The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-07-01
Annual Address.

shifting and changing to suit ne" !
thoughts and new tlmes' either TO 0'eSs
or curse. "a
.Thas the actual state of society Is
war, active, irrecoocilable war: 90
everv side and iu everything. Never
has The struggle, as old as the woFld j
itself. between fact and right, fatal's"
and liberty, assumed character more
uoivcrsal than at present
Never, perhaps. on the cue slde' ''
the history Of mao, has there been such
period of social, political and moral uO'
easioess; never did the conflict between
labor ant capital appear more lrreeoo,
cilable, aud never greater the dlsoon'ent
with existing conditions, nor the DIS
trust of the governing power.
On the other side as couoteroalance'
never has there been more true CHARITY
never more earnest efforts for the aoate
meps of boman suffering. woe aud SIN.
Social wounds never so fearlessly
probed, their origin sought aod cure
attempted With brave compassion. ron
tical rights were never more 1earless,y
exnouuded, nor more earnest effort made
to strike the fet,ers from the soul aud
mind Of man, as shackles have been
from the limbs Of the slave
Upon us, young men, aud upoa our
generation is devolved the duty OF set
tl;no these complex problems Our
destiny as a nation is in our own hands;
we can make it what we will. Our
salvation lies in educating the people TO
an intelligent and patriotic use OF the
ballot when men shall vote not. tor
faction or party. but for country; no'
in narrow prejudice, but f'om enilgns-
ened self.interest.
! There is a disease which mcans death.
First a small spot on the hano' II
snreads to the arms, limbs, and face
The flesh wastes away, the eyes glare
in aeshless sockets, the once beautiful
body becomes living corpse, hlleo
with corruption. and with shrek Of
mad despair the leper aees from toe
haunts Of men TO die amid the tom os'
with parched tongue and dry eye cry ng
.Uuclean, unclean."
There is disease as deadly and a.
a.noorors 70 n national life When mer
vote to crafty hate and envy, or 10 sui
len despair and disgust renal" ava!
from the polls aud refuse TO par''c'pa''
in the affairs Of government. 1t Is tn
small spot on the hand, whose rs7ages
0 unchecked, will spread like dry ro
I. to all parts of the system
It neaps abandoning the country t
tie professional politician. whore dor'
o zon is bounded by the dollars aud cent
. be can wiring from the public treasury
, Il means that henceforward We nav
abandoned regular, and will adopt II
. regular methods Of rightlng wrongs
Il means anarchy, it means revolution
g TIE man who remains away from th
baIlo, box is as culpabIc as the ma
6 who makes bad use Of GOD give
: privilege. When men shall use To
} ballot as high and sacred trust tue
y and not till then, will the dream
) the early fathers Of the republic
realized, and every i'll and woe 'h'
.a3;,t the nation 6nd sure aud sa
70 cure. John Davis we'll says. "ie
al halo, ia our river Jordan. the qui
D. and simple healer of ell our po''lc
IT maladies, the ark of the covenant an
. the only hope and refuge from a"srcs
& and ,yrapuy Like Namaan. the Iepe
'e We must dip in the river Jordan
ner;sh as nations have before OF
ioa,hso@e leprosy, crying TO Vo
lie ..Uucleau. upclean." Let none sni
ut the duty for all alike are called TO
ns Dor in behalf of peace and clvl'za'lo
at and it is this Inspiration. which mar
CD the boupts-y line between the s'ates~
IT, aud demagogue, the philauthropls' a
be bvnocrite Your life or mine Is but
Y
'at drop of water to the mighty ocean
~ national life, but both have our "''
Ia grea, or small, that God intends no
ne other shall do. We must DO it o.
IS selves, or through all eternity 1t IT.
a n nains uudoue. Your lines may lie
's. easy places, niue amid 'h0rnS q
III briars but duty doue, 1t is all the sa
'ic ~ the end The "wel! dooe, g
40 and faithful servant" will bless
~, both.
7ed Let US DOT deceive ourselves by
blind fatalism. crying, "Oa the c"u"
ton will take care Of itse!f." God o
..The price Of liberty is e'er"al '
lance" The old Roman cried "Kt
forever" aud yet the Appiau way
- the Eternal C.ty" resounds no. lou
We, ~e0 with the shouts of freeuen. Ooce