The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-06-05

Swered the revocation nj the euict
Nantes by planting their feet on this sol
to live in an atmosphere of peace. an'
worship IN the unmoles.ed comfort o
con'entment aud serenity. 1t was OF
this shore. at Georgetown, that the im
mortal Lafayette 6rst put his feet OF
American soil. when he came TO draw
his sword for American freedom. anc
after the lapse of century, as it tt
signify to the world that South Caro-.
lima was 6rst 10 the new roll call of pa
trioss. it was her sous who received the
first shot at Sumter aud her sons who
FIRST turned from their fields and their
homes 70 bare their bosoms to the con-
6ict Of the war of the confederacy
IF the past has its lessons for the
future, let US profit by it! As brave
as were our ancestors let us be! For
every shining star in the 6ru.ameu: OF
the past glory Of your State there are
conditions to-day which will make a
counterpart above the orizou of peace.
People whose ancestors were once led
BY the peaceful Archdale aud who
wen. to war under the fearless Craven,
and again who plucked their decorations
for valor in the brightest fields of our
soldier glory. covering the period from
independence ball to AppomattoA-soos
of scicns whose cour,ly poli,euess and
high sense Of honor have been tradi-
tioual for century-tbese people will
not surrender to the despot of inter-
uecine strife and humble themselves
and cir past greatness by the contin-
uance Of au ugly and seeminsless local
agitation which, whether justly SO or
not. is making South Carolina the
subject Of the jeers and ridicule of
the continent
To what agency, above all others,
should We turn in invoking the restor-
alton Of harmony and in appealing for
such dispassionate consideration of pub
lie issues as will enable mer to meet as
brothers and bury their differences in
the arbitrameut Of the majority, which
Is the true essence of democracy and
the corner stone Of republican form Of
government !? Naturally to the press.
aud it is to you. fellow journalists
to you, fellow South Caroinisns, that
come in this spirit.
ITO the man who holds faction
above state my words will fall upon no
willing ears. but to the patriotic press
that to which | am invited to address
my remarks, in response to the senti-
ment given me by your cbairman-I
approach the subject with confidence
that my words will not be misunder-
stood. Dor my motives misconstrued.
"To the factiopist say-'A plague
upon both your houses = You have
more to live for than the mere triumph
of personal ends You have a charge
to keep, and you must keep it in a
manner that will honor the past and
glorify the present. lie, the press
star, the strain and .ing the anthem Of
peace until the populace will take up
the chorus aud echo the melody to the
fartbe-t corpers of the earth. II you
are as successful a. peace as you have
been in strife, the world will resound
with your good deeds. and instead Of
outsiders commenting upon the stereo
typed aud mis6t phrase that .bell's
broke loose in South Carolina. uni
versal praise will be sung that. here 10
this state. first 10 so many things, the
advance guard of the millennium has
come to keep company with the historic
tradition of the FIRST shot on Sumter.
"Giorify the state and make peace
With the union. The war has been
over thirty years, and the flag of the
union belongs as much to South Caro-.
lima as i. does to Massachusetts. In.
stead Of fighting among ourselves let
US devote the same energy and make
practical illustrations Of the parable Of
the bundle of fagots, by getting to.
gether aud fighting the other fellow.
There is world of meaning in the
term. 'tbe other fellow, as here used.
He is gaunt, determined. icouoclastic
enemy who cares not for the sacred
traditions Of the republic, and whose
chief occupation is the destruction OF
the ideals which prompted our FORE
fathers to establish a government of
the people and for the people of this
country, and not for any other country
This euemy walks like stalking horse
over the hallowed traditions Of the past
aud makes merry music as he skaters
the inspired sentiments around which
our national glory was built. I refer
tc tina. weather relic Of the past
who choked the struggling republic in
its infancy. but who himself vas choked
out of existence as soon as the young
uation was big enough to stand alone
the tory. He departed with the last
century. aud by some strange mishap