The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-05-13

lOl y, 1IIo =" "Jt'OlC vi DSlllS Noii>Ci4
trated within a few weeks against
the devoted q, 900. Ir his memo
rable interview with President
Davis at Greensboro on the 18th
of April, 1865, Gen. Johnston
represented to him, and to men,
bcrs Of his cabinet present, that in
his military judgment further war
fare on the part of the Confederacy
was hopeless! Under such circum
stances as he described to Mr.. Davis,
such was the military situation that
in the judgment of this great COM
mander, 1t would be the greatest OF
human crimes to attempt further to
prolong the war. "Having neither
money nor credit" said Gen. John
ston. NOR arms but those in the
hands of our soldiers, nor ammunl-
ton but that in their cartridge
boxes, nor shops for repairing arms
or fixing ammunition, the effect OF
our keeping the field would be, not
to harm the enemy, but to complete
the devastation of our country and
ruin its people, - The inevitable
hour had come. Nothing was left
to brave, true men but to cease to
contend in battle and blood, when
contention was hopeless, and blood
shed in useless strife would be re-
venge and murder, Lee had said
to Grant at Appomattox, Gen
eral, l am not willing even to dis
cuss any terms of surrender, incon-
sistent with the honor OF, my army,
which I am determined to main
tain to the last" Grant appre-
ciated the sentiment of his great
antagonist, and in the spirit Of the
soldier he was, responded nobly to
Lees proposition.
To the honor of Gen. Sherman
be it gladly confessed, he met the
proposals of Gen. Johnston and
asked only the pledge of soldiers
honor to keep a soldiers parole.
With the giving of that pledge,
the career of the Carolina Confed-
crate soldier was ended! Ended,
as it had begun, in obedience to
the manifestations of an Almighty
providence; in accordance with the
dictates of an enlightened con-
science; in response to the highest
and purest and noblest instinct OF
the human heart Iu the words of
Gen. Johnston, the hour had come
when warfare was hopeless-when
to prolong war would be human
crime-and then the Southern SOL
dier grounded his arms, and gave
the pledge the victor asked, the
pledge of his unsullied honor!
Today, we commemorate his
honor! His courage! His noble
endurance! His immortal history!
Thirty seven years have passed
since the Confederate soldier laid
down his rifle, and sheathed his
sword, and tore the battle flag from
its staff 10 take to his home!
All bitterness, l trust, has gone
from our hearts-the new life, and
work, and energy, and hope OF
generation have come to represent
the courage and the character OF
the past!
The old love our fathers bore our
great country is once more claim
ing our loyalty; and Confederate
soldiers have been fighting under the
old FLAG with Confederate valor to
maintain the honor of our reunited
country, and to free whole peo-
pie, oppressed by tyranny.
Then was our Confederate strug-
gle in vain?
Was the sacrifice of men like
Nance, and my dear classmate,
Drate Rutherford, a vain and use
less sacrifice of noble lives? Are
the names which our mothers, and
wives, and daughters have cut IN
the granite of your Confederate
monument, names lost to New
/ berry and to the State?
Was our great struggle for the
principles of home rule, and constr