The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-05
The Conft dersie Reunion.

| with interest by many OF our readers:
attended the Confederate Veterans
reunion In Atlanta from the 10th to 231
OF July. In order not to slight that Oc-
cason will here take the liberty of
saying somrthin. concerning IT., know
ing that yOtI nrc rebel enough to en- 10Y
any and everything that pertains to
the virtues OF the government which
we once so much adOrcd and which we
still love and respect. Gen. Hampton
was toe weak and feeble to attend.
Gen. Buffers duties kept him away,
and in addition South Curolina's repre-
scnlatiOn Ia suborlinatcs WAS very
small. They arc scattered all over the
South, and numbers OF them are too
tunity To meet once more with their old
con. paniOns in arms before they die.
In some rcspccts our small rcprescn-
taIlon was appropriate, with small pre-
tontions now, but very great ones be-
fore the civil war, with very small
State To back our progressive ambition
This brings forcibly to my mind the
prophetic words OF Mr.. Jno. $. Preston,
In the Virginia Convention just before
that State scrccded. Il quote altogether
from memory having read his speech
| only at the time it was delivered some
;'9 years ago. Mr.. Preston II YOU re-
member was native OF Virginia but
an adopted son of South Carolina. He
was sent by our State to Virginia to
make an appeal to bcr people to join us
in the great undertaking OF forming a
new Confcdrracy. Among many elo-
qnent things which he gave such en-
phasis to in that mustcrlS appeal, he
said, "My little State, SO weak, SO few,
| SO small--wh0sc guns fired At her cuDi-
| tai can be heard to her 0utmnst borders
| whose space so limited that scarce n
single star can glitter in, lrgan this
revolution alone, and il the fire storm
which threatens it shall fall upon us
ana consume us, centuries hence the
antiquarian scnrching beneath the ruins
OF Charleston will find Our skeleton
| scntincls standing upon her scagatcs."
TEis will never be literally true, but
near enough the truth, ut some far
hour in the future, for him to be called
prophet never in my life Witnessed
such demonstrations, certainly there
never was more decoration placed on
exhibition before The South was in
all her glory. aud what is best OF all
many Northern people attended and
showed that they, too, enjoyed it.
,, '"csidcnt Andrews Of Browns Univcr-
$. OF Rhode Island, who commanded
battery in the Union Army, delivered
lecture on IL. f.. Lee at the opera
house. lie made him out the greatest
military genius that the world had ever
seen, and he repeated with emphasis
that his moral and religious character
had mover bccn surpassed, aud he fur
thcr claimed that Gen. jackson came
in next Of all.
The Banner (stnrs and bars), the
Battle Flag (thc starry crOss), emblem
"0f storm cradlcd nation which fell"
| christcncd and baptiscd In the best
blood Of the land, upheld for 30 long by
that thin grey line which constituted
the Gibraltar Of the South, waved from
cvcry'window, and ll0atcd from II thou
sand poles. The front OF almost every
building in the city was lined and
decorated v it'll the cOlors red, white
and blnc, in many instances reaching
from the very top To the bottom, trail
ing the gDllnd as il in token of our
downfall, but rejoicing still il the
record that was made. ! ask mvst in
viewing all this magnificent display, if
there was not something in it more
than mere show, and when ] turned To
look on the grizzly grey wrinklcd men
that composed the once invinciblc
army, now making but Il shaAnwy ar
ray, yet commanding such awe, rover
cncc and respect, | iMvoiunturly cx-
claimed, there is n life and IL principle
In all this which cu.i never die.
Like the death devoted Greek, when
his beloved Clemanthc asks, it they
shall not meet again. He answered:
III have asked that dreadful question
OF the hills which look eternal, of the
clear streams which flow forever, OF the
azure blue above on whose fields nv
raised spirit has walked in glory, all, all
were dumb, but while | look on thy
bright face mcthinks ! see something
that mantlcs through It's beauty which
cannot perish, wo shall meet again
Clcmanthc, we shall meet again."
The Lord Of all creation rs il to honor
the closing scenes Of the occasion with
proper soicmnity and pathos, while
the veterans were on the march In the
grand parade; opened the windows Of
heaven. caused the elements to weep
In profusion, and tho guns OF natures
artillery to fire farewell sfUts rs q fun
cral requiem over the grave of the
Confcdcracy, while the surviving de-
tenders Of the Lost Cause" moved 81
lcnLly along, in marshal array, un-
mindful OF the torrents Of rain then
pouring on them, with hearts too
sad TO give uttcranco to their sorrow.
Ia MT | tpill fnn