The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-25

near resulting III SelloQS tAoUoIe' VIC
are glad it passed off as quietly as it
cid. This campaign is not much Of an
educational campaign.
THE DAY OF TIE BIG REUNION.
Large Turnout Of Old Veterans and their
Families-Fine Barbecue-The SpIen-
did Address Of Rev. DR.. G-ier.
Last Saturday was a gala day for
Newberry town and county. It was
the day for the reunion Of the James
D. Nance Camp, y. c. ", at barbe-
cue in the Fred Paysinger grove near
Lindsay's bridge on Bush River. Early
in the morning people were passing
through the town on their way to the
meeting, some stopping in town awhile
70 chat with their friends. 1t was a
social aud not political gathering,
and the badges on 80 many people,
together with the music Of the New
berry Band, lent inspiration to the
scene and aroused enthusiasm and re-
vived the sleeping military spirit. 1t
was big affair, there being about 1900
people present, mostly surviving vet
erans, their wives and children, chill
dren of soldiers who were killed or died
during the war, and children of all SOL
diers who have died since the war"
The barbecue was good, the crowd
apparently happy, the day auspiclous
and the memories Of the past were viv-
idly recalled. The day was the thirty
third anniversary of the first battle of
Bull Run or Manassas, which, as our
readers are aware, occurred Oh the 2lst
of July, 1851.
Rev. DR.. w. M. Grier, of Due West,
was the orator of the day, and grandly
cid he sustain his reputation. He is
popular here, as he is throughout the
State, being we'll known and beloved
by everybody, in Church and State.
DR.. Grier is one of the leading men OF
our day. Below we give synopsis OF
his admirable speech:
Standing here, in this presence, what
memories crowd upon me! In mo-
ment the dead past is resurrected!
From its crowded graves, still green
and fragrant, ten thousand fcrGs
start into life To-day we meet
and call the roll. How many are
absent, forever absent, from these
delightful gatherings. In mid-time of
their days and in the glory Of their
strength they laid themselves on the
altar of their country. But though they
answer not our call, and though we
see them not, yet they speak to our
hearts, and they appeal to US, by all
Sc nd
votion 20 truth, in lofty patriotism, to
cherish their memories, vindicate their
motives, and to care for their depen-
dent families. We owe it to them, we
owe it to ourselves, we owe it to history
to assert, on all proper occasions, with
honest, manly sincerity, the convic-
tions which led to sacrifices unparal-
leled in this century and to declare the
real issues at stake in conflict SC stu
pendous and appalling. There is great
danger lest, in allowing others to write
our history for US, we permit the truth
to be perverted and ourselves placed
in false position.
It is surprising how genera! is the
impression that sLavery was the sole
issue, that we fought for its perpetuity
and extension, while the North for its
abolition. This is, as we conceive, a
radical mistake. Slavery was the oc-
casion, but only the occasion of the
struggle, and the destruction of the
peculiar institution was an incident,
and only an incident Of the progress
and end of the war. The Federal Con-
gress, after thewa had begun, declared
explicitly, that "this war is lot prose
cuted for the purpose of overthrowing
or interfering with the rights of estao-
lished institutions in the Southern
States" Could any declaration be
clearer than that? No, fellow-soldiers,
while slavery figured prominently in
the beginning, progress and termina-
ton of our struggle; while it was the
subject of innumerable platform decla-
rations and resolutions, the core and
marrow of the difficulty, the kernel
and essence of the dispute is to be
found in the antsgonistic views and in-
terpretations of the very nature and
structure of the government itself. 1t
was difference that reached to the
fundamental law Of the land and struck
at the very heart of the Constitution.
The one party held that this is a gov
ernment by the people as a achole, the
other party held that it was a govern
ment by organized States. Here was a
difference that discussion, concession
and compromise only widened, and yet
one so vital and practical that it must
be settled.
Hence we feel that we were contend
ing for principles which are as real, as
present and precious to-day as they
were in 1860. They were principles OF
the government and so long rs the
government exists they will live.
Another feature of our struggle was
the capacity for action and endurance
on the part of the Southern soldiers.
The army of the South was made up OF
those whose work was largely indoors;
of clerks and professional men, and
farmers whose lands were cultivated
by slaves In the wars of modern times
it would be difficult to find an army
consisting 80 largely of gentlemen.
Take, for example, the Third Regiment
from this county, and other regi-
ments. Read over their muster rolls;
trace back to their homes the men
whose names you find there; acquaint
yourself with their early life and you
will find the fullest confirmation OF
what am saying.
Another lesson Of our struggle and
defeat is that, though stripped of our
property, we still have a noble inheri
tance. Who does not remember the
dark days of '65? There was a tempo.
rary paralysis Of an entire agricultural
interest. Every wheel in the great ma.
chinery stopped. There was COM
plete disorganization of our whole labor
system. Federal garrisons ruled every
town and city. Every court Of justice
was practically dissolved.
But how soon the clouds broke away
A magnificent opportunity was offered
to evoke all the native force, the latent