The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1901-05-14

Hampton rosn and faced his soldiers.
There wero crios Of champion"
Gen. Hampton placed his hand on
his right breast and quiet prevailed
as he addressed the great gathering
as follows:
My Comrades: l have indeed, as
Major Hart has said, hoard that
Rebei yell often before and when
heard it from my own men, from tho
mon whom I had the honor to com.
mand, L knew that We wero safe. [
think it is one of the British poets
who says:
"The kites know we'll
The long leagues swell
That bids the Romans Closes"
might paraphrase this by saying:
The Yankees knew we'll
The long leagues swell
That bids the Rebels close.
My old heroes hope it nevor Will
bo forgotten. Ihope it will be trans
mitted to your children and TO your
children's children-if no. for them
to use to tell how it used to ring
from tho forests of Virginia, how it
rang from Gettysburg to The west
and how it always told Of mon who
wore willing to die for their south
land, to die for truth, for honor, for
manhood, for chivalry and for
great truth. I want you to try and
teach to your children and to your
children's children that ours was not
lost cause. I want you to tell
them that we were fighting for the
right. George Washington was n
rebel but Lee was not. When Great
Britain recognized the Independence
Of this country she did not recognize
the independence Of the United
States but Of each sovereign State as
independent and sovereign. There
were 13 independent and sovereign
States. They founded the union
and they had the right to withdraw
from it whenever they chose SO to do.
We were not successful-it is not
given to mortnls to command success.
You have done more-y OH have de-
served it.
And now in your declining years
and when mine have extended long
beyond the period allotted to man,
you, my old comrades, whom I loved,
whom I trusted and with whom I
felt as safe as do now, L want to
say 70 you all that all the lovo you
have given mo has been moro than
reciprocated; that all that 1 have
ever been able to do for you, for any
one Of you, or for South Carolina,
has beon more than repaid by the
honors you have unsolicited con-
ferred upon mo and by this the
browning honor Of my life. I may
not see you again. I remember a
stora Of an old bishop who when
ready to retire from public life went
to the abbot and said:
"Father Abbot, an old man whose
heart is brokon by the storms of state
is como to lay his weary bones
among YOU"
That is all I shall ask of South
Carolina--a few feet of earth where
my kindred for six generations are
resting. And I am proud to say that
one or moro of zach generation since
they were known in South Carolina
has filled a bloody grave for South
Carolina. (Applause.) T claim no
credit for that. Every South Caro-
linian who was true was willing
to give his blood and his life
for tho old state. I am sure that
1 was willing to do 80. I think
can say 80 to you, my mon, that
never turned my back upon any Of
you when your faces were turned to
ward tho enemy. The greatest honor
that [ felt during the war was once
when L came upon poor private
who was dying 1 stopped beside
him and he said: 81 am happy to die
fighting and am proud to die fight.
J ing under YOU"