, States SOY
ereignty against the encroacl
S ment, the usurpation Of th
n Federal Government. And yo
IL fought not in vain. Your here
st ic and gallant struggle will eve
3 be a source Of strength and pow
Ie or to constitutional liberty an
y free government. So long {
Ie man loves liberty, so long wi
n your record be dear to the hear
le of freemen. Yes, unborn mi
i lions of freemen, who can no
j. be seen with the minds ey
t. passing down the vista Of Il
n future, will bless you. Yol
ts record will ever be source
Id power, pride and pleasure
IN constitutional liberty and FRI
government in all time to com
ne But the spirit Of this confii
Id was in the government at
al birth, yea, at its very lnceptio
al 1t manifested itself in the 9
d5 ticles of confederation and wi
g a more powerful. and stern
nd grip in the constitutional co
or vention. There it sought
or Judgement of some Of its po
n, ers, but the statesmen OF t.
States Sovereignty sisterho
were too vIgilaut and powerf
!. hence its failure. But the &C
test was not abandoned, it a
er. peared under various forms a
op shades, espousing first one iss
oal then another, adroitly conce
ed ing the grand leading thoug
S. from the masses of the peop
Lrs but never from the eagle-ey
its statesmen of the South, to who
he broad and comprehensive stat
ma manship the country rose fr'
ley it's birth to its grandeur, pr
In perity and glory in 1861.
I which time a strictly sectio1
VI party, composed of ali the wo
ge. elements of the two grand
la?' parties, feeding upon sectlo
hi issues, especially the slav
eli question, come into power, h
red ing possession of the Natio
to Government, strictly upon S
or tional issues and avowedly l
you tile to the institutions Of
BILE South. over which the Feds
nee Government had no power
Iay: earth. State institutions un
me free, independent State So'
will eighty. Here the issue
in drawn, the gauntlet was thre
we down, submit 10 coersion by
ter Federal Government, like b
:eat whipped ours, o. defend y
IAN constitutional rights by fore
,un- arms, aud this you did and p
abb ed to the front trusting to
adv God Of battles aud your
ling brave hearts to defend the RI
tific stalking all upon the issue,
lcept your manhood and