The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-04-22
MORE ABOUT THE
BRIARS MEETING.
Contributed Article With
Some Comments.
THE RESOLUTIONS.
The Preservation of the
Old Flag.
The Causes Of the Great War-Yete-
rans' Services i'm RecOnstruc-
tion-Mr. Irby's Address.
THE RESOLUTIONS.
Contributed. !


was large crowd in attendance. Ten
members of the original LOG, Q47 first
and last) answered to roll call under
the old tattered battle flag of the 3rd
Regiment. This was the Color Com
pany Of the 3rd Regiment, and at
Greensboro, N. O., when Johnston sur
rendered, the boys managed to spirit
the flag away and it is still in the Gus
tody of the Company. but belongs to
the Regiment.
Comrade Lewis Stoddard presided.
The good VIC IN had tastefully deco
rated the { and had built long
table and loaded it with good things to
eat. Capt. Lanford, the only surviving
commissioned officer, called the roll
and read q letter from Chief Justice
Pope, Adjutant of the 3rd Regiment,
regretting his inability to attend. Also
letter from DR.. John r. Smith, of the
7th of March, 20 days before his death
expressing his intention to attend If
able. This letter breathed in eloquent
terms that love and patriotic fervor
that characterized his life.
Resolutions, introduced by Capt.
Lanford, were passed in memory of DIR.
Smith and Sergeant A. S. Owings, who
had died since the last annual roll call.
o. G. Thompson read a letter from
Judge Allen Barksdale, of Ruston, Lou
isiana, one of the original $780," re-
GREETING his inability to attend; also an
interestingpiece of "Briar" history by
Judge tBargsdale, an account of the
night Of the 3rd day at Gettysburg as
seen bya "Briar."
THE WARS CAUSES.
Then w. w. Ball, the orator of the
day, was introduced. He esteemed it
one of the very greatest honors to be
permitted to meet with and address
the remnant of the gallant old Com
pany &C." especially on account of his
fathers, (the lamented Col Bal) rela-
tions with the "Briars" and of his un-
Gle, John w. Watts; having been their
last Captain.
he paid magnificent tribute to the
men and glorious women of the South,
and went into an elaborate discussion
OF the causes and consequences of the
war, showing that Northern fanaticism
and encroachment led up to the John
Brown raid, Kansas War and War of
Coercion, and desolation of the South.
He called attention to the historic
truth that the great North in the in
cipiency of the struggle would not
openly avow their purpose of wagiug
war for freeing the negro and giving
him citizenship, but put it upon the
ground OF being war for the preserva-
tion of the Union. He quoted from
Secretary Root and others to show that
Northern sentiment recognized that in
so far as making better citizen of an
alien race, whose condition here had
been improved, it was only better than
his brother in africa, by reason of cen
turies of contact with the white man.
He laid special stress upon the truth
that Northern craftsmanship had been
| impotent for the task of furnishing IL
solution of the race problem, or of put
| ting the negro in q condition superior
or even equal to that he occupied as q
slave. Mr.. Ball sought to impress up
on the young especially that had 1t not
been for the presence and influence of
! the veteran element this country would
never have been redeemed from the
horrors of reconstruction and the reign
of terror. This was one of the ablest
discussions of these questions that this
writer ever heard.
MR.. IRBX'S ADDRESS,
In the afternoon Representative Irhy
made an interesting address, which
was very appropriate to this occasion,
in which he showed that he was not
only familiar, but in full touch and
sympathy with the questions and SEN
timents that occupied all minds and
hearts today. He acquitted himself
handsomely and was we'll received.
Then came Capt. Lanford, followed
| by M. Ell. Ferguson and o. G. Thomp-
son with brief but appropriate talks,
after which the Company broke ranks
with orders to meet at Gray Court Oh
the Saturday nearest the l4th day of
April 1904.
THE ERESoLUTIoNs,
The following resolutions were
adopted at the Reunion of The Briars,
April, Iii
Whereas, Since our last annual meet
ing, under the dispensations OF an all
wise and merciful providence, Com.
rades A. s. Owings and John r. Smith
have been summoned to the last roll
call, Therefore
Resolved let: That by the fall of
these dear comrades our rapidly lessenS
ing line has suffered the loss of broth
ers who have ever been as faithful and
true to their country In all the exact
ing duties devolying upon the true
citizen in times Of peace rs they were
brave and unfiinchIng on the bloody