The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-06-12

Forty yeprs have passed since these
soldier boys frst shouldered arms and
hurried to the front. No such array
Of patriots were ever seen, fo- there
VAS not tory among them nor for
eisn hireling, aud even the Northern
horn citizens of the South volunteered
With one accord. and cast their lives
and property in the common peril Of
their adopted State. To that class we
owe all the more honor, for it vas a
great heart struggle to sever the honda
that bound them to their kindred and
the place OF their birth. Forty years
have not effsced uor dimmed the
memory Of those four long years from
the minds Of the veterans who gather
ed at the Memphis reunion. As time
rolls on they seem the more eager to
cougregate and commune together;
and, happily, there are none now to
molest or make them afraid.
Happily the soldiers of the blue and
the gray are becoming every year the
more oousiderate OF the feelings and
principles of each other. The SOL
diers, say--these who fought agsiHet
us-for the bravest are the tenderest.
Il is the politicians who saw the bat
tie from afar, who still refuse to give
us back our flags and are still worry.
ing over the rebel brigadiers whom we
have sent to Congress. But time is
good doctor, and soft words take away
wrath.
That was o grand eonvoostion that
paraded the streets OF Memphis.
Hearts beat rapidly and eyes were
moist with tears
while me,aory fingered Ser the sad
review 34f1: 4s9{s
OF joys that Gaded like the morning
dew" ~
That vas q beautiful prayer sent up
TO heaven by our beloved grand chap
lain, Rev. j. William Zones, the faith
ful bulwark Of Confederate history.
I know that the blue and the gray
clasped hands and hearts as he in
voked blessing upon Mr. and Mrs.
Mckinley and asked for her restora-
ton to health. I tell you my breth-
rem there is nothing small or selfish or
mean in the hearts OF our great lead
ers. In war and In peace they have
been and are gentlemen. There was
not Nero or q duke OF Alive among
them nor hearsless destroyer of the
innocent nor violator OF thedaws Of
kindness to women and children. Our
soldiers fought 9 good sGs1t, ON patri-
otic principles, and it rejoicss US that
they have kept the faith and are as
true now to the nation as they were
then to the principles for which they
fought. These principles are not
dead; and we believe that if this Re-
publican government is preserved from
the domination of imperialism, with
which tits threatened, it will be the
conservative spirit of the South that
will do it. The spirit Of constitu-
tional liberty is yet alive with us and
will be transmitted to our children.
1t is high time that the Northern
preachers and teachers and editors
we're learning salutary lesson from
these annual reunions of the old Con
federates. IF had been Federal
soldier and lived up there, it seems to
me that would say, ''My brethren,
those rebels must have been tremend-
ouSly in earnest. There is no let up
or statement in their faith. Forty
years heo not humbled them one iota.
We had better make friends with such
spsopie and divide honors aud PEN
sione, TOO. They have carried an
awful load for all these ayears. They
have to pay good psrt Of the PEN
sions to our soldiers and all Of the
pensions to their own aud o big tax to
educate their negroee; and they had
to erdure the ravages and stealages Of
the carpet haggers for years. hut they.
49,