Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-02-24
soUTH oARonInA. rGB. a. 1900.
that State as Governors, or as United
States Senators, or as Presidents.

N''N> = v" "oo oh"p ~ pu8il Uo COutiuuoo
until the walls of our legislative
chambers shall be adorned with the
lineaments of many of the dis
tinguished citizens whose characters
and services have placed our State
In the front rank of the States.
On your left, Mr.. President, we
have the portraits of Governor
Hampton and Gen. Gary, and on your
right we have the portraits of Gen.
Butler and Gen. Gordon. The lives
and services of these men are in-
separately and imperishably associa-
ted with the experience of our State
in the most trying epoch of her
history. Those were times which
tried mems souls, in which deeds of
daring were done which have never
been surpassed by the sons of men
at any time in the history of the
world. In those days there was a
Jasper in every fort from one end of
the coast to the other-there was a
Leonidas upon an hundred fields of
battle; but throughout the existence
OF the struggle there was not a
Benedict Arnold to be found.
In the future, when the youth of
our State shall study the history of
those times, it will be we'll that they
shall be able to look upon, as If in
life, the faces of the men who
shared so conspicuously in the deeds
of heroi.- which were done in those
desperate days. that we
could have more OF chem n.r.
Just behind you, ldr. Fres. I'D.
we have the portrait of Mr.. Calhouu.
The battles in which he engaged
were battles of brain. In the arena
in which he struggled he was a giant.
No man has ever lived whose intel
lect looked with clearer vision
throu gh the pages of our constitu-
ton. 1t would be lamentable, if it
were possible, that the services which
he rendered our State should be per-
mitted to pass from the memory of
our people. No citizen was ever
born upon our soil whose character
and ability, services and achieve
ments shed more brilliant lustre
upon the pages of the history of our
State.
Going further back in the records
of our State, we now have the por-
trait OF man who rendered con-
spicuous and valuable services in the
first epoch of our history. MIR. Mid
dleton signed the Declaration of
Independence. This is the most i'm
portant document that was ever
penned by the hand of man. No
paper was ever written that was fol-
lowed by more momentus conse-
quences. The time forbids that I
should tell of the consequences which
followed the adoption of the Declara-
ton of Independence. But, Mr..
President, it must be of interest TO
us all, and it will be of great interest
to our children, in studying the his
tory of those times to look upon the
faces of those men who then served
us SO we'll.
We should cherish the memory of
tho services and sacrifices of those
great men and patriots; and so pre-
serve 1T as that those who may come
after us may be inspired by their ex-
ample.
Mr.. President, it must be true
that all these distinguished and
honorable gentlemen, who are dis
charging their duty to the best of
their ability as Senators, must have
participated in the sensations which
| have often experienced in our de-
liberations here in looking upon the
faces of those men as we knew them
in life. / have asked myself the
question in endeavoring to discharge
my duty here--so that the interests
of our people should suffer no detri-
menL from our action-what would
Hampton say if he were with us
what would he do2 This inquiry
has served as an inspiration to me
it has aided me in the formation of
my conclusions; it has stimulated
me in the presentation Of my views
for the consideration of my associ-
ates. The faces and forms of these
men standing here within our
presence must operate as an abiding
admonition to us that we shall so
conduct ourselves and so guard IL o
welfare Of our people that no harm,
blush or shame shall come to them.
/ have often asked myself the ques-
tion, and the thought is now upper
most in my mind,
"What would you give for moment of
time,
Men of the days gone by,
Would you chidc us or pity us,
Blush or weep,
Men Of the days gone by ?"
Mr.. President, now move that
the ~Sergeaut-at-Arms be directed to
suspend the portrait of Mr.. Middle.
ton at the right of your desk.