The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-05-11
Memorial Day
in Anderson.
L AND IRTUE

Address Delivered Before the Ladies'
Memorial Association of Anderson,
s. c., on Saturday, May Sth, by Col
James A. Hoyt, of Grcenville, 3. c
Mr.. Chairman AID Ladies Of the
Memorial Association
The occasion which calls us together
this morninS differs from any other
that Gun be mentioned as occurring on
the face of the green earth. We are
assembled to do honor tn the memory
of men who have passed froiu the stage
of action, and to revive the recollec-
tions of a period which is in the remote
past if we reckon by the swiftness ana
Importance of events that have come
since that day. Yet it is not in the
fact that we are paying tribute to fall
len heroes, fol nations long since for
gotten have yielded homage to bravery,
nor that We arc calling to rcmem-
brance the stirring events of other
days, fol that is common t. mankind.
But w are here to think and ponder
over Il cause that no longer lives, and
which has no possible resurrection il
the future. Other peoples have. seen
their hopes blasted and the land they
loved pass under the dominion of the
conqueror, but they were subducd and
tettered. They dared mol cume togelh.
er again even to review the records of
their patriotism, and like the lsraelite
on the banks of the far-away Euphra-
les they must peifOrce Chang their
halps upon the willows" as they must
not bling out the music of their suu,s
for fear Of exciting the vengeance of
their enemies. Not so with The men
who wore the grey, and whose proud
privilege it has been all these years to
relume the camp.fires aud rehearSe the
story Which never grows old to the
men and women who lived in the DAYS
OF the Southern Cunfedcracy. No
other government in the world would
permit such an assemblage as is before
Inc to-day for the purposes we have in
view. No other system of government
could stand the strain, which elsewhere
would be made, were a defeated army
to commemorate without let or Inn
draDce the Virtues and services which
made it illustcious. The luling powers
would instinctively suggest and suspect
that a rccapitulatiOn OF valiant deeds
meant the repetition of efforts to over
throw their dynasty. There are good
reasons for the exception in our own
land.
First, let me insist that the Confcd-
crates were ncver conquered in the
sense that they were brought into sub
lection and treated as interiors by those
whom they fought. The Federal SOL
diers never imagined that they were
capturing a weak, helpless and depen-
dent Toe when the sun rose upon the
fatetul field of AppomnttoX. They did
not expect the Confederate soldiers to
get down into the dust, and cringingly
accept terms that we're debasing and
Illuminating. Whatever of chagrin and
modification that came to our fair
Southland, in the eally years after hos
tilities ceased, was moi due to the wish
es and desires of the brave leaders and
honorable private soldiers of theNorth-
ern armies. 1t was the m%addencd
spirit of men who gloatcd we the de-
feat of a foe they hal not faced in the
open field of battle. A thousand mil
lion of such would nevc have van
quishe,l the half-slarved, tagged bat
talions that followed Lee, because their
courage was never SO high that they
wanted 1T put 20 an actual test.
Again, it was the highest safety of
the Republic that the Confedcratcs
were never consideied in the light of
subjects to a conqurrlng power. The
armies of the world were not sufficient
10 subdlc their unconquercd spirits as
frcemen, whose bilthrIght was not at.
fected by the disasters OF an unequal
war. They renewed allegiance 10 the
United States not as scrvile minions,
but as co.equals with the trucst au,i
noblest of patriots, who had struggled
manfully for the maintenance of prin-
ciples dear to all Americans worthy of
the name. Because they had failed
to establish the government which In
~ peculiar measure represented their
views, they were not less inclined TO
bear their share of the burdens of life.
and TO take Part in the upbuilding and
development of a reunited counny v.
They did net repine, nor sit il sack
cloth and ashes, but courageously met
the requirements of the situation, and
have compelled the admiration of
thoughtful, earnest men and women
who did not agree with them, just MS
their valor and heroism commanded
tile worlds applause while the senti-
ment of all nations was against them
on the subject Of slavery, out OF which
grew the contentious and chickering's
that resulted in bloody strife.
With the underlying cause out of tho
way, where was the wisdom and fore
sight III perpetuating the strife The
practical common sense of The Ameri-
people was against the ebullition