The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-06-05
Words of Peace.
Clark Howell, The Eloquent
Georgian, Delivers a Not.
able Address.
He Speaks for Peace Progress,
Prosperity.

The annual address before the South
Carolina State Press Association was
delivered by Hon. CLARK 6owell, aod il
would DOT have been other than 1t Wa:
-an address to be remembered. QUE
that cannot be forgotten.
The address was delivered iii the AS
sembIy Hal! of the Graded School,
which had been rendered by the Schoo
Board. In addition to the members ol
the press there we're large number Of
the citizens Of Sumter. 1t was an aud
ience that could appreciate the speech
and speaker. Mr.. Howell began by
making few introductory remarks and
then spoke as follows:
81 am not unmindful, MIR. Chairman,
that l speak tonight to the representa-.
tives 6f the press Of state which is
divided agaios, itself probably to a
greater degree than any other state OF
the union. and from the bitterness OF
which division has developed a copten-
tion which has permeased every coudi-
ton Of life. and created a fale god Of
disconteot whose merciless decrses have
levied tribute aud commanded obsissnce
from every phase of human endeavor.
The public official who has not be-
come involved Is an exception ; the
merchant who has not been fred to say
-. A. &L.& ..h;on 9oao oot oor,,pors tn; Z h
the placid and charitable rule of peace.
is lonesome in his solitude the farmer
wbo. in planting his cotton or his corn,
has no, sown at the same tine the seeds
of aoger may congratulate himself on
the evenness of bis temper. which
makes him rarity of mankind; add.
ifreports which have reached Georgia
are correct. the demon of Hate has even
laid his nnboly hands on the pulpit.
buried itself in the ermipe Of the bench,
aud, not contented with its maievolent
soroads upon the saoctt6ed field Of
brotherly love. has aimed it's blows ct
the ark Of The covenant which en-
shrioes the heart of woman. 1t would
be mos. unnatural it, io this carousal
Of iil-tenper aud bad blood, growing
sut Of political issues. the press of tie
state was not affected by the ruling pas
sion to blame somebody for condition
which nobody approves. The outs
are condemning the 'ins,' and the 'ins'
are retaliatiog 10 kind households are
divided, communities are asunder. and
ever and above it all is the black cloud
cf strife and disorder. which, catching
rae conflicting emotions of factions and
feuds, echoes them back in din If tur-
moi and peal Of amentation.
Il claim the right to speak plainly
to night because speak as native.
Midway between Alleodale aod the
Savannah river. in old Barnwell, did
my eyes first greet the light Of Iife's
day. and though my lot has been cast
10 the sister state. which stretches
hands across the Savannah. I have ever
Been proud OF the state Of my birth
che state which, for generations. has
kept my maternal ancestors. under
whose sod their bones have bleached. 10
whose nsme their blood was spilled.
and on whose sacred altars the life of
more than one was laid at time when
ihe unity of her people bespoke their
loyalty to her dsg Not on the ears Of
a stranger have the gratiog sounds Of
aiscord emanasiog from here fallen. but
sather on those of one who. being more
than a sympatbizer, hears With aching
heart the breaking Of the cords Of peace
and the dissouant murmurs Of personal
contention.
..Fellow South Carolioians. look to
the glorious past of your great state and
ask if it josi6es the conditions existing
to-day! / shall be strictly impersonai
and impartial 10 what | say. for in
representative gathering of distis-
guisbed journalists Of the several sides
for believe there are about six ele-
mepts 10 the field now-I would not do
violence to the proprie'y Of the occasion
by making offensive alignment but.
appealing to all. let me carry you back
to Cowpeus, aud to Camden, and to
Hanging Rock. where. under the 10
spira,ion Of the intrepid boldness Of
South Carolina cbivalry, Andrew jack
son first began bis career as an Amerl-
can soldier and patriot. Did Pickens
and Sumter and Marion-all noble sons
of your noble state-and Lse aud
Greene, whose most brilliant service in
tue revolutionary army was done 10 the
defense of the homes of your ancestors,
against the combined forces Of foreign
aggressors aud native tories-did these
heroes write their names 10 letters of
eternal life on the pages Of the history
of your state, that in the turo Of Gen.
tury their deeds might be forgotten aDd
their examples be lost to posterity?
Just across the way-over 10 Georgia