Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-04-16


the stronger and nobler right which
makes each foot of American soil in
sense the property of all Ameri-
cans.
"Charleston is not only typical
Southern city; it is also city where
history teens with events which link
themselves to American history as a
whole. In the early colonial days
Charleston was the outpost of our
people against the Spaniard in the
South in the days of the revolution
there occurred here some of the
events which vitally affected the
outcome of the struggle for inde-
pendence and which impressed them.
selves most deeply upon the popular
mind.
"It was here that the tremendous,
terrible drama of civil war opened.
With delicate and thoughtful cour-
tesy you originally asked me to come
to this exposition on the birthday of
Abraham Lincoln. The invitation
not only showed a fine generosity
and manliness in you, my hosts, but
it also emphasized what hardly any
thing else could emphasize, how
completely we are now united peo-
pie. The wounds left by the great
civil war, incomparably the greatest
war of modern times, have healed
and its memories are now priceless
heritages of honor alike to the North
! and to the South. The devotion,
the self-sacrifice, the steadfast reso
!ution and lofty daring, the high de-
votion to the right as each man saw
it, whether Northerner or South
erner, all these qualities of men and
women of the early sixties now
shine luminously and brilliant before
our eyes, while the mists of anger
and hatred that once dimmed them
have passed away forever. All of us,
North and South, can glory alike in
the valor of the men who wore the
blue and of the men who wore the
| gray. Those were iron times and
only iron men could fight to it's terri
BILE finish the giant struggle between
the hosts of Grant and Lee. To us
of the present day and to our chill
dren and children's children, the
valiant deeds, the high endeavor and
abnegation of self shown in that
struggle by those who took part
therein will remain forevermore to
mark the level on which we in our
turn must rise wherever our nations
need may come.
"When four years ago this nation
was compelled to face foreign foe,
the completeness of the reunion be-
came instantly and strikingly evil
dent. 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 compared with the
results. But it was a satisfactory
thing to see the way in which SONS
OF the soldier of the Union and soldier
of the Confederacy leaped eagerly
forward, emulous to show in broth
erly 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, gallant old Joe
Wheeler, who commanded the cav
alrymen at Santiago. In my regi-
ment there were 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 conspicu-
Gus galiantry in the field, was the son
OF Confederate general and was
himself citizen of this, the Pal
metto State, and no American officer
could wish to march to battle beside
more loyal, gallant and absolutely
fearless comrade than my former
captain and major, your fellow citi-
zen, Micah jenkins.
"a few months ago, owing to the
enforced ahsanca of tba (lovo.,o