The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-08-30
HISTORICAL SKETCH
90. G., 18TH S. G. "
(Continued from Page 81

was caught by his fathers arms and
lalc on Virginia's soil, and life was
extlnct' thought of him, as he press
ed ohe last kiss on the brow Of this
gallant soldier boy, and, mounting his
dashing horse, rode bravelv forward
IN the fight. 1 admired the great
courage 1t took to, do this. thought
oI MIN, when the smoke Of battle had
cleared away, and arms had been
stacked at Appomattox, and when he
Isturned to his beloved Palmetto
State, to find fortunes wrecked and
everything gone, and when the hand
OF the "Carpetbaggers"' had been
ruthlessly laid upon us, and when tho
days Of reconstruction came on. r
thought of him when he was elected
governor of South Carolina, because
the people trusted him. I thought of
HIM when he was electer governor,
and aliens were wont to cheat South
Carolina out Of his service. He said,
- have been elected Governor of
South Carolina, and by the eternal
god, L intend to be governor of South
Carolina" [ thought of him, when, in
those trying days, his safe and sound
Judgment restored this great state to
quiet and peaceful conditions. T
thought Of him, when elected to the
United States senate, and his manly
bearing he helped, in great measure,
to break down the feeling Of enmity
between the north and the south, and
we were restored to normal cnodi-
lions again. I thought Of him when he
had settled down to private life, and
when he come to die, he said "God
bless my people, both white and
black, I love them ALL thought it
takes a great man to do this, and it
did. And this monument is but a fit
ting tribute to your noble deeds and
worth.
But, old veterans, no man can be a
great general in war, who has not the
men of courage and soldierly bearing
to back him. It was the bravery of
his men that gave him the opportun-
ity to show his strength and worth,
and you are entitled to your just
share of raward and praise.
The north today is glad to shake
hands with us across the bloody chasm
of our past differences, and to say to
us, "We are your friends.' And
why9 They delight to come down to
our balmy and health giving climate.
They see we have risen above the
begging position and in the ranks of
Gods approval, We no longer ask
their help in any way, and they see
the evidence of our prosperity on
every hand. They see our vast re-
sources, both agricultural and COM
mercial. They see our civic and in,
dustrial improvement, our cotton mills
on every hill or in the valley, run by
our magnificent water powers --
and by modern electric shafts. They
see our educational improvements and
are watching our schools and colleges.
They see the south lit up with electric
force, to meet them on all occasions.
We come now to where sectional feel
ings have been obliterated, and our
boys are willing to tramp side by side
in battle, as did Joe Wheeler, Hob
son, and Victor Blue. These Won
derful results are but the active achi-
evements Of your hands and We re-
joice in the fact that we are permit
ted to meet with you and commend
you for it. After the tocsin Of war no
longer sounded and all battle hal
cleared away, you, accompanied by
your faithful wives and children set
about to rcplenish your houses and
your fortunes. You furnished the
brain and the muscle and you were
the impetus to all this progress and
achievement. And this country owes
it to you ana to "our women in the
war;" We think our offspring are to
be congratulated, when we hear you
now exclaim, "We have fought a
good fight, we have mastered the sit
nation and we are all proud to say,
"We will dwell in peace and pros
peity under the one flag of our
country" But we claim the right to
meet together and celebrate the days
of our achievements. Yet ready to
fight under the flag of the Union.