The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-02

dag OF Spain emblem of TYRANNY and
cruelty-had been driven from the
western hemisphere and was soon to
90 down from her eastern possessions.
The war had been conducted without
the loss of gun or the capture of an
American soldier I'm battle. The glory
OF this great achievement was unlike
any other which history has recorded
1t was not that we had beaten Spain.
1t was not that I5OOO,OOO people had
conquered 15,O0O.OOO, not that the
spirit Of the nineteenth century had
been too much for the spirit of the fif-
teenth century, not that the young
athlete had felled to the ground de-
crepit old man Of 90. 1t was not that
the American mechanic and engineer
In the machine shop could make better
ships or better guns or that the Ameri.
can soldier 6r' sailor had displayed the
same quality In battle that he lad
shown on every field-at Bunker Hill,
Mt Yorktown, at Lundy's Lane, at New
Orleans. at Buena Vista. at Gettysburg,
In every sea fight on Lake Erie or Oh
the Atlantic. Nobody doubted the skill
OF the American general, the gallantry
OF the American admiral or the cour.
age OF the American soldier or sailor.
The glory Of the war and of the victory
was that 1t was war and victory In
the interest Of liberty. The American
nag had appeared as liberator in
both hemispheres. When It fioated
over Havana or Santiago or Manila,
there were written OH Its folds. where
all nations could read them. the pledge
OF the resolution Of. congress and the
declaration Of the president. Every
true American thanked God that he
had lived to behold that day."
Omin0us Prediction.
In these mournful words he predicts
and deprecates the death Of the Repub-
lican party:
II believe, Mr.. President, not only
that perseverance In this policy will be
the abandonment Of the principles up-
on which our government Is founded.
that 1t will change our republic into an
empire, that our methods Of legisla.
ton, OF diplomacy, Of administration,
must Hereafter be those which belong
to empires and not those which belong
to republics, but believe persistence
In this attempt will result in the defeat
and overthrow of the Republican par
ty. That defeat may not come this
year or next year. pray God 1t may
never come. we'll remember when
the old Wing party, in the flush Of de-
urium and anticipated triumph, gave
up the great doctrines which IL had so
often avowed and undertook to aban.
don tho great territory between the
mississippi and the Pacific to its fate.
1t held Its convention Mt Philadelphia.
1t selected as its candidate great mil
itary chieftaln. Amid the tempest and
deiirium quiet delegate from my own
state arose and declared to the conyen.
tion that the Whig party was dead. It
seemed that q more audacious, a more
foolish, a more astounding utterancc
never fell upon human ears. And what
was the result? The party carried the
country and elected its president. But
within less than four years thereafter
Daniel Webster. as he lay dying at
Marshfield. said, The Whig party as a
political organization Is gone, and It Is
we'll. Let no such fate attend the Re.
publican party. In my Judgment, II
not now. II Will retrace It's steps in
tire"
Tue two concluding sentences Of that
paragraph are pitlable when we con-
slider who uttered them. Senator Hoar
Is an old man. He helped create the
Republican party, which, he fondly
hoped, was immortal but he sees its
finish. Yet the affections of his heart
cling to 1t. and despite the evidence of
his own senses he exclaims, "In my
Judgment. II not now, 1t will retrace its
steps In Time" Vain hope! The Re-
publican party. like Ephraim of old, is
Joined to Its idol. which Is the almighty
dollar. All the cloQuence. all the learn.
Ing, oil the pothos. all the courage, all
the patriots Of dozen men like Sena.
tor Hoar. cannot check II In it's mad ca.
reer. II Is doomed!
Illustrious Traitors.
Speaking Of Edward Everett's splen.
did prophecy-thata time would come
when Washington's birthday would be
celebrated even In the oricnt-Senator
Hoar exclaimed:
"The time which the orator predicted
came. In that eastern archipelago, no
longer the home of barbarism, a people
had achieved their independence and
thrown on the yoke Of centuries. They
wee longing for civilization, education
and liberty. To the millions, with
which that land Is swarming, in the
dawning Of n new light the name Of
Washington has become familiar. But,
alas. the people are citing his example
to protect their own liberties against
his countrymen. They are nearly
threefold In number tho people to
whom his farewell address was dcliy.
cred. Pray to God that that revered
and beautiful cha ro Ctor o,,v chto,<, .-