The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-05-01
From the Outlook of April 10th.

Tribute Paid to Both.
From the Outlook of April 10th.
Public attention was directed la.
week to South Carolina by two event.
OF National significance and interest
the visit of President Roosevelt te
Charleston, and the death OF Genera
Wade Hampton. Ii is a generation
since the last gun was fired in the
Wilderness, aud the terrible struggle
OF ideas and arms ended by the sur.
render of General Lee after a skiliful
and heroic defense which has given
him place among the notable sol
diers of history. The devastation in
cident upon that war was so wide
spread, the material ruin of the South.
the destruction of the old social order.
the disappearance of the old social
ideals so complete and personal sorrow
so universal, that it may be said
without exaggsration that no war in
history left more wrsckage or scars
behind it. The tragic death o. MIR.
Lincoln, the statesman and peace
maker, was followed by an outbreak
Of bitter and short-sighted partisan
ship. by the substitution OF a narrow
and hateful policy of suppression and
repression for the broad minded
statesmanship with which Mr.. Lincoln
would have dealt with the problems
Of reconstruction, and it seemed for
a number of years as if the seeds OF
hatred planted in tho years Of war
and misrule would bear baleful fruit
forever. In generation, however,
there has taken place what DIR. Wash
ington GLADDEN. called the greatest
moral miracle in history. The re-
union of the North and South 10 so
much an accepted fact and so definite
ly reality that it has almost ceased
to attract attention; but it is SO great
an achievement, so marvellous an
example OF reconciliation, that it
ought to be held in constant remsm-
brance.
The completeness OF that reconcilia-
tion received dramatic illustration
when the President of the United
States. standing in the city of Charles
ton, struck without dissonance, but
with a harmony unsuspected in the
Older times, the note of perfect re-
spect and admiration for the heroism
of the South and Of perfect acceptance
and loyalty to the National idea. IL
claim" said the President. .svour
State as mine by an inheritance no
less than by the stronger and nobler
right which makes every foot OF
American soil the property OF all
Americans" and in few words,
which ought to be recited in every
school in the country because they
express the finer spirit of the Ameri-
can people and interpret the real sig
niiicance OF the change which has
been effected since the war. tho Prssi-
dent rose. as did Mr.. Lincoln at
Gettysburg, to the full height Of the
occasion:
With delicate and thoughtful
courtesy you originally asked me to
come TO this Exposition on tho birth
day of Abraham Lincoln. The invita-
tion not only showed fine generosity Y
and manliness in you, my hosts, but
it also emphasized as hardly anything
else could have emphasized how com
pletsly we are now a united people.
The wounds left by the great
Civil War, incomparably the greatest
war OF modern times, have healed
and it's memories are now priceless
hsritages Of honor alike to the North
and to the South. The devotion, the
self-sacrifice, the steadfast resolution
and lofty daring, the high devotion
to the right as each man saw it.
whether Northerner or Southerner-
all 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 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 its terrible finish, the giant struggle
between tine hosts OF Grant and Lee.
To US OF the present day. and to our
children aud childrens children. the
valiant deeds, the high endeavor, and
abnegation Of self shown in that
struggle by those who took part
therein, will remain for evermore TO
mark the level to which we in our
turn must rise whenever The hour OF
the nations need may come"
While the President was speaking,
= representative South Carolinian OF
the finest type was dying at his home
in Columbis. Gen. Wade Hampton
was q man Of the old-time fiber, the
old-time education. and the old-time
high mindedness; survivor OF the
days when South Carolina WAS ruled
by an eligarchy, it is true, but by an
oligarchy made up Of men Of high
ideals, of generous education. and Of
devotion to public interests. Born a
mem Der OF the elect class, bearing a
name honored since the colonial days
and distinguished in the war Of the
Revolution, bred in the old traditions
OF South Carolinian aristocracy, edu-
CAlGd III VIC iuStibohicus VI bi5 Wv ii
State, General Hampton never sue
cumbed to the narrowing influences
Of the intense localism which WAS the
Limitation Of the South Carolinian
ideal. He united with high character
broad common sense, grasp OF reali-
ties, and a high sense Of duty. He
was a Union man to the very end,
going with his State only when his
State went out OF the Union. He
fought with conspicuous gallantry
through the war, was wounded again
and again, and came out Of it to find,
as so many Southerners found, his
fortune wasted and his home Obliter-