The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-09-21

Wv SANASAS 49, VIM
struggle for Southern Rights, wheth-
er living or dead, conferred honor
upon their people, and 1t is but
natural that an appreciative genera
ton should, on occasions like this,
give expression to their feelings after
righteousness and peace have kissed
each other" >.
AN HONoRED ORATOR WHO oBsERv-
ED THE PROPERTIES. u.s.
On this occasion an honored des-
cendant from a family of distinguish
ed defenders of Southern Rights was
properly chosen as your orator. That
orator has sat in the councils of the
State, and, for u time, he adorned the
United States Senate. He could
have no other thought than that of
loyalty to you and to your interests.
He could have no other feeling than
that which would glorify the deserv-
ing of your ranks, and which vas
responsive to your sentiment and in
sympathy with your love for heroic
defenders. The orators ancestors
were, like yours, in the thickest of
of the fight.
For these reasons, if for no other,
you were assured that the orator
would not infict upon you at so in
opportune a time the stereotyped
roll-call that has been repeated
by nearly every speaker who has adj
dressed an Abbeville County audi
ence since the war. We all know by
heart lists Of names of politi-
clans who did nothing to promote
the growth and prosperity of the
country, but who were so effective in
bringing upon the country a trouble
that swept the land like a bosom of
destruction. Mr.. Gary knew that you
not want to hear it when you
were at the graves of your valorods
dead, or when you were bowling
before your country's altar to the
patriotism of her citizens and doing
homage to the valor of her soldiers.
AT the funeral Of our dead, nr
when we are assembled to pay
tribute to the heroism of our
fathers, is no time to eulogize tr0u-
blesome statesmen O to praise little
political disturbers of the peace.
And for this reason, if for no other,
your invited orator very properly
avoided the threadbare story Of
anybody's greatness before the war.
In peace as in war, his has been a
family for achievement and not for
abasement ofthe humble before great
ness.
MEMORIAL DAYS TO vALOR.
No soldier, nor the son of any SOL
dier, would take from any. distin-
guished statesman a single diadem
that may adorn his brow, nor would
the warrior, or his descendants, de-
tract one iota from the glory of the
laurel wreath that may entwine the
brow of any civil or military Off Ger.
Yet the descendants of these soldiers
who fought their country's battles,
would do honor to their fathers and
pay AUST tribute to their comrades
In the armed conflict. Their de-
scendants would assemble in recogni-
ton of the meritorious discharge of
duty by the humble soldier who was
flesh of our flesh, who was our kins-
man, our friend and our neighbor,
living, being and dying on a COM
mon level with ourselves.
However great others may have
been, we would be more or less than
men if we did not honor the valor Of
our own ancestors.
These descendants assemble on
Memorial Days" to honor those Of
their peers who merit and who de-
serve their country's gratitude. The
noble part which they took in the
war reflected honor not only upon
themselves but it gave distinction
to the country. They gave US
reason to keep their names imper-
ishable in warm hearts.
If orators on these occasions
should turn their attention to per.
sonalities, and If they were disposed
to speak of the incidents pertaining
to some of the sublime struggles In
which Due Vests valorous soldiers
participated, they might tell a thrill
Ing story of many noble men,
who bravely suffered and courage
ously died for their country.
THE BATTLE OF GAINES MILL.
To even mention the names and
the dates of the thousand battles that
occurred in a four years. war would
fill q book. For this reason only one
battle is specifically named today.
In other battles the valor of the Con-
federate soldier was no less con-
spicuous than at Gaines Mill.
Gaines Mill, as you all may know,
was the second days battle Of
the famous Seven Days Battle
Around Richmond.
Every man from the humblest SOL
dier in the ranks to the commander
of the army knew that a battle was
imminent.
Any proposed movement of
an army is one of the things
if never told in words-that
cannot be kept secret from the SOL
diers. Either from brain waves