The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-01-11
JAMES THOMAS BACON.
Extract from Introductory Of
Bacon Book Soon to be
Published.
By James Henry Rice, Jr.

by JameS henry h1ce, I'll.
Praise lavished on the departed
comes from praiseworthy desire to
speak well Of the dead. When the
debt of nature has been paid some
thing noble rises to the surface in
the heart Of the living and lips
nttcr the impulse Of the moment
Asked if he would keep up his fight
or Mr.. Calhoun now that he was
dead, Thomas II. Benton said: "No
sir, when God Almighty lays His
hands on a man I take mine OH. )"
These things may explain part OF
the chorus Of praise and eulogium
heaped ON the bier Of James I. Ba-
con, but they will explain only a
part Of it. The rest was merlted
tribute, paid by the most distinguish
ed men of his day and time. Most
of it came from younger men, tor
the reason that the Palaoins OF
South Carolina, among whom he
lived, moved and had his being had
almost all been hurried off the stage
by the grim apparitor, Death, before
his time came.
Hampton, whose confidence and
affection he shared, was gathered to
his fathers seven years before; But
Ter had but recently died ere his
friends realized the grave nature OF
his illness; and the distinguished
Judge, Joshua H. Hudson had finish
ed his course, as soon did DR.. James
Fl. Carlisle, one of the noblest South
Carolinians Of The past half cen@ary.
One by one The Paladins, ''the
booted and spurred chivalry Of
South Carolina,'' born in the pur-
pie of gentility, had passed to rest.
That Col. James T. Bacon hnger-
ed among the last was characters
tic of the man and was his due. The
great play was over, which began
with Notification, passed through
the throes of Secession and Recon
struetion and ended with the cata-
elysm of 1890. In those days men
apoke and action followed. The
Rery harangue Of the orator might
have been subject for badinage, but
that from it flowed bloodshed. ~-
Quantum Mutatus alb lilo.
After that events followed and
history was . made but something
lad taken fight. The shechln1n no
more hoveRed around the altar. Many
felt that the glory had departed
from Israel. The old code Of honor
which forbade man to hold up his
head among gentlemen who spake
aught but truth held force no long
sr. There were, and are still earnest
men and women who believe the
State has lost something it will never
regain, and, considering this true,
they deem no amount Of material
prosperity an equivalent.
Bacon realized-he could not but
realize-that the loss was grlevous,
and as between matters Of principle
ard matters of interest he never
even stopped to consider. Principle
was his guiding star. Stung to the
quick at the wreck of what he cher
:shed, he nevertheless went his way,
not despairing that somehow, some
where, in Gods good time, he would
see light break on the stormy waters:
He was a hopeful Christian, and
Christians surely should be hopeful
st all times Of the final triumph OF
right. Deep down in his nature this
note sounded.
So he shouldered his burden and
Jared on, speaking the kind word
here, touching the wounded spirit
with healing fingers there, and at all
times teaching, in the most beauti-
full fashion, by precept and exam
pie, that life has its uses and that
10 every man there is a goal, worth
his striving to reach. He preached
it in language the common people
could understand and he lifted them,
eften when thew knew it not, to
sublimer heights of life and
thought. Young, old, middle1aged,
deserving and undeserving, he had a
kindly word for all. that he might
sneed them on the journey and
tighten the task laid upon them.
Born in Edgefeld December 9TH,
1880. he died in the same house in
which he was born September 9th,
1909.