The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-05-20

tiful custom of honoring the Confed
crate dead and living was inaugurated
by Southern women. An audience of
not less than 500, including about 100
war worn Veterans, fully 800 school
children and the Daughters and Sons
OF the COnfederacy and citizens,
crowded the court house at $3.50 p. M.
where the address of Col. John T..
Thomas, the orator of the occasion, ,and
other exercises were held.
The court house hall was profusely
and tastefully decorated with. Confed-
crate flags aud bunting, pictures Of
Lee, Jackson, Hampton and other
leaders of the Lost Cause hung upon
the walls and everywhere there was an
abundance of flowers. The most strik-
ing and inspiring feature of the occa-
sion was the attendance of Confederate
veterans, Nearly 100 of these who had
come from every section of Laurens
county, some of them distance of 20
miles and one or two from other coun-
ties, occupied seats within the bar to
the left of the speakers stand. Most
of them were aged and venerable mep,
many OF them bore the signs of Ill
health and approaching infirmity and
not few came with armless sleeves or
walked on crutches or "peg leg" but
all OF them were happy and proud in
the consciousness that they were pres
ent to receive tho insignia OF Imper.
Isnab!e knighthood from the women Of
the South.
COL, SIMPSON SPEAKS.
Henry Young Simpson, the eldest
son of the late Chief Justice William
Dunlap Simpson, who commanded a
regiment in Stonewall Jackson's di-
vision and later served in the Confed-
crate Congress, presided and intro
duced the speakers. Among distingu-
ished visitors were General O. Irving
Walker, commander OF the department
OF Northern Virginia, u. G. v and
George Savage, chief judge Of the Or
phans' Court of the City of Baltimore
and son of that George Savage whose
Virginia home was the scene of the
ssnguinary battle OF Savage Station.
The proceedings were opened with a
fervent and eloquent prayer by Rev.
Watson b. Duncan, pastor OF the First
Methodist Church. The 800 children
of the city schools, led by Superintend-
ent B. L. Jones and the corps OF teach
ers then sang 'Dixie" in which many
of the audience joined, the veterans
leading in cheer to the grand old
song at its conclusion.
Mr.. Simpson, who by the way is one
of the most eloquent and attractive
speakers In this state, then introduced
Col. Thomas in brief Ave minutes
speech which aroused enthusiasm.
Col. Thomas was greeted with
hearty cheers. He opened with beau
tiful tribute to the work of the women
Of the South In preserving the memo
ries of the s )uthern Cause, and alluded
to his having made an address in this
same hall 36 years ago, in the cam
paign Of 1868, when the seeds OF De-
mocracy which came to full fruition In
the campaign of 1875 were sown.
Touching upon events subsequent to
the War he spoke in high terms OF the
action of Secretary of War Root in Of
fering to print the rolls of the Confed-
crate armies as well as tho-e of the
Federal. He then spoke of the War IT.
self. "Without disparagement OF the
s, rvices and herOism of the military
branches OF the Confederate govern-
ment," Ee said, "I think that not even
in the South has there been full appre.
citation Of the craftsmanship Of the
Confed. The wisdom and labors
OF the Confederate Senate and House
of Representatives which flnally re-
suited in the formulation of the Con-
federate Constitution, an instrument
conceded now to have been superior 10
that under which we live, have never
been valued as they deserve.
PRESIDENT DAVIS.
He paid an eloquent tribute to Presi-
dent Jefferson Davis. the head of the
Confederacy and representative Of both
its civil and military life, describing
him as the one man worthy to receive
aud wear the mantle OF Calhoun who
with the mind OF an Aristotle had re-
duced the Justice OF Southern rights to
unanswerable and impregnable terms
of logic. Then he pictured the Con-
federaoy's chief as occupying an even
more sublime II pathetic place in his
tory when for years without murmur
but "a rally without apology he bore
the concentrated hatred of the South's
unforg wing enemies and fnally, when
he came to die, was able to take the
last sacrament of his Church with the
full forgiveness Of his prosecutors on
his lips. Col, Thomas spoke with elO-
quence and from time to time was ap-
plauded and cheered.
A PRETTY ISoIDENT.
In closing ne read letter from
Judge o. G. Thompson who was
q member Of Go. @. OF the Third Regi.
ment to Captain T.. J. Duckett, briefly
sketching the history of the old reai.
mental flag which is in possession of the
Survivors OF the company and which
they bore on this occasion. The letter,
which was lately published, related the
incident, now HISTORIC, Of the color
.