The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-04-17

| INA as his mother; and one whom
South Carolina is and ever will be
pi oud to own as her distinguished
Son-the Honorable Joseph w. Barn
well.".
MIR. Barn~ell emphasized the real
issues Of war, pointing out that it
was not fought by the South in behalf
OF the maintenance of slavery, but for
the preservation of the Constitution,
under which the right of self govern
ment was guaranteed to the States.
He reviewed the conditions i'm the
South and particularly in South Car
olina. referring especially to the
equipment and resources for the
struggle upon which the South en-
tered. which, he said. were unduly
weighed and greatly overestimated by
our people. Both sides were upre-
pared for an unexpectant of the great
war that ensued.
| THE first steps seemed almost like
gay were on the road to Sumter, and
bright were the smiles and loving the
glances that cheered them on. This
was the period of most Of the flag Civ
ing. their silken folds unstained by
the precious hearts blood so freely
to be poured out beneath and upon
them in = few brief months. Many
still believed. however, during this pc,
riod that there would be no war. The
ports were all open. commerce was
still active. and the mails uninter-
ruptedly came and went. No neces-
saries were wanting, no luxuries were
limited. This was the first period of
the war. With the fall of Fort Sum-
ter, change came over the scene,
and war imminent. nay fragrant war.
was upon us. Ii was no parade now
for on the far fields of Virginia away
from State and from home, from kim
dred and fireside. were gathered hos
tile armies for deadly strife, for real
and bloody war. Our women, too.
felt the change. The smiles were
mostly flown, the gaiety was gone. yet
as each regiment mustered for Con-
federate service. Gregg's and Ker-
shaw's. the Hampton Legion, Sloan's,
Jenkins and many others. the very
II - he nI
manhood of the State, and marched
1 out for Virginia. 1T was their dearest
ones who bade them Co."
He showed how quickly the whole
country, North and South, was awak-
ened to the stern realities of the
struggle. and described the burden
and distress that fell upon the South
as the war proceeded. or the part the
women bore in cheering the men and
relieving suffering the orator spoke
with great eloquence and feeling. cit
| ing, too, the records of their work in
the hospitals and i'm the homes. Com
ing to the end OF the war. when the
very pillars of society fell and the
whole people of the South were over
whelmed in the ruins he said:
Few even at the end realized what
was about to happen, the utter over
throw Of the old State governments,
the upturning Of the whole domestic
economy of the State through the lib
Grafton of the slaves, the disfranchise-
ment of the Southern leaders, and the
final enfranchisement Of the newly
liberated. Such a contrast has prob
ably never been seen in the history OF
the modern world. Poverty for rich
es. hardship for ease, dependence for
independence. All this was borne by
our women with resignation and
cheerfulness.
Il call to mind now the picture of e
lady of three score years and ten, who
had been born to fortune. and whose
life, though a busy one as was that of
most Southern matrons, had been
passed I'm the possession of all that
wealth could give. In her faded wild
ow's dress. though the lands inherited
from her forefathers and every acre
Of IL been confiscated, and her home
occupied by strangers. though her
family and friends were reduced to
poverty. she was calmly assisting i'm
the care OF grandchildren in order 10
spare the younger members OF the
family for household work. With a
smile on her face and without n mur-
mur against the ways OF Providence,
her last thought was of her own losses
and of herself. her cares only for the