The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-08-13

tox without hope and were not dismaye
at the task that lay before them. thoug
they look upon homes whose light wa
quenched," and their memories wer
filled with "the graves without a stone
the folded flag, the broken sword" tn
gun without its soldier. Yet raise tn,
head fair landl'
The folded flag is stainless still, tn,
broken sword is bright,
No blot on thy record is found, no treason
soils thy fame"
There Is yet hope to lure us on tC
greater victories, where courage even OF
higher type will be required and where
manhood's strength will move us on
until the world shall once more be drawn
to witness achievements in the arts of
peace that are indestructibly linked with
the genius, the energy, the perseverance,
tho unconquerable spirit that wrested
victory on an hundred fields Of war. An
artist has recently embodied The Spirit
OF the Confederacy" in group where
poses supernatural being and youth
in the garb of farmer, whose tatters
and patches reveal the tale of hardship
In campaign that ends in failure. In
this victory for the vanquishcd" is
held out laurel wreath in token of the
fact that there is a consolation for the
conquered which has finer, moro spiri-
tual essence than is afforded by the ma
terial results attained by the successful
foe. We are met here to pay homage to
this Esprit Of the Confederacy," but we
do not forget that there was another
guiding star in the talismanic DUTY"
which our own peerless Robert E. Lee
said was tho sublimest word in the En-
glish language. TWAS the Incompatible
leadership Of such men as Lee and
Hampton that brought order out Of
chaos, that restored plenty where waste
and want had prevailed, and that inspir-
cd the hands and the hearts Of tho men
and women who have made this fair
the rose, and to foretoken the time when
the garden of it's wealth shall reappear.
Lee, the vanquished chieftain, turned
with weary pace and saddened features
to the desolation Of Virginia, but he
went not back to sullen inactivity. He
said that all had been done which NOR
tails could accomplish against the power
Or overwhelming numbers and inexhaus-
Llble resources, and that the duty of the
future was to abandon the dream OF a
and to render a new and |
cheerful allegiance to reunited govern
ment. This was the record Of his own
stainless life, and his moral greatness |
was developed in the five years he lived |
20 lead the youth Of his native land into |
hat realm where he dwelt continually. |
The greatness of his achievements in
war were almost equalled by the simpli |
city and grandeur OF his after life, which |
closed without the utterance Of one word |
of bitterness. Cheerful even under de. |
[eat, how unselfish the character that |
absolved all others Of blame at Gettys-
burg Majestic and dignified in all his |
career, he was greatest and grandest In |
.he hour of defeat and discontinue.
ain every hour OF living force
His grand example bides,
OF courage, valor, wisdom rare,
Tho modesty that hides
The hero Ill the hero's deed,
The soldier in the man."
Wade Hampton WAS not unlike his |
great commander in many respects, and |
In the providence Of God he was called |
upon to pass through perilous scenes and |
endure trials that were akin to his expe- !
rience In the tide of war. AS soldier |
ho was the equal Of any man in gaining |
the confidence and respect Of his follow.
crs, and like Lee he could make love for
his person a substitute for food and |
when q naked, starving band !
was to be transformed into fighting
host. Hampton came back to desolate |
homo, whore he found fair city laid |
waste and in ashes by the ruthless hand
OF an implacable enemy, and almost the
first words that fell from his lips were
wise. patient, gentle counsel to the en-
ancipated race that were around him in
ignorance and prejudice. His
tender, compassionate heart went out in
sympathy for their needs, and even unto
4 a 10 O Nf Ia In v;otn Ill
ing up from heaving bosom the faltering
No element of his nature was deeper
ingrained than sympathy and affection
for the people whom he loved and whom
he served with rare fidelity, and it is not
difficult to understand the poignancy Of
wounds that for time bore the impress
of alienation from his person. But II his
eyes codld have looked upon that unex-
ampled scene when his precious remains
were laid away in Trinity's church yard
the remembrance Of seeming ingratitude
would have given place instantly to the
joy and ecstasy Of a great heart touched
by the genuine loyalty OF saddened
people, whose tributes OF affection and
reverence were the expression of bruised
and grateful hearts, linked forever with
the memory of his service and sacrifice
in war and in peace.
South Carolina made one Of the grand.
est contributions to the spirit of unity
and concord as supplanting strife and
discord in the person Of Wade Hamp
ton, and in every emergency he>was
found bearing aloft the banner of
peace with the fidelity which marked his
career when the stars and bars tloated
above him in the hour Of victory. 1t
was his undoubted fitness for the rescue
Of a PROSTATE and oppressed State that
led men to turn with eager impulse to.
ward him when dire necessity said that
wickedress in high places should no
longer make people mourn, and it was
firmness that drove back the marauders
and adventurers, and put to flight an
army of parasites and plunderers. His