The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-05-17
! ! "a Arm WELCOME E.
! sEE:ixtseDded the Old veterans 10
s5si g olumbia by Her
/. LEADING NEWSPAPER.
An Aflln1 Article. that Brings 20 Mind
rs. tho Noble Sacrifice Made by
cavollnas Sens and
Daughters.

Casollnas Sens and
I II Daughters.
Tho following was tho leading edi-
altorial in Tho State on last "Wednesday,
which was the frat day Of the Con
$federato reunion in Columbia: 4
It is almost a waste of words 10 well
como COME derato soldiers to Co
lumbia. There Dan bo no shadow Of
doubt thatSsYery man who woro tho
gray is Welcome to that oity to which
tho wearing Of the gray has always
meant 90 much.
@ This is the city in which tho War Be-
K tween the States may be justly said to
have originated. It was horo that half
q century ago tho representative mon Of
!! South Carolina used, as now, to meet
and counsel together. Then, as now,
thore were differences Of opinion on
political matters. Few doubted tho
right to geoedo but many considered it
folly TO do so. AT length tho seoes-
ssionisfs prevailed. Tho convention
whiolr'firBt asse mbled in Columbia, az
! tho body representing a sovereign
State, settled that. Afterwards there
was no more division Seoessionists
and their former opponents wcro united
in resistance to the attempt that was
made on State sovereignty and local
solf-government. Tho expt dicnoy OF
secession was no longer the issue. Pol.
10y had giyon plaoe to principle, and
+ lVUh n hcS N NJ In So ~ - n
"a South Carolina have until this day
boon true.
S.a War having supplanted debate. Co
lumbin onoo moro became the centro
Of Carolina activity. 1t was hero at
the capital that tho frat regiments
were assembled and from here that
they we mt on to tho folds. Of Virginia;
y some there to die, some to suffer
4 wounds and sickness and othors to re-
turn unharmed to fight othor battles
for their State. What days those Grst
days Of war must have been in %.
lumbial We cannot dwell upon the
(, topic now and here. Other hands moro
worthyshave written OF tboao times.
Then ycame four years Of carnage,
four years Of fighting and daring, Of en-
durahce and saorifice -four years that
\ seemed century when mos red by
accomplishments and yot wer. all too
short to do what Southern hearts dare d
All this time, Columbia was still
soontref Of activity. /, Here wera stores
and faetoviop, foundries and many q
, mlnoF. industry, all working day by day
q to send TO tho aoldie1s the arms, the
I "; the equipments that ,Wero
n ssl9tl eo badly needed. Here were ehospitas
81 and =! I here, we're homos ever ready to TO.
q e 81 y os1Ts rotarnins
from 4 elds Of battle, near and far.
M me 20 end began to drawn near Sher
D mans mighty host approached mearor
and nearer. Defended by an insult.
iiclent band-than which mono has ever
been more tIuetho capital Of South
A Caroilna. must. finally fall into the
hands OF q vandal enemy. Columbia
must be abandoned to her fato-sban-
dOned ny ono who loved her as his own
and whom sho has always loved as woll
Wade Hampton. Retreating beforc
I vast oddg no saw his noiehbo homes
first shot at and then set afiro. And
soon Columbia was in ruins. 4.
The next ten years-What of them?
Columbia was made the scene of the
widest political deviltry and the rank,
est ddbatohery that ever disgraceed an
American commonwealth punishment
Tor tho part South Carolina had takon
in the defonso of rights guaranteed by
the American constitution. BIT thaso
things could not long be endured The
Day ofrevolt came, tho hour Of tho
y white mans emancipation was at hand.
And the leader, who was he? None
other than than aame old Co
!umbian, tho one who he'd led his mon
ID many.a fearful charge; had lost his
ell and moro; had stood az Columbis's
defender until defenso was folly and
had surrendered: only whom his chief
and friend, the noble Lee, SAID: eve
cannot fight longerl'
Today Columbia's welcome is extend
cd to the survivors Of lost cause and
1t is extended by Wado HamptonI IN
vinoible in war and incorruptible in
peaool When he speaks tho words that
tell his old comrades his home o;tu I - ;s ;s
glad 20 have them here, ho speaks tho
sentiments of'oyory oitizen whose pulso
beats time to Columbias heart throbs,
WMh an energy, an onthusiasm and
\ VIII neyere1ualled in this city, our cit.
izens have eone to work to prepare for
the veterans' coming. They have tried
to provide plans for thom to sloep com.
fortably, with plenty to eat and a nlittle
something to drink. There will bo quito
enough to keep them interosted il their
conventions aud their receptions. and il
10 C0lumbia's earnest desire that all
shall be pleased. If any veteran does
not see what he wants, let him ask for
it e3Ha,,3 N /. mn 'E'l
Then therc are the ladies. Tho wives
-whd aresatill tho sweeth carts of the
boys VITO left home in ,61.'66. The wo-
\ men .who knit stockings and shod toars,
praying and hoping, while tho mon
wore lighting. Thdy and their daugh-
ters--the sponsors will bo here, too.
(: az long 'as Carolina is Carolina they
VII! be tho chief attraction on eyory 90.
soasioa they may grace with their pros
The'Aana of Veterans arc scsrooly
less welcome. Theirs is q great hori.
ttage.s And to presorvo tho history Of
their fethor's deeds, to proteot tho fair
4 lamo OF their native land and to char.
3 ish tho loss6ns it teaohod Ia i Sacred
duty, Tho war was long einoo over. We
are annited people and thoro should bo