Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1892-07-07
wA1HA1.LA, SOUTH CAROLINA, JULY 7. 1892.
Patriotism and StatesnalSlip.
SENECA, S. c., July 5th, 1892.

SENECA, S. c., July 5th, 1872.
MEssRs. ED1roRs: Show me a
people who build monuments to COM
memorate deeds, and to perpetuate
achievements of their ancestors, and
who cherish the recollections of their
great men, and I will show you a
people who can never be enslaved.
Patriotism calls forth these eyi-
dences, and as long as it burns
brightly in the bosom, grateful peo-
pie never fail to do justice to the
memory Of those who have lived be-
fore, and spare no effort to show to
coming generations the heroism dis
played and sacrifices made in the
cause of liberty.
These demonstrations testify that
the acts of fathers are held in rev.
erence and their deeds approved and
appreciated further, they prove
that the descendants are ready to
make the same sacrifices should occa-
sion require.
1t is not the greatest fields of bat
tie, nor the places where the most
calamitous bloodshed has taken place,
nor where the most signal victories
have been won, that these silent SEN
tinels of glory, erected by worthy
descendants, usually stand.
1t is patriotic heroism and moral
grandeur which produce a durable
impression and permanently attract
the admiration of mankind.
"The pass of Thermopyla, the
graves of Marathon will warm the
hearts through every succeeding age.
The name of Wallace, the plain OF
Bannockburn, have rendered Scottish
story immortal"
- these instances it is the defeated.
the conquered, the exterminated
with only handful of men, which
gave to history the immortality OF
noble deeds executed in defense Of
cherished rights.
The time may come when the wal
between the States is dimmed by
the obscurityof revolving years, wher
the great name of Grant is recollected
only as a shadow of ancient days
and his deeds buried in the wave o.
succeeding change; but even ther
the campaign Of Lee from the vii
derness to Petersburg and from
thence to Appomattox will stant
forth in undecaying lustre amid the
wreck of ages.
The soldier who clung to the for
tunes of this great man, "when al
around grew drear and dark, ant
hope for success of his country ha(
died, and the last hour Of its exist
ence was rapidly drawing near, hi
heart too sad to give utterance to hi
sorrow, marching daily to meet wei
equipped, overwhelming numbers o
the enemy IN battle, preservin!
through all, serried ranks with pen
non flying, and every living subalterl
at his post retaining even unto deatl
his marshal array, under the imme
diate command Of such brave, in
trepid, skilful captains, as gallan
glorious little Powell Hill, or he wh'
had ridden after the knightly plum
of that peerless cavalier Stuart, eve
foremost in the phalanx of battle, o
followed to victory ''the mobiles
Roman of ALL" the immortal Stone
wall, in all his triumphs, should fee
no shame that the cause which b
suffered and contcnded for was lost
when his deeds of heroism, valor ant
self-sacrifice are held in memory an
appreciated by grateful people, AM
the principle involved will be remem
bered and cherished to the end c
time. No disgrace should ever fol
low his vanquishment, though all wa
lost save honor; for if patience i
camp, endurance on the march, for
titude amid deprivations, or gallantr
on the field could have availed any
thing, success would not have bee
found wanting, in this last might
struggle for Southern independence
History does not record a more sui
lime spectacle of hopeless devotio
to lost cause, and his grave
worthy to have placed over it thl
truthful inscription:
The last sad day of freedoms dream,
And valor's task moved slowly by,
While mute he watched till morning
beam
Should rise and give him light to di'
Leonidas with his little Sparta
band, facing Xerxes with his might
host, in sublime grandeur, when h:
arms were demanded, indignant
replied: "Let him come and tax
them,," and invited his comrades to
"banquet in another world" Po'
terity erected on the spot monr
rent to their memory with thes
lines inscribed:
$50, stranger, and at Lacadcmon tell,
That here obedient to her laws we fell.
Cambronne, who commaded th
last remaining unbroken, unexterm
mated square of the Old Guard
/, the foot Of Mt. St. Jean, on the fel