The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-16
Memorial Address.
Delivered by Lieut-Gov. Robt
B. Scarborough, at Sum-
ter, S. C., May 10. 1900.

ter, S. c., May 10. 1900.
There are crises in every human
iife.-times when we are brought
face to face with fortune. whether we
know it OF not,-times when eternal
issues hang on the decision of mo-
ment-times when future possibilities
tumble 10 the balance, and destiny
depends upon single act
Such crises are regulated by no
law. They come unsought, unbid-
den. as it were, but sooner or later
they come to all. The petted child
of fortune and the waif of misfortune
are alike subject to this visitation
To some these crises come in child
hood. and the result is determined
more by environment than by choice
To some they come in the heyday of
youth-while the youthful subject is
"stasding with reluctan: feet, where
the brook and river meet. u
To others they come in meridian
9;fe, under the clear skies Of complete
man and womanhood, and demand an
answer or an act That determines
the future of such an one but |
repeat, sooner or later they come
30 all.
There are criees in the history of
COMMUNICATIONS when the clti,
zens of such communities are forced
to decide upon moral and political
questions that mean social, political
and moral progress. or disorder, deg
radiation aud shame And. there are
crises in the history of governments
times when grave questions of mo
mentous Importance must be deter
nined,-questious of policy, state.
craft and government, and the issues
TO be settled decide the status OF
such governments among the family
of nations, as well as the peace and
happiness of the subjects of such gov
ernments.
Such crisis came to our govern
meat almost 40 years ago.
apprehend that no one will dis
pute the magnitude of the issues
thrust before the people of the Uni
ted States at the period to which l
sefer; and l apprehend that no
Southern man o; woman can forget
now those Issues were settled We
see before US sad memorials of the
method Of adjustment
The war Of secession and for states 8
rights, has place in our history es
sentialIy it's own. The bravest peo..
ple uader the arching canopy of
Heaven settled the question met by
resort to arms, and for four long
bloody years, the nations of the world
looked on, amazed at the frasr;cidal
strife
need not discuss the causes that
led to the war, and the history of the
etruggle is too personal and practical
TO need repitition The graves of
buried heroes are silent witnesses to
the facs that war, cruel war was
waged in the boasted Gland OF the
free aud home of the brave /"
Standing around the graves of her
fallen braves today the South attests
her love for those who died for q
righteous cause and renews her fdel-
;ty to the principles for which they
fought
son fame's e,ernsl camping ground
Their silent tents are spread,
And glory gunrcs With silent round
The bivousc of the dead"
When the tocsin of war was sound.
ed the South was without arms or
trained soidiery, but with hefoism
born of devotion the sons of landed
proprietors aud the offspring of the
peasant close marched to the front,
elbow to elbow aud shoulder to
shoulder. A common cause aroused
them, q common zeal inspired them.
and they found q common level ln
the democracy of.war-
With no shields but their manly
hearts, no coat of arms but the white
guerdon of pure manhood. no bat
sle cry but love Of home and freslde,
.ney marched in solid phaiau1 to
meet the enemy. The world not
only. but generous foe, attests their
bravery
They did what they could. Con.
quered they never were, but crushed
by superior numbers, their ranks
decimsted by hunger and cold. they
yielded at last to stubborn fate, and
surrendered a flag that had never
been dishonored Weep not for those
who fell For
"aow could men die aoblera than by facing
fearful odds,
20: the ashes of their fathers aud the altars
of their Gods"