Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1892-08-25
The Sword Of the Con-
queror Subdues the
Bodies, but it is Often
the Heroism of the Van
quished which Subju-
gates the Minds of Men
and Achieves Conquests
of Eternal Duration.
TILLM A IS NJ

SENECA, S. G., August y, 1892.
MEssRs. EDITORS: A soldier who
'salways had place in the picture
amid the flashing of the guns" who
bears upon his body the honored
!, scars of battle, and has bled on more
than one field OF carnage, writes to
approve my sentiments, and says he
could not help but exclaim, on read
ing my tribute to the soldier,
oThere's life in the old land yet"
He wishes to enter his protest against
the deceitful compliments attempted
to be paid to the private, while at
the. same time the officer, who was
followed ,'to glory and the grave,
is held up in derision, or, in COM
parative insigrifcance. Such praise
he thinks should be scorned and
looked upon with suspicion, as it ap-
pears to him very similar to the
empty honors now continually being
pressed upon one class of our fellow
citizens by a few ambitious leaders,
having political aspirations, appa-
rentl1 because they are more numer-
ous than all other classes combined,
and can furnish more votes.
The attempt to create prejudice
with the old soldier element against
those they delighted to honor, when
it took manhood and courage to lead,
as well as to follow, by a few polltl-
cal leaders, some OF whom know
nothing from experience OF what
constitutes the true clements OF
either, l hope and trust will fail, for
there should be and is kindred feel
inc between them, born Of sharing a
common danger, and ties that bind
which are stronger than that which
blood links withal.
Ny voice has ever beer raised in
their behalf, and | have again re-
sumed my pen to defend the honor
- those who died and We're left be-
many of whom suffered without
olation OF friends to comfort
them her LAST hottrs, or the
mothta sooth the brow and nurse
her poor tired boy to rest; and also
those who were reserved to a better
or more melancholy destiny. II |
can effect anything which will re-
dound 20 the glory of the dead, or
be the instrument through which
some good may be derived by those
who are yet alive, 50 that their last
days can be spent in comparative
ease and confort, it will be consol-
ing thought, and bring a secret JOY
to my heart when It is about to cease
It's beating forever. "When in that
chamber, long past midnight, the
flickering light burns lonely, and
passing forms noiselessly and quick,
too MAINLY show that death is there
when the bleak winters wind whis-
ties from without, or sends Its melan-
choly moan through the lattice, alter
hating with the groan of the dying
when the softest tread and slightest
whisper fall harshly on the last sense
when feeling, and sight, and taste,
and speech, all are gone, but immor-
tai thought, the more immortal as it
shakes away its mortal shackles, still
lives in the freshness of eternal youth
in such an hour, when this present
BODY shall have been wasted to a
skeleton, this hand palsied OF It's
strength, this eye glazed with the
film of the grave, this cheek blanched
with It's last chill, this forehead, high
and white, and broad and clear now,
shall be thickly studded with the
dew drops of death, and this tongue
falters out the last farewell to the
dear ones around, SO long loved and
labored and cared for, when such an
hour comes to me, want to feel the
ineffable consolation, that some
thing said, or something done,s ,ssome
line written, some sentence published
some page composed, some sentiment
recorded, shall live after me, which
shall, in its influence, continue te
benefit and bless some candidate fol
the skies, long after / am forgotten
and relieve, and comfort, and console
some patriot who followed Lee and
Jackson, to the end OF his life, and
then have a wholesome influence OF
his children afterwards, with some.
thing tangible to point to, marking
the glory of his country and the
patriotism of his ancestors. No eff
fort should be spared to honor those
who fell in defense of their country
or to take proper care of the disabled
soldier. .,yonuments should be
erected to the memory of those who
were slain in battle, or died in the
army, which will honor us as much
as they will glorify them in the
future. Liberal pensions should bt
. granted by the State to her indig
ent defenders, many OF whom to-da.
suffer for the actual necessities o
life; but I forget ne live in strange
times, and have witnessed the da,
when Governor of South Carolin'
has proclaimed from the stump tia
twas time to relegate to the rea