The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-11-20
DELIGHTED $500 OF AoRRY'S
PATRIOTIC PkTRRifafle CITIZENS LAST
WEDNESDAY, AT CONWAY.
Noble Sentiments from the Glsat
Leader Of the Sixth Congress
siohaI District.

Wednesday to celebrate the
reunion of the Confederate
Survivors. Congressman John
L. McLaurin, the brilliant
Statesman of the Sixth Con-
gressional District, was the
honored guest Of the grand
occasion. The crowd was
estimated at about 5000,
many of whom were ladies
and children. Crowds ofpeo-
pie from Georgetown and from
Robson county, N. c., were
also present. Hon. John L.
McLaurin was the orator OF
the day and he was escorted
to the grounds by the Crooks
Guards" veterans, under Cap
tain Tolar; this body con
sisted of about 100 battle
scared veterans whose martial
spirit was still in them and
although they have undergone
privations and waded through
bloody seas for their country
they would do so again should
the necessity ever arise. The
"Horry Hussars. a calvary
company about 100 strong
in full uniform commanded by
Captain Long, and about 700
others. A magnificent dinner
was served and the day was
immensely enjoyed; of course
the speech was the event of
the day and the patriotic citi-
zens of Horny applauded them
selves hoarse over an eloquent
address. The following is its
full text:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men,
In the selection OF an orator, too
young to have participated in the
late war, you have conferred upon
me most distinguished honor. 1t is
well perhaps that it is SO, for the time
has come when we can discuss that
epoch historically. Then too the
generation who took part in the strug-
gle are rapidly passing away, and
upon Younger men en-is>zasgolving the
duty of preserving the sacfe5~m mem
ories of the past, and transmitting to
posterity the true history Of the Civil
war. It has been said that the fame
of those who spend their lives in the
service of their country is better pre-
served in the unwritten memorials Of
the heart, than by any material mon
uments. It is therefore, gentlemen
of the committee, eminently proper
that you the Survivors, should meet
at stated periods to honor your dead
comrades
.CoweGerae Surviuors", year by
year your ranks grow thinner, one by
one, the "Grim Ferryman" sets you
upon the other side Of the dark river,
where again you meet comrades who
passed over amid the blood and
smoke of Bull Run. Manassas or the
Wilderness. The ranks of the 'Ssone-
wall Brigade" and the Hampton Le-
gions" are being rapidly recruited.
Soon will be complete those phantom
Regiments, Brigades and Divisions,
which in this life made forever ILL.,
ustrious the names of Lee, of Jack
son, and Of Stuart. My friends you
need not be ashamed to meet your
old comrades and to look your old
commanders in the face. Yours the
harder lot They have been at rest
these many years sou fsme's eternal
camping ground, while for you the
fight has never ended,-Easier to
die upon the field of battle, with the
shouts of victory ringing in the ears,
than to have borne the humiliation
Of defeat, the pangs of poverty, and
the horrors of reconstruction. You
have won q great battle since Ap-
pomattox, and you will meet them,
the laurel wreathes OF victory crown
ing your brows. In the gloom of de.
ieat, you stepped from the battle
trenches back into the plow furrows.
You found land all desolate. Black
ened chimneys on every side marked
once happy homes, society was dis
organized, the Capital Of your State
in ashes; your government in the
hands Of aliens, and the heels OF
your former slaves upon your necks
Your courage ialtered not. In the
arts of peace you redeemed the fail
ure OF war, rebuilt your homes, and
organized society upon the better and
surer bases than human slavery. My
heart glows with pride, when I hear
recounted your deeds of yalor on the
field of battle.
Out numbered Eve to one, almost
without money, for four long years
you held the world at bay. Your
whole land scanned and Scared with
the invaders track, by the light OF
your blazing homes you fought in
hunger and in rags. When once
proud regiments of thousand men
showed less than one hundred mus
kets, your thin ranks closed steadily
on the center and preserved all un-
tiinching front. You fought on even
when Sherman in his "March TO the