The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-04-16


W nobler right which makes each foot {
i American soil in u sense the propcrl
s. of all Americans.
II "Charleston is not only typic'
2. Southern city, it is also city who's
J. history teens with events which lin
themselves to American history as
whole. In the early colonial day
d Charleston was the outpost of our pee
II pie against the Spaniards in the South
: In the days of the Revolution there OF
r Cured here some of the events whic
: vitally affected the outcome of th
: struggle for independence, aud whicl
8 impressed themselves most deeply upol
a the popular mind. 1t was here tina
the tremendous, terrible drama of TIN
civil war opened.
With delicate and thoughtful
courtesy you originally asked me tx
come to this Exposition on the birthda,
of Abraham Lincoln. The invitation
not only showed fine generosity ant
manliness In you, my hosts, but it also
emphasized how completely we are
now united people. The wounds
left by the great civil war, incompar.
ably the greatest war of modern timss
have healed and It's memories are now
priceless heritages of honor alike to
the North and to the South. The de-
votlon, the self-sacrlfice, the steadfast
resolution and l'fty daring, the high
devotion to the right as each saw it,
whether Northerner or Southerner, ali
these qualities of the men and women
of the early sixties now shine luminous
and brilliant before our eyes while the
mists of anger and hatred that once
dimmed them have passed away for
ever.
I" All of us, North and South, can
| glory alike in the valor of the men who
wore the gray. Those were iron times,
and only iron men could fight to it's
terrible finish. The giant struggle be-
tween the hosts of Grant and Lee, to
us OF the present day, and to our chill
dren and chlldren's children, the vail
liant deeds, the high endeavor, and
abnegation of self shown in the strug-
gle by those who took part therein will
remain foievermore to mark the level
to which we, in our turn, must rise,
whenever the hour of the nations need
may come.
When four years ago this nation
! was compelled to face foreign foe,
the completeness of the reunion became
instantly and striklngly evident. The
war was not one which called for the
exercise of more than an insignificant
fraction of our strength and the strain
put upon us was slight indeed COM
pared with the results. But it was
satisfactory thing indeed TO see the
way in which the sons Of the soldier of
the Union and the soldier of the Con
foderacy leaped eagerly forward, emul.
GUS to show in brotherly rivalry the
qualities which had won renown for
their fathers, the men of the great war.
1t was my good fortune to serve under
an ex-Confederate general, old Joe
Wheeler, who commanded the cavalry
division at Santiago.
"In my regiment there were GER
tainly as many men whose fathers had
served in the Southern AS there were
men whose fathers had served in The
Northern army. Among the captains
there was opportunity to promote but
one to field rank. The man who was
singled out for this promotion because
of conspicuous gallantry in the field,
was the son of Confed crate general
and was himself citizen of the Pal
mettO State, and no American officer
could wish TO march to battle beside a
more loyal, gallant and absolutely fear
less comrade than my former cap
tain and major, your fellow citizen,
Micah Jenkins.
"a few months ago, owing to the
enforced absence of the Governor of
the Philippines, it became necessary to
nominate Vice Governor TO take his
place, one of the most important places
in our government at this time, and /
nominated as Vice Governor an ex-
Confederate general, Luke Wright, of
Tennessee. IL Is, therefore, an ex-
| Confederate who now stands as the
exponent of this government and this
people in that great group of islands
in the Eastern seas Ovel which the
American flag floats. General Wright
has taken leading part in the work of
steadily bringing order and peace out
of the bloody chaos in which we found
the islands. He is now taking lead
ing part, not merely in upholding the
honor of the flag, by making itrespect-
ed as the symbol of power, but still
more in upholding its honor by un-
wearied labor for the establishment of
ordered liberty, of law creating, law
abiding civil government under it's
folds. The progress which has been
made under General Wright and those
like him has been indeed marvellous.
In fact, letter of the generals the
other day seemed to show that he con-
sidered there was far more warfare
about the Philippines in this country
than there was warfare in the Philip.
pines themselves. Itis an added proof
of the completeness of the reunion OF
our country that one of the foremost
men who have been instrumental in
driving forward the great work fol
civilization and humanity in the Phil.
ippines, has been man who, in the
civil war fought with distinction in 6
uniform of Confederate gray.
If ever the need comes in the fu
ture, the past has made abundantl5
evident the fact that from this time OF
NorLherner and Southerner willin wa
know only the generous desire tt
strive how each can do the NOR,
, effective service for the flag OF Gu
common country. The same thing il
true in the endless work of peace, tn,
, never ending work of building an,
keeping the marvellous fabric Of ou
r | industrial prOsperity, The upbuildin,