The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-05-06
MEM0RIAL DAY.
Let us Rot k;aii 70 Honor rhe Memory
of Our Dead Heroes.

Next Saturday is Memorial Day,
and the graves Of the dead heroes OF
South Carolina who died for the Cen
federacy will be decorated with sweet
flowers by our noble women. Once: a
year, for the past three decades, says
the Atlanta Journal, the people Of the
southern states have observed a day
for the decoration Of the last resting
places of the Confederate heroes, and
the recital OF their valorous deeds.
And now the seasons have again Shift
ed to springtime and the founts Of
memory are unsealed on many green
hill. Amid the strains OF martial
music, thousands make their way to
the tlowered mounds beneath which
lie the heroes OF the south. Upon
those mounds they place their tributes
of affection and reverent regard; and
the lonesome grasses are frightened
with fresh flowers. I'll fitting, there
fore, that we should consider for a mo-
ment what this Cay means, and why it
is observed, especially in reference to
the changed conditions Of this century,
and the long perspective which now
lies between the present generation
and those who wore the gray.
Memorial day. as il is observed in
the South, is what its name implies
i day Of memories. II is not designed
to keep alive any feud or sectional
issue. Ii is revertnt an ! retrospective.
The controversy which urged these
dead soldiers to lay down their lives
for their country has been buried with
them: and the silent monol!ths which
toser hcavenwaod where they rest are
symbols of peace. not Of war. Memorial
day stands for all that was best, and
all that is best, in the south Of the
past and of the present. The same
spirit which impeiled Stonewall jack
son. and at whose bidding the sworc
OF Lee flashed from its scaobard
lives in the south today, changed only
as to object-uhe guiding star of that
region where patriotism never dies nol
falterS.
The men who come from Appomat
tox, and their sons, lifted the soutE
out Of it's ruins and rebuilt it into
more than it's ancient opulence. Thi!
task was not inferior to the one which
Law before them when they marched
out in 1861. II it was less perilous il
was more tedious. IL called for all ths
resolution, all the moral courage, al
the faith, hope and energy which
could be summoned BY the finest Aaso
Saxon stock which the world has eve
knox Patiently unculnplain ns'S
they rebuilt, replanted, and have snc'
ret1arvested. OF sue: fiber were th
pauple who fought for home rule II
the south. Oi such farce and purit.
was the spirit which led forward t!ips
who sleep today around the soldier
monuments. 1t is this spirit, devoi'
Of sectional STRIFE or issue, which IN
rlrIn the Observance Uf Mem 'rlal day
To remember, ~ reverence. a!ld t' IL
peat these are the privileges If thn>
who decorate tn" soldiers graves ant
who gather near them,
But in this blrying Of scctio.la
strife. Memorial day las lost lot on
atom vi its i.isistlnce upon th.: right
eous patriotism of th''Si. whose m IN
ary it perp:tuate>. Not r'r years
and never. We truSt-will tn" day b.
come a memorial IF misguided flnatic
who died fnr an unjust ca,l>e. Let IN
phrase. rhey c!e;I for what the
thought was right, perish hall utt"l
ed upon the feeble lips that woul
frame it.. Let any Suggestion ina
E those who wore the grey were rebel,
led by rebel chiefs. remain locked u
in those distorted sectional histories
where they belong. With the mer
abstract merits Of the controversy
Memorial day and the generatio
; which now observes it has nothing t
DO. Bus that t!li> was VISA str'gS!
{ between sovereign and indepen1en
states, is proposition which thos
who decorate the graves Of s"uther
soldiers cannot afford to re!iDquiStl 10
. one moment.