The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-05-02
Loyalty OF the South to the Flag.

NEW YORK, April 27.-The annual
dinner in celebration Of the birthday Of
Gen. U. S. Grant, arranged by commit
tee consisting of Gen. Grenville M.
Dodge, Gen. Horace Porter, Gen. Charles
H. 7. Collins and others, took place at the
Waldorf this evening. About one hun
dred and twenty persons were in attend
ance. Elihu Root presided, and Secre-
tary of the Navy Herbert delivered the
principal address. He said in part:
Away down South in Alabama, nesting
ham. 1t was founded after the great
American conflict had passed Into histo-
ry by men who had fought under Lee
and Jackson and Johnston. Then came
to help them men who fought under
Grant and Sherman, and the Union men
and the Ex-Confederates together build
ed the Magic City, a city that is already
known far and wide as the coming rival
of the industrial centres of the world.
That city, with its furnaces aglow by
night and by day, and with its railroads
stretching out to the North and West is
an object lesson, teaching not only the
material value of the union of all these
States, but illustrating also by the condi-
ton of its growth the grand characteris-
tics Of the American people who fought
each other with a courage that was never
surpassed, and then threw down their
arms and clasped hands to fight together
the battles of peace with unanimity that
has never been equalled.
The material advancement of the
Southern States In recent years, of which
the growth of Birmingham is type, Ia
something wonderful, but the change
that has taken place In that section has
been more marvellous still. During this
present week there has been gathering 6
In that city of those who fought against
the union of these States. They met to
do honor to the virtues of those who died
by their sides, 10 rekindle the friendships
that were formed around the camp6res
and cemented on the battlefield, and to
devise means to relieve as they might
the suferings and wants of such of their
comrades as were in need of help. They
have not ceased aud they never will
cease to do honor to the memory Of the
brave men who fell by their sides. And
yet say to you, gentlemen, what I know
to be true, that In all this gathering OF
Ex-Confederates there was not one lin
gering sentiment of disloyalty to the flag
Of the Union that 1oated oyer their heads
as they deliberated.
I say to you further that there was not
q soldier thirty years before under the
Confederate flag, could have for mo-
ment believed that the change of feeling
that has taken place in his heart toward
the union for these States was among the
possibilities Of the future; but 80 1t Is |;
that which was seemingly impossible has
now become an accomplished fact.
Verify the facts of American history are
stranger than any fiction that ever was
conceived by the brain of man.
And this mighty revolution of public
sentiment has not been confined to the
South. From the very beginning of our
Government, from the day when North
Carolina hesitated for months, and
Rhode Island deliberated for nearly two
years before agreeing to come into the
Union, down to the war for secession,
the value of that Union was freely ques.
toned, and often debated. At different
times great conventions of excited men
now in England and then in the South,
and statesmen In Congress and on the hus-
tings discussed 1t.
Whether State had the right TO sever
Its connections to the Union was an open
question until it was settled by the a.
hitrament of war. Since that great :ri-
bunal entered its judgment and adjourn
ed without day more than quarter of
century had elapsed, and from that hour
up to this moment not State Legislature
or a State convention, or county con-
vention or oven school boys' batting
society has taken up that question for
discussion.
We are not to be two nations Of Anglo.
Saxon people lying side by side, each
like the unhappy nations Of the Old
World, armed to the teeth on land and
sea against it's neighbors. We are 10 live
under one flag, and this is to be the guar
antee to us Of peace and prosperity,
and we are to constitute all together,
North, South, East and West, one gov
ernnent.
Tie Secretary then spoke eloquently
of Gen. Grant, dwelling at considerable
length on his ability as commander OF
armies, OF his patriotism, of his innate
nobility, and especially Of his magma
nimity.