The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-05-29
A-GREAT SPEECH
Which Should be Read by Our Boys
and Girls.

I 4
and Girls.
THE SOUTH AND THE LATE WAR.
did Any Other People Ever Face
and Overcome Adversely ns Did
the Southern People
After the WARP
The following is Il synopsis of the
Grafton delivered by Hon. John II.
Rogers, or the United States District
Court, at New Orleans on Tuesday
week, before the annual meeting or
the Confederate Veterans:
why arc VIC here? No fanatical
religious crusade prompted this i'm
mcIlSc cUncourSc. Here are to bc
found all crcedS and faiths and be-
liefS, i'll perfect peace with each other,
freed from antagonism to excite The
passions Of men. In yondcr sky are
no angry clouds OF pcStilencc or war.
No impending danger threatens our
land, demanding consultation and
means Of protection from enemies
within and without. We are at peace
DIT home and ahoad. Neither are we
weary pilgrims to n holy Mecca, seek
ing abs0lutiOn from our sins. Nor arc
we aspirantS FOR social or political pre-
fcrmcnJ. This is no vast political con-
vention or mass meeting assembled
for purposes OF considering grave mat
tcrs Of state or seeking TO confer hon
orS on favorite SONS. Nay, nay, none
Of these. What is it that has brought
us together? This great assembly hall
| feStouncd with bunting and iiagS, en-
blems OF liberty and puwcr, its am
pithcatre filled with the grave man
hood and lovely wOmanhOod OF the
south. these venerable men, the Survi-
yorS of the tremendous conflict OF the
sixtics--all these things tell Of deep
underlying cause. This great SEA Of
upturned faces, glowing with life, in
telligence and sympathy--if not With
JOY unmingled with sorrow-- proclaim
that the purpose OF our assembling has
made Il deep impression upon our
hearts. We need not rcpress the de-
vOtions by which We are agitated
Whenever and wherever these re-
unions occur, we are standing amid
the sepulcherS Of our dead. Every foot
of our beloved southland is distin-
guishcd by their courage, their Su-
blime fortitudc, their clf-dcnial, their
nnwavcring devotion and patriotism,
and sanctiiied by the shedding of their
blood. Time and nature have had
their course in diminishing the num-
bers Of those. who surrendered ut the
close OF the great Civil war, but neith-
cr time nor nature. can relieve those
who survive Of the duties they owe. to
the memory. of our unreccrded dead,
to our posterity, to our beloved south
land and to curse Ives. lfWe are here
today to discharge rs we may those
duties and to renew old friendships;
forged in the white heat of common
SuffcringS and hallowcd and Sanctitied
by the conscious convictions that in
the hour OF trial and peril we were
true to the constitution as it was
framed handed down to lis by Wash
ingtOn and his compatrotS. We are
here also to pay tribute to the noble
band of southern women, the mothers
and daughters OF the Confcderacy.
If we would not have our very chill
drcn In the near future, if not aSham-
ed and apolOgizing for us, then una BILE
to defend us, we must net be idle in
preserving, recording and teaching the
real facts upon which the righteous
ness of our actions must depend.
| II find no fault with the New Eng
land States that from the moment the
Pilgrim fathers touched foot on Plym-
outh Rock they began and have con-
tinued day by day to record their own
| deeds; but 1t cannot be truthfully said
that their writers and statesmen have
| always been as just and faithful in
their Interpretation and treatment Of
| the actions Of Others as they have been
diligent in recording their own deeds,
and afterwards escaping their rcspon-
sibility and logical consequences. II Is
a misfortune to the south that her
Sous, II not Indifferent then carelessly
neglected to preserve for the historian
like records. The true records OF the
south, II itcan be related with historic
accuracy, is rich in patriotism, in In
tellectual force, In civic and military
achievements, In hcroism, in honorable
and SagacIous craftsmanship, OF a
proper share In which no American can
afford TO deprive himself So much
genius III legislation, in admillsta-
tion, In Jurisprudence, in war, such
great capacities, should cXpel partisan
and sectional prejudIces
The south is reproached for dis
union secession. 1t is the basis for
the charge Of treason, of disrupting
the union, of violating The constitu-
tion, OF rebellion, Of making war on
the United States. 1t must not be for
COTTON that there is Il wide difference
between secession and rebellion. The
south made no war on the States re-
naming in the union. Secession
meant disunion SO far as the seeding
States were concerned, but it neither
meant war or rebellion. 1t meant 4
union intack SO far as all the States
were concerned which did not Scccde,
and Il union, too, under the constitu-
Lion AS the States entered the union,
each under acts of ratification of its
own SO secession meant the resumption
by each State Of its delegated powers
by repeating the acts under which each
seeding State entered the compact:
u, = ~ ot- FL Il