Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-07-22
GEN. BONHANrS SPEECH.
Continued from Page A.

lclHllutioh, Win lnuOmltaDle ener-
gy, forgetting nothing OF the past,
but looking hopefully to the future,
they set about the rehabilitation of
their stricken land. How well they
have accomplished that herculean
task grateful posterity and smil-
ing land attest. Standing here to-
day at the foot of these everlasting
hills, the foot-stool OF the Living
God, and gazing out over the fair
domain OF our own beloved State,
our eyes are gladdened " tth the
sight of fields smiling in the beauty
Of the harvest. Afar on the horizon
lpses the smoke from many facto-
EHg, whore the hum Of the spindle
N8Ahkes music to the tune Of prosper
ity, and where thousands find en-
ployment at a living wage. Upon
4 thousand hills the cattle Craze, and
the sun shines upon the nocks in the
valleys. The land is dotted with
comfortable homes where the people
dwell, each meath his own vine and
fig tree, in the security of the law
and established social order. Schools
and colleges offer abundant facili-
ties to the seeker after knowledge,
ana the school teacher is abroad in
the land. Tall spires point heaven
ward from houses devoted to the
service Of God. Peace, plenty and
prosperity abound in the land, where
dwells a happy and contented people
whose God is the Lord" Denying
nothing to the active energies, the
skilled hands, the trained intelli-
gences Of the men Of to-day who con-
tribute so much in tho guidance, di-
rection and creation Of this marvel
Gus growth and development in
hi in1,
laborer in the fields Of cndeavor
,&hich invoke the best talent of the
&'%ves Of men OF this era yet ven
ture to assert that it was the pru-
dence, the wisdom, the grim cour-
age, and determination OF the men
who came back from the war and
lived through that period Of chaos
which followed. which made possible
the conditions which prevail in the
land to-day. To them is due the
praise, "lIc that governeth himself
is greater than he that taketh
city,
Following the tragedy at Appo-
mattoX there is another picture |
would paint for YOU. The Capital
CITY OF a great and triumphant ma
ton is ablaze with glory and wild
with enthusiasm. From every house
Of thousands. mad with the lclirium
of victory, parade the streets. From
coignS OF vantage the great and the
hiSh gaze eagerly upon the throngs
Here arc assembled the rulers Of the
land, and the accredited representa-
tiNeS OF other governments in the
richness Of official robes lend dignity
10 the scene. TO the strans Of mar
tial music. to the sound OF booming
cannon, the blarc Of trumphcts. and
the hoarsc commands Of officers, a
mighty army with banners flying,
sweeps along the thorOughfare. while
the voices OF grateful nation ac-
claim their Victories and cover them
with glory. How the pictures dif-
fer: But the difference shows
greater yet. These victorious troops
are mustered ont to return to homes
wheiH comfort and ease and the open
door Of accustomed avocationS await
- .''ih. These homes had known no
touch Of want: no hand Of the dc.'-
poiler had come near them. And
the land was rich and grateful
They were gladly given all that their
utmost desire could imagine. A
grateful country shOwcrcd benefits,
hoUnticS and pensions upon them,
ana to-day, forty-iivc years aft," the
war has ended, there are on the
pension rolls Of this government
more Federal soldiers than there
were men in all Of the armies Of the
Confederate States.
When The last analysis is made in
the cruciDlc Of the impartial court
10 the Judgment of the future, which
~Nt these think you will stand first?
Would you exchange your inherit
ancc OF 4 share in the fame Of the
Confederate soldier in war and in
peace, for all the wealth, the hOnOrS
and pensions Of his crstwhilc foe?
We are yet too near the time OF the
war to write absolutely impartial
history, but when it shall be written
wo may safely trust that justice
Will be done the motives which
prompted the Southern mon to take
up arms, and the manner in which
they bore themselves i'm war and
dcfGa.t.
,... IT Is to me one OF the unSOlvablc
riddles OF human nature that there
MlAA those among us who advocate
VSSaA we should lay aside ;Ic memo
rlCs' OF that period ana forget its
awful aftermath OF reconstruction;
that we should put aside the rccol-
lcCtiOns Of our losses, accept condi-
tiGn3 as they are and press forward
to the race which lies before us
along the way OF material progress.
! fear that this sentiment Is far too
general: that in "thc struggle for
power and the scramble for pclf' we
are APT TO become so absorbed that
We shall neglect the cultivation Of
those finer qualities which have,
heretofore. been DISTINGUISHING
oh ~ nj st iru Of hn