The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-05-15

of the thirteen original states was
slave state. The constitution under
which they lived recognized it, pro-
tectcd it, almost fostered it. The
north did not become sensitive on the
subject until it ascertained that the
slave was unsuited to its climate and
conditions. During all the long years
the supersensitive conscience of
Puritan New England was III a state
of torpor on the slave question until
its climate and conditions made it nee
esary that it should get rid of it's
slaves. The south protested against
slavery long before New England pro-
tested against it, but the north was
not willing that the scuth should
work out lis own race problem by
emancipation. The southern people
were not responsible for the continue
ance of slavery, and ii did not bring
on the war.
The south, he said, might have look
ed upon Lincoln $ election as only Il
casual party defeat had it not come
at the end Of Il long dramatic series
of incidents. The speaker said that
the right Of secession was taught in
the text books of West Point, the
government military school attended
by the southern leaders, up to 1850,
and recognized in the north. The doe
trinc had been preached and acted
upon in the north long before it was
acted upon by the south.
The south only asked for equality
in the Union. She fought for a nobler
object than mere cattle rights in the
black man. She fought for the prin-
ciples that came down to her tinctured
| with the blood Of Revolutionary he
rOes.
Southern statesmen had fought for
a peaceable settlement of the issue.
After the north had defed the decis-
ion OF the supreme court of the Uni
ted States in the Dred Scott case,
trampled under foot the constitution
as league with death and covenant
with hell, needed not the logical and
fervid appeals of southern statesmen
on the floor Of the national congress.
| there was no other course left to q
proud and an honorable people, and
the shot and shell from Charleston
harbor rung up the curtain on the
bloodiest drama of modern times.
Another statement that was false
I hot , J. 1
poor mans fight. The armies of the
Southern Confederacy were made up
from every walk in life, and they fell
with their faces to the foe and their
backs to their homes.
The speaker referred eloquently to
the deeds of the southern soldiers,
who filed the world with the glory Of
their achievements. Monuments had
been erected to them, he said, but
what have we done, what are we going
to do, for the women of the south
who, when the ploughshare of grief
went through their very souls, put
the Bible in the pocket of the hus-
band or father and the sword in his
hand, and like the Spartan mother of
old, bade him go forth and return
with his shield or upon it, During
that struggle they endured all and
prayed on. And when it was over and
all seemed lost, they did not despair.
These glorious women Of the south de-
served from southern men marble
shaft whose white summit would rise
far. toward the skies, living witness
OF their gratitude and their apprccia-
ton of their devotion to the southern
cause.
AS garlands were placed on the
graves Of the dead, he urged that the
people be not unmindful of the liv-
ing soldiers. The thin grey line was
rapidly melting away. He but en-
pressed the thought Of every person
within the sound Of his voice, he said
when he assured them that the cross
cs given them by the Daughters Of the
Confedcracy should ever be regarded
as a badge of the highest honor and
that in the coming years, with each
succeeding spring, the fair women Of
the south, with choicest flowers, would
make annual visitations to the graves
OF those who wore the grey.
The eloquent address received the
close attention of tho Ioron oud;ouco