The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-03-01

by Tie nau.iitul> -. the Conicdrracy
for The irncii, Of Caup.I. Il. kcr>haw,
l.. G.. s.. the feature of the occasion
wa an ai,ilr>> rs Chief Justice Me
lp,r. ;, the Supreme Court Of South
CAr.iua
li.,c NrIyrr sail, in substance
Ia ;hc few remarks which ! Shall
ula.n hi- cycnin" | propose To- depart
from lie beaten track usually followed
on -uch occasions Il, thi, and. instead
.. inlulginr in any "reminiscences Of
the var between IL" States, | shall
call attention t. some traits Df the
Southern character which were dcvcl
orcl and brought out. in bold relief.
by III" results Of the war. 1t may not
be- All t. consider in the first place
wha; was the true character and real
object If the war. 1t was not a civil
war in any proper sense OF those
wor.:s 1t certainly was not a war OF
rebellion against Il government constI-
tutc,i for certain specified purposes
anC. properly exercising the powers
will. which it was invested. Neither
wa> ], a war for conquest, All example
ns which we have recently had. though
disguised under the hyrorritical pre-
tcnre Of humanitarian. Nor wa, it
war Tor the preservation Of the instl-
tuition Of slavery. as some people ig-
norantly and crroncously suppose. On
the contrary, the contest, fearful as 1T
for the sole purpose Of preserving the
right If local self government guaran-
tcc,i and secured Gas it was vainly sup
puscd) by the compact into which the
thirteen sovereign and independent
States entered when the existing Fed
cral Government was originally formed
by the free will and consent Of those
Statcs, upon conditions distinctly de-
clared and set forth in the instrument
Of union called the Constitution Of the
United States. When. therefore, in
the progress of time, by the increasing
wealth and power Of one section OF
this great country at the expense of
another section, owing to circnmstan-
ccs, Of which time will not permit
even a passing notice, these conditions,
designed to secure the sacred right of
local lfgovcrnmcnt-a right abso-
lutcly essential TO the very existence
of republican governments t-wcrc
ruthlcssly disrcgardcd for the rur-
pose Of satisfying an cvcr.incrcasing
greed for gain, no other recourse was
left for the weaker section but an ef
fort to separate from those who, in
utter violation Of the limitations of
the Constitution, designed solely for
the protection Of the rights of the
minority were trampling upon those
rights: and when the stronger section
took up arms to prevent peaceful
separation, every instinct Of manhood,
and every impulse Of true patriotism,
demanded that the Southern people
should likewise resort to the ultimate
arbitcr Of nations. Although, from
the outset. some regarded the contest
a. hopeless, yet the unflinching valor
arr. the unwavcring fortitudc with
which it was wagcd by our people un-
til brushed under the mere weight of
numbers, backed by the resources of
the civilized world, will always afford
material for some Of the brightest
pages of history, and will always fur
nish the highest evidence of the
splendid character of the Southern
people, who, for four long years, main
taincd one Of the greatest and most
destructive wars recorded in history,
under the most adverse circumstances
and with ever weakening resources,
solely in defence Of their principles.
No more brilliant example Of the trucst
manhood and highest patriotism can
be found on the pages of history.
Turning from the recollection Of the
splendid traits of character displayed
BY the Southern people during the
war, let us contemplate for moment
the conduct Of the Southern people
after the disastrous termination of the
the war. 1t must be remembered that
while all wars are attended with, and
followed by, results Of the most dis
trcssing and ruinous character, such
rs the destruction Of property, the in
tcrruption and sometimes the paraly
try, the privations and suiicrings Of
the on-combatants, and, above all,
by the loss of human life, yet the war
in which the Southern people were
e A. -. Il