Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-07-26


them that to the strictness of the per-
feet officer, who does his whole duty
without fear, favor or affection, you
add the kind amenity of the perfect
gentleman. BY doing this you will win
their love, respect and esteem, and
they will follow you wherever you
my lead, even though it be to a SOL
der's grave.
And now, perhaps l have said
enough, and ought to close; but my
heart Is full. and feel that / should
add few words more: for we have all
entered upon a new career, and are
about to tread upon paths whose ter
mini are veiled in the darkness Of the
future.
If there be any who think that
have brought my gray hairs into this
any purposes Of self-aggrandiZement,
they do me great injustice. If l know
my own heart, I have no ambition,
except to discharge with fidelity the
upon me as a man, as a patriot, as a
neighbor, as a friend. but, above all,
as q Christian. The time has been
when my heart was young, ardent and
enthusiastic, that the flames of ambi-
ton would have leapt high at the
sound Of the spirit stirring drum
or the note of the clarion kindling war.
But that time has long since passed,
These sounds now bring no music to
my ears, but are the harbingers Of
misery and woe-the sad preludes to
the groans Of the wounded and dying,
and the helpless walls and cries OF the
mother, the widow and the orphan. /
have arrived at that time of life when
reason controls ambition, and my
pleasures are concentrated In my agri-
cultural pursuits and around my do
nestle fireside. Would to God that /
could there remain under my own
wine and fig-tree, with none to molest
or make me afraid" until life's setting
sun should gild a home Of happiness
and peace. And this same blessing I
could wish and pray for all of you,
my countrymen. But this blessing Is
now denied to us. A ruthless foe,
urged on by avarice and fanaticism.
has invaded our sofia foe whom
truthful history can only characterize
as thieves and robbers. THE bugle
ha 10 al 1tr
ringing in our ears, and he who can
do his country service and now dallies,
is a bastard or traitor. I have there
fore, entered into this service as most
of you have done, from dire necessity
and from a sense of duty, to drive from
our borders this ruthless band, who
know no law or justice, pity or human
ity, but whose tracks have ever been
marked by robbery, by desolation, and
by blood and burnings. Such a foe as
as this you must meet with the cry Of
victory or death, not only ringing from
your lips, but re-echoed from your
heart of hearts. Our wives and chill
dren must be protected at any and ev-
cry hazard. The sanctity Of our hearth
stones must be violated only over the
dead bodies of their owners. 1t is true
that storm and cloud and darkness are
above us and around us. yet this should
strike no terror to the hearts Of the
brave and true, but excite us to great
er exertions, and nerve our hearts to
higher and holier resolves. Our cause
Is the cause Of justice, truth and hu-
manity; and our God, who is the God
own good time, deliver us from all our
trouble. Brave hearts and strong arms,
these are the instruments which He,
in his providence, will use for our final
redemption. Although the cloud Is
lowering dark above Us, yet a silver
lining" may already be seen to 1t, IL
lumined by the blaze of glory, which
burst forth from Manassas, Leesburg
and Springfield and, in fact, from ev-
cry field upon which our gallant SOL
diers have met the enemy. We may
have to struggle hard and long-pass
through the deep waters and fiery
trials-yet If we are true to ourselves,
our posterity and our God, a brighter
day will dawn upon us. Whatever fate
may be reserved for us, let us meet it
boldly and manfully. If we are to per-
ish, let it be not like cringing slaves.
but like brave men. conscious of the
Justice Of our cause, and leave behind
us names that tyrants and robbers Will
quake to hear" If we are to perish,
let us seek our graves upon the bosom
of our kind old mother. ere her soil be
polluted by the tread of slaves. If we
must die, then let us die with
Freedoms soil beneath our feet,
And freedoms banner waving DER us"