The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1921-05-12
REV. E. A. MCDOWELL
ADDRESSES VETERANS
MEMORIAL DAY is OBSERVED
HERE. EXERCISES AT THE
COURT HOUSE TUESDAY.

1t has been the custom for num-
ber of years for the Kingstree Chap
ter United Daughters of the Confed-
eracy to give five dollar gold piece
to the High school pupil who writes
the best essay on the subject chosen
by the Chapter. This year the Chap
ter chose as the subject: Jefferson
Davis" This essay was read at the
memorial exercises in the Court
House Tuesday morning, by Rev. Dav-
is, and the prize was awarded to the.
writer, Miss Dollie McFadden for the
best essay. Miss Annie Laura Sim
gleton coming second. The judges for
the essays were Mrs. L. w. Gilland,
Miss Rubie Thorn. Rev. John Davis
After the exercises at the Court
house the veterans marched over to
the Kellahan hotel where the Kings
tree Chapter Of the U. D. C. served
them with a delightful dinner.
Address to the Veterans.
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies' and Gentlemen,
Pupils of the Graded School and
Confederate Veterans:
There was never a more just cause
than that for which the Confederate
soldier fought, and never an army
more worthy of honor than the one
that, 60 years ago, followed Lee and
Jackson.
AS the righteousness of the South
ern cause has sometimes been called
into question, I feel it in my haert
to make my first word to you, one
in its vindication.
It should be quite enough for you,
and all the world to know, that you
fought for principles, not oply as dear
as those for which your fathers in the !,
Revolution fought, but that you fought
for those identical principles for which
they fought!
1t is well-known fact that the
colonies of 1775 and 76 were perfect
ly willing to sustain to the mother
country, the relationship of provinces,
provided they should be conceded the
right and privilege of internal and
domestic government. l declare to
you that this, and this alone, was the
issue between the colonies and Great
Britain. And when this right was
refused, our fathers said: 1--WE shall
fight for it." The eight long years Of
struggle, of sacrifice and bloodshed on
the part of our Revolutionary fathers,
was for this dear priciple. When the
long struggle was over, in which they
were the conquorers, and compact
was entered into by the colonies, that,
were then merged into Sovereign states
for mutual protection against COM
mon enemy and the regulation OF in
ternational commercial relations, there
was nothing more jealously guarded
than the sovereign rights of each state
to govern its internal and domestic
icvil affairs. Even while Washington
was still leading the military forces
of the colonies in that glorius strug-
gle for liberty, and Patrick Henry
was in his prime as statesman, Thos.
Nelson, in a Virginia convention, Of
fered a resolution providing "that the
power of forming government, and the
regulation of the internal concerns
of each colonyn be left to the respec-
tive, colonial legislatures" In words
of burning eloquence this resolution
was seconded by Patrick Henry, and
was UNANIMOUSLY adopted.
The 9th article Of the constitution
of the United States today, provides
that each state shall respectively re-
tain every power, jurisdiction and
right which has not been delega-
ted in the Constitution"
AS to the justness of your cause,
honored veterans, it is enough for you
to know, that the pivot upon which
the great struggle of the sixties turn
ed, was this sacred right and privi-
lege, baptized in the blood of your
fathers.
You have been called rebels. de-
nounce the accusation as utterly false
and slanderous. What in the name Of
Justice and mason, did you rebel
against? Certainly not the Consti-
tuition!
When you quit your homes, and laid
your lives on the altar of your coun-
try, it was in defense of the Consti-
tuition.
You have been charged with firing
upon the United States Flag as it wav-
ed over Fort Sumter. If you did, it
was after you had exhausted every
means to regain by peaceful posses
sion the fort, which, after secession,
was your own, rightful property.