The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-03-12
RELICS OF cARoL1NA's PAST
Hist oric Corner of the Exposi-
ton n-Fire-Proof Protection
Needed.

II Jas. A. Hoyt, Jr, in The State.
j. The collection of historic records ar
relics in the southwest corner of u
State building has interested man
;, visitors to the Exposition, and thel
: are always sightseers around the case
IN which this display is made. 1t is th
y first time that South Carolina has eve
, attempted to display or TO illustrat
that i'll which In many respects she
richest, the treasures of the pnst.
A visitor entering the building i
Immediately attracted to handsom
case containing Is or 20 battle-scarre,
Confederate flags, and OCCASIONAL,
when an old veteran sees the colors O.
his regiment, tears are shed over these
precious mementoes. In an adjoining
case one of the late pictures of Genera
Hampton occupies a conspicuous posi-
ton, while Immediately under it Is the
original Ordinance of Secession, which
next to the Declaration of Independ.
ence, is the most notable Stale paper
in existence in the United States. The
balance of the space in this case is de-
voted to some of the choicest relics
from the collection of the Wade Hamp.
ton Chapter, Daughters of the Con-
federacy of Columbia. This collection
includes the battle sword of General
Hampton with which many a bloody
charge was led. An especial effort has
been made to include in this collection
| articles illustrative of the home manu-
factures of the people of the South, and
especially the women of the Confeder-
acy during the dark days of blockade
and privation.
An adjoining case contains distinc-
lively the exhibit of State records.
These are too numerous for detailed
description. Many quaint acts of the
General Assembly during the period Of
the proprietary government are shown.
1t is notable that one of these provided
for the encouragemento of ship building
in the province. Among the notable
records on display are several treaties
made with the Indians in the early his
tory of the State, and the original re-
cord of the charter of the State of
Georgia made at the time of the grant
of that franchise by His Majesty, King
George. In one corner is shown the
oldest piece of writing, and probably
the oldest article of any kind preserved
of the first settlers of the province. 1t
is record of the proceedings of the
colonists one year after the settlement
at old Charles Town, which was copied
and reproduced in Rivers History of
South Carolina. 1t is probable that
this record book was brought on the
ship which first male permanent set
tlemeEt on our coast. Indeed, records
n o1ntu,, l,,c ho n;, oc
Ill. of England, William and Mary,
Queen Anne and the Georges. The
quaint old English writing will prove
of exceeding interest, even though
it be not very rntelligiple to people of
this generation In Carolina.
The famous Jackson vase Is OH dis
play, draped with the flag of the Pal
metto regiment and the flag of Mexi-
can regiment captured In Mexico. One
OF the medals given survivors of the
Palmetto regiment is also shown. In
adjoining cases ere the old great seals
OF the State, including the original
wafer seal made by order of the Gen.
eral Assembly in 1776. The original
Ordinance of Modification .3 on dis
play, as is also the scabbard of the
sword of State with the curious mono-
gram "W. M" which some aver to
be that of William and Mary of Eng
land.
In wing cases OH the walls are shown
the autographs of many of the proprie-
tary governors of the State, and many
papers illustrative of the colonial his
tory of Carolina, which will well repay
the careful investigation of students Of
history.
The " tar and feather" papers col
lected by the late DIR. r.. w. Gibbes are
strikingly interesting, while autograph
letters are shown of all the notable
officers of the State during the Revolu-
tionary war, some of which have never
been published.
Such of the Revolutionary rolls Of
the State as are in condensed form and
can be consulted have been placed in
these frames for examination. None
OF these rolls has been published. The
only roll in existence of Sumter's brig
ade is on display.
This exhibit was collected by Assist
ant Secretary of Slate j. Il. CAN'T, at
the especial request of the State com.
mission, and is exceedingly valuable.
1t Is attractively arranged, oil portraits
of Calhoun, Marion, Sumter, Moultrie
and Pickens forming the decoration of
the walls.
Miss M. B. DeVeaux, bright dam
sci of Summerville, is in charge of this
exhibit and takes pleasure in explain
ing any of the exhibits to visitors.
have expressed in a previous let
ter the rather general feeling that ii is
not exactly proper that these invalu~
able relics, which no insurance money
can replace, should be put even tenn
porarily in an lnilammable building
such as all the Exposition buildings are,
for they all are mere shells covered
with the stuff know as staff. Fire
feeds on this staff like ravenous wolf
on fresh carcass and heavy, drlv-
ing rain beats through it as ii would
through thin cloth. Yet 1 am told
that the relics arc as safe here as in the
Secretary of States office in the capitol,
for the shelves in which the relics are
kept in that tflice are Of pine and
though the building be fre-proof, a
confagration once started within would
burn up the shelves and their precious
contents in short order. So that the
risk under which the relics are exhib,
lifted at the ExNOaitiOn NAV aerva tr