The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-10-02
Getting Together at Last.

last week, has been received through
out the South with sincere apprecia-
,tion. The News and COURIER, in
commenting on Mr.. Hills tribute
says: It was, as we have said, the
finest uttenance that has been spoken
by any Northern newspaper since the
war. and it has touched deep chord
in the Southern heart. We have
not been surprised at the reception
of the Yankee editors tribute in
the South; everybody down here
would like to think that 1.-The past
Is with the eternal past" that here
is no longer any cause of misunder-
standing, that the time is over for
elimination and recrimination, that
we know each other better and love
one another more. We have been
somewhat disappointed, however
that there has been SO little response
from Northern newspapers and states
men to the heartsome sentiments OF
our New Haven friend. But we are
very much gratified by letter from
MIR. Hill, in which he tells US that
only one of his many readers has
openly resented what he said about
Mr.. Davis. and to his mind this is
{" proof of a most encouraging
change of sentiment in New England,
an indication of tendency to turn
and do justice"
That we are emerging from the
mists Of the unhappy past is proved
BY many striking incidents in recent
years. The soldierly conduct OF
Colonel Turner. of the First Illinois
infantry, in firing a salute over the
graves of the Confederate soldiers
buried in Woodlawp Cemetery. Chica-
90. against the almost violent pro-
tests of some of the irreconcilables,
was really the first gun in the fight
for a better understanding between
the sections, and it has been follow
ed by many advances on both OF the
old sides in recent years. We have
received 8 letter from the Rev.
William P. F. Ferguson, editor Of
The National Prohibitionist, of Chica-
go. In which he says: Il think
the people of the North-ninety-fiVe
per cent of them-heartily agree with
the sentiments expressed in the New
Haven Register" DR.. Ferguson says
further: Il fancy that even the best
informed people of the South very
little understand how nearly univer-
sal is the kindly feeling of the North,
aud how nearly dead and buried Is
the; old hatred for Mr. Jefferson
Davis. -,
Last May DR.. Furguson preached a
very striking sermon on Decoration
Day in Cincinnati: Among other
things he. said in this sermon:
-"It seems to me that the time
has come when we cannot only call
those who remain of the great army
that wore the Grey, brothers., and
they in turn can stretch to us the
brothers hand, but when, as we'll, we
can exercise the broadest spirit OF
brotherhood and kindness and honest
recognition of worth toward all who
fought on either side of that great
struggle.
After saying that he had tuaght
his sons to reverence the name OF
Lincoln and to honor the gerat COM
manders on the Union side of the
war, DR.. Ferguson said that he had
also taught them to admire the great
commanders of the South: Stone
wall" Jackson "as a devotee of truth
as he believed it" and he had told
them the story of 1.-The knightly,
white life of Robert e. Lee" and ask
ed no mans permission to pause
with them beside the restinS-place
of Jefferson Davis and say:
"'Here lies a great American who
was awfully mistaken in his working
out Of one of the fundamental prob
lens of American life, but who was
unfinchingly faithful to what ne be-
liered to be the correct solution.
Here lies as gallant soldier as ever
rode to battle, as kindly a friend as
ever loved a comrade, politician
With hands absolutely clean of even
the suspicion of dirty deal.
DR.. Ferguson says in his letter:
"A year ago at the time Of the North
ern Memorial Day, We ran poem
IN our first page which l adorned
With the pictures of Lincoln and Da-
;is, Grant and Lee, with appropriate
quotations from each. Just two men,
both of them very old men, among
Ill our thousands of readers made
any objections. This year | was9
asked to deliver a Memorial Day
sermon to one Of the large Cincin'
lati churches. | did SO and publish
ID the sermon in The National Pro-
libitiouist. We had protests from
,ne subscriber, he an old Federal
soldier, who fell into the hands of
,uerrillas and underwent rather an
uncomfortable experience, which he