Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

?l)c COfttcijtit?'?t on) 00tttJ).r^te ??----- ? ~ . ___ .-"^.^ THE SUMTER WATCHMAN, Established AprU, 1850. 'Be Just and Fear not-Let all the ends Thou Ahns t at be thy Country's, Thy God s and Truth's/' THE TRUE SOCTHROX, Established June, ?s&ft _.-:-?-?---.-5-i Cocso?idated Aug. 29 1881. 1 SUMTER, S. 0 . WEDNESDAY. AUGUST. 21 1907_Sew Series-Vol. XXIII. No 4 Published Ereiy Wednesday, -BY OSTEEN PUBLISHING COMPANY. SUMTER, S. C. Terms: $1.50 per annum-in advance. Advertisements: One Souare first insertion......$1.50 Every subsequent insertion.50 Contracts for three months, or longer will be made at reduced rates. All communications which sub? serve private interests will be charged for as advertisements. Obituaries and. tributes of respects Kill be charged for. THE MONUMENT UNVEILED, SOUTH CAROLINA HONORS GEN. SUMTER, THE GREAT PARTI? SAN LEADER. The Grave of the Game Cock of the Revolution at Last Suitably 'Mark? ed by a Handsome Monument of South Carolina Granite-The Cere? monies of the Day-Two Thousand People Attend the Exercises. Fully two thousand people gather? ed at Stateburg Wednesday to wit? ness the unveiling of the monument erected at the grave of Gen. Thomas Sumter by the State of South Caroli? na. The people comprising the great assemblage came principally from Sumter, Lee and Clarendon counties, the territory originally embraced in old Sumter District, which was nam? ed in honor of Gen. Sumter, at the time the district was named its most distinguished and respected citizen. Other sections of the State were, how? ever, well represented, and scattered throughout the crowd were well known citizens o? Kershaw, Darling? ton, Florence and Richland counties, while a number of other counties were represented hy one or more of their citizens. The State of South Carolina was represented by Gov. M. F. Ansel, ?eut~ Gov. T. GM McLeod, Aujutant. and Inspector General J. C. Boyd and Superintendent of Education O. B. Martin, and' the Sumter Monument Commission, composed of the follow? ing gentlemen.. Col. J. J. Dargan, R. L 'Manning, J. W. Babcock, and E. H. Ravenel. The United States was represented by Col. Greenough and staff and 300 soldiers from the garrison at Fort Moultrie and the First Artillery Band. The greater part of those present reached the scene by means of 'pri? vate conveyance-automobiles, car? riages, buggies and wagons-but quite a number traveled to Scale's Siding, Wedgefield or Claremont by rail and were transported thence to the monu? ment by carriages and wagons, which were in waiting at the depots when the trains arrived. Much larger crowds had been expected to come by rail and there' were in readiness at each' of the three depots a sufficient number of vehicles to transport a half dozen times as many as came. Gov. Ansel, Gov. Montague of Vir? ginia. Col. Greenough, Hon. H. A. M. Smith. Congressman Lever, Col. Boyd and other guests who were entertain? ed in the city were taken to Stateburg yesterday morning in automobiles by the entertainment committee of tlje Chamber of Comemrce. reaching the Gen. Sumter Memorial Academy in good time for*the exercises. The detachment of United States troops, the First Artillery Band and the Sum? ter Light Infantry went by rail to Seale's Siding and marched thence to the academy, and it was a long, hard march. The crowd assembled in the large and beautiful grove in front of the academy building and when the pro? cession had been formed it moved to the Sumter family graveyard, a short distance away, where the body of Gen. Sumter had reposed in an un? marked grave for three-quarters of a century, until the State of South Carolina, aroused to a sense of a too long neglected duty, had caused to be erected an enduring and beautiful granite monument. When the military, distinguished visitors and the two thousand specta? tors had assembled around the grave? yard, the simple and impressive cere? mony of unveiling the monument was carried out. The First. Artillery Band played "Columbia;" Rev. H. H. Covington made the invocation; then the monu? ment was unveiled, the cords holding the drapery in place being pulled by Mrs. J. H. Haynsworth and Miss Be? atrice Sumter, the great-great-grand? daughters of Gen. Sumter; the band j played "America;" and the ceremony j was concluded by the Daughters of the Revolution of Sumter Home Chap ter placing garlands on the monu? ment, j The monument, which is made of j 'South Carolina granite, was executed! by the Winnsboro Granite Co., from j designs prepared by Edwards & ! Walter of Columbia, It is simple yet substantial and imposing iii ap? pearance and is an appropriate mark i for the grave of the strong and rug ! ged patriot, Thomas Sumter. The ? monument is inscribed as follows: j East Side: '.He came to South Carolina about I 17C0, and was in the Indian service on tho Frontier for several years before j settling, as a planter, in this vicinity, i Commandant 6th Regiment South Carolina Line. Continental Establish? ment. 1776-177S. Brig. Gen. South ?Carolina Militia, 17S0-1782. Member ! of the Continetal Congress 17S3-1784. Member TJ. S. Congress. 17S9-1793; 1797-1801. ?. S. Senator, 1801 1810." j North Side: "Tanto Nomini Nullum Por Elo : gium." West Side: "This Stone marks the Grave of one of South South Carolina's most Dis ! tinguished Citizens, THOMAS SUMTER,. One of the founders of the Repub? lic. Born in Virginia, August 14th, 1734. Died June 1st. 1832." South Side: "Erected by the General Assembly i of South Carolina, 1907." The procession then reformed and j returned to the academy grounds, '? where the formal exercises of the day i were held. A large and tastefully dec I orated stand had been erected in j front of the academy and upon this the speakers and other distinguished visitors and officials and the descend? ants of Gen. Sumter were assembled. Massed in front of the stand was the great throng of spectators. Col. J. J. Dargan, chairman of the Sumter Monument Commission, call? ed the assembly to order and intro? duced Gov. Ansel as the presiding of? ficer of the occasion. Gov. Ansel made a brief address and presented Hon. R. L Manning, to whom had been assigned tho duty of introducing the first speaker. Hon. A. J. Montague,, -a- -former governor-of Virginia. Gov. Montague delivered Iiis: ad? dress on Gen. Sumter's life and ser? vices to an attentive audience. Following Gov. Montague's' address Maj. Marion Moise introduced Hon. H. A. M. Smith, of Charleston, who delivered a biographical and histori? cal address on Gen. Sumter. This address, which is undoubtedly the most complete and authoritative bi? ography of Gen. Sumter thus far pre? pared, will be published in full In this paper, the first installment being given today. President Roosevelt's Letter. At the conclusion of Mr. Smith's address Gov. Ansel was called upon to read a timely letter received from Presiden^ Theodore Roosevelt, who at all times appreciates a good soldier and a patriot. President Roose wrote as follows: The White House, Washington. Oyster Bay. N. Y., Aug. 3, 1907. My Dear Colonel Dargan: Instead of the telegram, which could be but short. I send you this letter which I j memory. My ancestors served under j you care to, for I take profound in ' terest in the work you are doing. There is nothing in which I believe more than in the advancement of the country school in America; and, of course, like every really good Ameri? can. I must take a peculiar and spe? cial interest in. and feel a particular sympathy for. the unveiling of the monument to Gen. Sumter and the dedication of the school erected to his mmory. My ancestors served under Gen. Marion, who was Gen. Sumter's colleague in the war of the Revolu? tion. It is eminently fit to raise a memorial to the memory of Gen. Sum? ter, and no memorial could be so ap? propriate to one who was not only a soldier but a peculiarly high-mind? ed patriot as this school, the erec? tion of which means so much for all the country around the "High Hills of Santee." I congratulate the' city of Sumter for the generous aid which it has extended, and above all I con? gratulate the people of the immediate community who have done the work for themselves and who ip doing it have so ". helped all the life of the neighborhood. It is a sincere regret to me that I cannot be present to greet them and congratulate them in person. Sincerely yours, (Signed) Theodore Roosevelt. Col. John Dargan, Principal Gen. Sumter Memorial Academy, State burg. S. C. Superintendent Edmunds, of the Sumter schools, read a letter from Congressman Richmond P. Hobson. Thanks were extended tb.? visiting soldiers, and especially those from the garrison on Sullivan's Island, and Col. Greenough for their kind inter? ese and willing co-operation. A delightful luncheon was served after the speaking. ? After dinner there was an educa? tional rally, at which Miss Mary T. Nance, State Superintendent O. B. Martin and Prof. E. H. Dreher, d? the [ Columbia city schools, made address ! e~. As soon as the exercises were over I the crowd dispersed. The soldiers were spared the long march back to Seale's Siding, vehicles being provid? ed for their transportation. When the train bearing the mili : ta ry arrived in this city, en route back to Charleston, Col. Greenough had the band play several selections at the depot and the artillery corps gave an exhibition' drilL on the sta? tion grounds. There was a large crowd present and the music and the exhibition drill were both greatly en? joyed. The exercises of the day were suc . cesfully carried through and were thoroughly enjoyed by all present. The credit for the success of the occa? sion is equally divided between Col. Dargan, the moving spirit in the cel? ebration, and the Stateburg commit? tee, the officers and committees of the Sumter Chamber of Commerce and County Supervisor W. H. Seale. GOV. MONTAGUE'S ADDRESS. Oration Delivered at the Unveiling of the Monument to Gen. Sumter by Hon. A. J. Montague, Former Gov? ernor of Virginia. Upon this interesting occasion it is difficult to shut out of mind a realiz ing sense of that dominant force which so early gave power and iden? tity to an American civilization, and in behalf of which the life we today commemorate spent its austere pa? triotism and military genius. The fifteenth century loosened the quickening power of two mighty events, akin in historic time and pur? pose, the Invention of printing, and the discovery of America; the two , : bringing new ways of thinking and :^ew~w?ys^of living- unto countless, thousands, and bringing a new and structural concept of liberty unto the civilizations of the world. Printing required time to socialize liberty, and a hundred years after Columbus pressed his mailed foot upon the torrid Bahamas might well elapse in preparing the world for the sturdy and progressive tread of Teu? tonic freedom upon the northern half of our hemisphere. So that when the Anglo-Saxon came to Jamestown in 1607'to establish and maintain them? selves and their institutions, they soon found these institutions, and especial? ly those, of them that made most for rational and ethical liberty, illumi? nated as never before by the educa? tive power of printing, and energized as never before the stiumlating en? vironment of* a new world. A new ac? tor, a new stage and a new light had suddenly, as runs the race of civili? zation, burst upon the vision of the people of the world. Liberty finds its concrete genius and strength in local self-government in constitutional sanctions and limita? tions, in the guarranty of equality of individual opportunity, and in the j appreciation and practice of personal and social responsibility. George, the. Third, realized the secret sources of this bouyant and reforming force, and ! quickly begun to lay upon it his op? pressive and heavy hand, only to be met by the tactful, vigorous, and, finally, revolutionary dissent of his American colonies. Injustice nearly always sows tho seed of justice, and tyranny nearly al-1 ways kindles the flame of liberty, j The law of relativity holds in the po I i tea I world, and the pendulum of so? ciety will swing back and forth. SJ the colonists were early conscious of their wrongs, and daring . in expres? sions of enlarged conceptions of their rights. Xathaniel Bacon, a go vi hun? dred years before 1776. was crying into the ears of the royal governor of Virginia some of the identical notes which were to peal forth in the great declaration-that governments *wcre made for . man, and not man for gov? ernments: and that all just gov? ernments . must rest upon the con? sent of the governed. From this time on. the colonists waxed and strength? ened in the care and keeping of these great polities, and grew restive and defiant under the arbitrary exactions of the royal government. South Carolina early and aggress? ively stood for the substitution bf the consent of the governed for the will of an hereditary sovereign. Her voice was potential in calling the first con? tinental congress is opposition to the stamp act. Her assembly quickly ap? proved of the resolves of this con? gress in behalf of the "cause of free? dom and union." and boldly trans? mitted them to England. Her legis lature voted a statue to Pian. thi lofty and inspiring apostle of Englis liberty. She? published the names < her citizens who would not sign th non-importation" agreement. She n mitted 10,500 pounds to the Sociel of London for supporting the bill c rights in the protection of the libert of Great Britain and America. An her Rutledge, her Gadsden and h? Laurens came back with fire upo their lips tc tell that they had hear at Westminster the voices of Burk and Chatham, of Richmond an Rockingham pleading the cause c the* colonies, and declaring that caus right and just. The masses of your people als felt that larger" pulse of liberty, de veloped by the reformatory force which I have all too briefly and im perfectly sketched; and among.? these masses was a strain of blood c the noblest survivors of the Lati race, who came in goodly numbers t your shores after the revocation o the edict of Nantes, and who in sut ; sequent years gave to you so man {distinguished sons, but among ther noue greater than the profound put heist and the learned jurist,. Hug Swinton Legare. But the temper an character of this people in thos stormy days can best be realized by recital of the cold figures of her con tribution to the revolutionary armies Into this army South Carolina gav 31,131 of her sons, outnumberin Xew York' and almost Pennsylvania the former doubling and the latte tripling her military population. South Carolina was, therefore, n uncongenial soil to Thomas ^?mtei who came from Virginia to the Higl Hills of the Sante? about the yea 1765; and it may be truthfully af firmed that your great State has re celyed into its life no nobler spiri than that of this man, who was bon in the county of Hanover, the birtl place of Patrick Henry, and of Henr Clay, and near the homes of Thoma Jefferson, John Taylor and Edmum Pendleton. He early drew his swor< for nis native colony in the Frencl ond Indian wars, and witnessed witl Washington tbe deserved defeat o 'the reckless Braddock,- thus schuol ing himself for the arduous and bril liant, service afterwards rendered hi adopted State. The beginning of the ending of th revolution is embraced within th< four years from 1777 to 1781, fron Saratoga to Yorktown; a period dur ing which active war was transferre< almost entirely from the north to th< south. The early portion of this pe riod was most discouraging. Augus ta and Savannah had fallen. Gen Pr?vost was harrying the county with a warfare of barbarism as onl; a buccaneer of his :ype could wage the disastrous and ignominious de feat of Gates at Camden saw the de struction of our second army withii three months; the Tories were ruth less in their atrocities^and the pa triots retoried with unjustifiable re prisais; the congress was a meddle some debating society, relying upoj words more than swords, hampering Washington, and capriciously bestow ing its rewards; the treason of Arnolc was striking dismay into the country waste and depression and poverty were covering the tend; money wai only paper and worth only paper and all combined to confirm the dec? laration of Walpole that "America ii ai our feet." Yet at this time the struggle was assuming international connections and complications beneficial to Amer? ica. Franklin had consummated a treaty between France and the colo? nies. Frederick the Great had not only opened the port of Dantzic to our cruisers, but had prohibited the Hessian soldiers passing through his dominion, thus summarily cutting off this powerful source of supply to the British army. These conditions to? gether with the marvelous resiliency of the colonies, alarmed England, and j to the amazement and disgust of parliament, Lord North turned a po? litical somersault, bringing in a pro? gramme which if earlier presented and adopted had prevented or ended the wan Commissioners of North's ministry, came to America oti?y to find this mission so belated as to be unavailing, and completed their work by issuing truculent and threatening manifestations, which were no negli? gible* cause of subsequent atrocities Of the British soldiery in South Caro? lina, which so harried the State that Mr. Fiske says, "the fit ground for wonder is that in spite of such ad? verse circumstances, the State of South Carolina should have shown as much elastic strength as she did un? der th** severest military stress which any American State was called upon to withstand during th?' Revolution? ary war." Tn this period of distress Sumter's military achievements came to briner hopo and comfort to the American cause. His victory at Ramseur's mill in May 17SO sounded throughout country. At the Williams plantat, some weeks thereafter he repea his success in the rout i death of Colonel Fergu and Captain Huck with tl large detachments of British and ' rios, thus giving the cheering ii dent of tile first check to the Bril arms in the State. His prestige creased greatly at the battle of Ha: ing Rock a few days thereafter, wi he destroyed the whole regiment the Prince of Wales, and a la band of Tories under Col. Erian. month later we find him victorious Musgrave's Mills on the Enoree. deed, the simultaneous success Sumter and Marion in this despoi ent period heartened the Amerk cause, and drove Cornwallis ag into the field, causing him to wi that he would "be glad to hear tl Sumter is not in a condition to give further trouble; he certainly has b< the greatest plague to this countr and that "but for Sumter and Mari South Carolina would be at peace.' We soon again hear of Sumte brilliant exploit in cutting Cornwal line of communication, and captur: his supply train, which, however, v neutralized by the surprise and def? of Sumter by Tarleton at Fishi .Creek a few days thereafter. Sum made his escape, and went imme ately to York to recruit; and w ready to participate in the memo: ble battle of King's Mountain. Wit in a short time his star was again the ascendant; and the people w< 'quickly thrilled by his capture Maj. Weymiss on Broad road. Tar ton at once undertook to retrie this defeat only to find himself oi generaled, and his whole comma destroyed by Sumter at Black Sto Hill. After the commencement this fight Sumter changed his plan battle, thus exhibiting his milita genius in turning unexpected exige cies t? his advantage. Yet the vi tory was, saddened by the dear pri of a severe wound which he receiv in "the breast, and which disabled hi for some months. Immediately upon the recovery his health he r?s?in?d his work, i T British considered him their woi enemy. ..They burned his home, ai turned his. wife and son out of dooi But these misfortunes only strengt ened his inflexible will and fired I inspiring activity. The battle of t! Cowpens, displaying the brillia strategy and execution of Daniel Mo gan, now came' to give high hope the country; and the battle of Gu ford Court House followed to tu: the tide of the American Revolutio Cornwallis' plan of campaign w now broken. With his Southern am he was to effect a junction wi Clinton in Virginia, thus cru shh between the two British armies tl small 'foi^ce. But Cowpens and Gu: ford Court House rudely shattered scheme which was adopted by Gra and Sherman a century later. Tl battle of Guilford was claimed by tl British, but Charles Fox with dram; tic eloquence, declared that "anoth such victory would destroy the Bri ish army." Thus were Cornwall] troops hurriedly and unwillingly ri moved from the Carolina's, and h surrender in October followin brought to the full conscience c the American people the patience, th sagacity and the strategy of Washing ton in accomplishing one of th world's greatest achievements, wit which Sumter's name and fame am ; glory will ever be indissolubly asso ciated. The termination of hostilities, how ever, did not end Sumter's .public life His courage, his probity, his candor his freedom from vicissitudes o: opinion or purpose, his opulent faitr in the practical efficiency of self-gov? ernment, and his military fame, gave his an immediate and sure place in S the confidence of the people. . In his mission to England in 1762 for the Cherokee Indians he had ex? hibited at an early age an aptitude for public affairs, and his entrance into the continental congress after the Revolution must have been made with a confidence that he was not un? fitted for legislative service. In civil life he still clung to the great principles underlying the Revo? lution; and he believed that definite and practicable results should crown our victorious achievement. He un? questionably realized the fatal futilty of the government under the Articles of Confederation, and he gave his great influence for calling the consti? tutional convention of 17S7. that the spirit and end of the struggle might be m.rtde effective. So it seems quite in the course of things to find him a member of that memorable conven? tion, giving his counsel and influence in behalf of a "more perfect union." and a more responsible and workable 2T> vern ment. Tn the first congress under the new constitution, we again see his' com .T. ' * manding presence. His words wer?* few: his votes were many; and .hi? position upon important questions ia^ stant and decisive. He did not dodg* or make dubious pairs upon roll caO.su He was not inflated by applause or disconcert'-d by hostile majorities. 'Hs - was an ardent "State rights man" when his State was federalist in opin* ? ion and action, and he was, therefore; ! opposed to the leadership of C. CA Pinckney, William Smith and William i R. Harper. He aided Charles Pinck-? j ney. the majority leader, in the meo?' morable national campaign of 1S0Q, ; believing with all his soul. that. th*'. ! defeat of Jefferson would be hardly : less disastrous than civil war. He opposed the bill to pension th? .. widow of the distinguished Gen, Greene. He thought Greene under-? estimated the militia, and that his j conduct of the southern department : of the continental army during and shortly after the war not wholly cred? itable. His stand upon this bill In? dicated the positiveness of his views and the fearlessness of his* charac? ter. v. ? . Eeing an ardent Republican or Democrat, * he consistently opposed the "alien and sedition laws." This extraordinary and vicious legislation conflicted with his dearest political 'A - convictions, and he kept his seat fon .weeks with the hope of defeating the bill. In connection with this legisla* tion it may not be inappropriate to recall an incident which throws no less light upon the temper of th* times than upon Sumter'-s devotion to duty. His colleague in the house, Matthew Lyons, of Vermont, was im?* prisoned and fined one thousand' do*b lars for violation of these famous laws. Sumter cordially helped Je(? ferson in raising the money to pay this fine; and upon the reappearance of Lyons in the house he was brutally insulted upon the floor by Griswold of Connecticut, when Lyons, losing control of himself, spat in Griswold.** face. For this violation of tue deoo? rum of the house a resolution was Of? fered tor the expulsion of Lyon?, Sumter vigorously and successfully co-operated with Galatin, Macon ant* others in defeating this resolution, Upon the appointment of Charle? Pinckney as minister to Spain in 1801 Sumter succeeded him in the senate, serving therein until 1810, though./ the annals of congress do not sho^ that he was in his seat during the last session of his term. We read nothing from him in the way of speeches, In* deed, the senate was not a forum Ot , discussion until about 1816, the ma-; jestic debates of Calhoun, Clay, Web> ster and Hayne were long after to ", stir and illuminate the republic. B\p\ . here Sumter5 was the same direct &fld^ ? intrepid personality as of old. H> wwii-, still an ardent Republican or Demo'-, erat. He still gave vigorous support to Jefferson's policies, sueh as th* twelfth amendment, the Loui^aiia. purchase, and the impeachment of; Justice Chase. In this famous trial 1 Sumter voted for cefi\1?t|0!i '?l&>*^: four of the five specifications, his c?fr league. Gaillard, voting for acquittal upon every charge. The erratic but brilliant John Randolph, of Roanoke, bunglingly managed this impeach? ment, which otherwise might have, resulted in a conviction, for Cha3$ . was grossly unfit for the judicial roti?j and it was perhaps Randolph's con? nection with this trial that made him. once declare that ir he "were allowed to vote, by pr >xy. and on that votQ depended the welfare of the republlo, he (I) would make Thomas Sumter his (my) proxy." In 1806 Sumter is still the staunch partisan of Jefferson, supporting h'$ expedient but righteous "embargo act," which Sumter approved in its entirety, save the clause giving to. the president absolute power during the recess of congress, when h'i .plendid independence came into play in parting company with .hi? personal friends and party associates, Long after Sumter's retirement fe ' from public life, when were heard the first rumblings of the \ steffi which was to break with such <}e? structive force upon our country in I SSO, his early faith broke forth afresh, and the early fire of hie l|t# flamed anew in his support fh?* incomparable Calhoun and hi* f?rca? fight for nullification, Calhoun's acea for settlement withi? the Unfoft of conflicts between the State and th* Nation. May I give you hit: f>wj| words in a letter to his son In 1831 f Words so characteristic of his energflr and directness. "If any one." be writes, "of (H6 present generation has focgQttpjj these wholesome truths let th^j?, fore they attempt to seduce, er terri? fy me, read carefully-the Decl?rate of Independence, <hc Debates OH \fa Ratification of the Federal Co?stitu?|pit itself, and its amendments (witltftftt which it could not have existed fypg years), the Virginia and Kentucky jpgg., (Continued on Page Tt*?>.)