The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-05-20
FAMOUS GEORGIA ORATORS.
Extractc Frc:-.: Speeches Of CO.. Co.
don and Major Black.
l.. L. Knight in Sunny South.

This extract from Gen. John E.
Gordon's great lecture or The Last
DAYS OF the Conicderacy" is charac-
teristic OF the rl"q"c1ce which has
charmed enthusiastic nlul,1udes in
both sections 81 the co;!':;-r. and the
tribute which the S0ldier-stateSnnan
pays to Gen Lee is III every respec,
ao:,hy Q: his ilius;rious cl1ie;;ain:
There stood l.ee--aS a mark Q: re-
spcct 20 Gra:i--ia his bcst uniform.
unbent by misfortune. sustaining by
his example .hc spirits oi his defeated
comrades. ana illustrating in his calm
and lofty bearing ihc ""b!" alag
which he afterwards announced. thai
human virtue should or ;:u,;a: - hr:-
man calamity. ! had seen him before
IN deiea; as we'll as III the hour O.,
triumph with the exultant shouts OF
his victorious legiCnS ringing in his
ears 7 was familiar with the spirit OF
self-abnegs::on with which he had
severed his allegiance to the general
government and resolved like old
John Adams. that. sink or swim. live
or die, survive or perish he would
cast his fortune with those OF his peo-
pie. I had learned from long and in
innate association with him that. uI,-
like Caesar and Alexander and Bona
parte. the goal OF his ambition was
not glory, but duty. and duty alone:
that it was true OF him as Of few men
who have ever lived that distance in
his case did not lend enchantment.
and that the nearer ne was approach
ed the greater and grander he grew.
4nd now, self-poiSed and modest,
bearing on his heart mountain load
OF woe. with the light OF an unclouded
conscience upon his majestic brow .
with an innate dignity and nobility oi
spirit rarely equaled and never eXcejl-
ed. this central figu-e OF the Conied-
NidlS NdlISS i'HN !il ii'tl VI
premeSt trial to the acme OF the NOR
ally sublime
Another paragraph from this same
address voices General Gorden's eio-
quent tribute to the private soldiers
on both sides OF the struggle:
My countrymen, must be par
doned for saying that when l recall
the uncompromising spirit. the un-
bought and poorly paid patriotism OF
those grand men, the American VOL
unteers, who had no hopes OF person
al honors, no stripes on their coats
nor stars on their collars, who wore
the knapsack. trudged in the mud,
leaving imprint of their feet in their
own blood on Virginia's SHOWS; when
| recall those men who stood in the
forefront of the battle, fired the mus
kets, won the victories and made the
generals. I would gladly write their
names in characters OF blazing stars
that could never grow dim. ..
My brother Americans. all the ages
have claimed chivalry and courage:
but l stand here tonight with the fear
of God upon r1c. measuring my every
word. and throw down the challenge
to all history. | challenge the proud
phalanxes OF Cyrus and Alexander.
the Tenth Legion OF Caesar. the Old
Guard OF Napoleon or the heroic
HighlanderS OF Scotland 10 furnish
parallel to the heroism. devotion
and seli-sacrihce exhibited by those
American boys in blue and gray from
1861 to 1865"
When the monument to Senator
Hill was unveiled in Atlanta in 1886
Colonel J. c. c. Black, of Augusta.
Ga, delivered the address of the occa-
sion We select from the speech of
Colonel Black this magnificent, para
graph. which pictures the conditions
which existed in Georgia during the
dark period OF Federal usurpation and
shows how Senator Hill. in this crisis
of the states history. became the man
OF the hour. Turning from an elo-
quent description OF the scenes that
followed tho surrender he said.