The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-09-13

and college mates-and every no and
then we hear Of another who has drop
ned out of line, and like the barber IN
a barber shop, old Father Time whis-
pers next" My dear old friend Jim
Warren still lives 10 greet me when
come and so does Chess Howard and
DR.. Alexander and his brother and
Evan Howell. Then l recalled the
grand and beautiful words Of ingalls,
spoken in his eulogy, on Senator Beck.
1.-THE right to live is, in human esti-
nation, the most sacred. the most In
violable, the most inalienable. The
Joy of living in such splendid and
luminous day as this is inconceivable.
To exist is exulsation. To live forever
is our sublimest hope. To know, to
love, to achieve, to triumph is rap
ture; and yet we are all under SEN
tence of death. Without trial or op-
portunity of defense. with no tnolw-
edge of the accusor or the nature and
cause of the accusation; without being
confronted with the witnesses against
US we have been summoned to the bar
of life and condemned to death. There
lis neither exculpation nor appeal. The
tender mother cries passionately for
mercy for her first born. but there is
no clemency The craven fellon sui
lenly prays for moment in which 10
be aneled, but there Is no reprieve. The
soul helplessIy beats its wings upon the
bars, shudders and disappears.
"But the death of good man IS moi
an inconsolable lamentation. 1t Is
strain Of triumph and he may exclalm
with the Roman poet, Non omnls
Moriar,' and turning to the silent and
unknown future can rely with Just ana
reasonable confidence upon that most
impressive assurance ever delivered to
the human race. He that believeth In
me. though he were dead, yet shall ne
live and whosoever liyeth and BE-
lieveth in me shall never die:
Mr.. ingalls, might have added one
more shadow to his dark picture OF
death by saying that he not only con-
demned US without trial or witnesses
or an accuser, but the pitiless old ras-
cal would not even give the date OF our
execution nor the manner or IT. we
are to die, that is certain, but When or
how or where we know not. Think OF
DR.. Goe.chius, dressed at 2 o'clock with
pleasant anti2ipations of rest at
Tallulah, amid the sound OF falling
waters that soothe the soul, but within
corpse.
Senator ingalls, was gifted man
IN hour he was helpless, lifeless
lot a word painter, but thought en-
sraver. For years he was our enemy
md hartored prejudices against our
,eople. but after he had visited Texas
and studied the negro and his race
traits. he returned home and declared
that he was unfit and unowrthy OF free
dom or any political franchise.
But enough of this. Now let me add
that up to this date l have received
one hundred and seventeen copies OF
the poem that. | asked for and the
number increases with every mail.
They have come from every southern
State. ! began to write pleasant words
and thanks to these who have troubled
themselves to please me, but / have
had to stop. for my old eyes are weak
and my hand gets tired. can only
thank them all at once and say hcW
grateful | am that so many know what
7 did not know 1t humbles my pride
and takes away some Of my vanity.
Some of my scattered friends give the
authority to Miss Flora Hastings,
Queen Victoria's maid of honor, and
some to George D. Prentice, and one to
S. S. Prentis, but the large majority
are correct in naming Charles Mackay.
He was born in Perth. Scotland, in lSl2.
and during our civil war was the Amer
sran correspondent of The Londcn
Times. He easily stood first among
the modern English poets, and was the
author of many prose works.-Blll
ARD in Atlanta Constitution.