man to work out his own destiny according to his ability, and according to his virtue, and according to his manhood. [Applause.] I assure you that we who took part in that war were kindly men.  We did not wish to kill.  We did not wish to strike a blow.  I know that I grieved as much as any man when I saw pain and sorrow and affliction among the innocent and distressed, and when I saw burning and desolation.  But these were incidents of war, and were forced upon us—­forced upon us by men influenced by a bad ambition; not by the men who owned those slaves, but by politicians who used that as a pretext, and forced you and your fathers and me and others who sit near me, to take up arms and settle the controversy once and forever. [Cries of “good,” and loud applause.]

Now, my friends of New England, we all know what your ancestors are recorded to have been; mine were of the same stock.  Both my parents were from Norwalk, Connecticut.  I think and feel like you.  I, too, was taught the alphabet with blows, and all the knowledge I possessed before I went to West Point was spanked into me by the ferule of those old schoolmasters. [Laughter.] I learned my lesson well, and I hope that you, sons of New England, will ever stand by your country and its flag, glory in the achievements of your ancestors, and forever—­and to a day beyond forever, if necessary, giving you time to make the journey to your last resting-place—­honor your blood, honor your Forefathers, honor yourselves, and treasure the memories of those who have gone before you. [Enthusiastic applause.]

BALLARD SMITH

THE PRESS OF THE SOUTH

[Speech of Ballard Smith at the annual banquet given by the Southern Society of New York, February 22, 1888.  John C. Calhoun, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Society, presided.  Mr. Smith spoke to the toast, “The Press of the South.”]

MR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN:—­The newspaper has always been a potent factor in the South—­for many years almost exclusively political, but since the war occupying its more proper sphere and assisting more largely in the material development of the country.  I think every Southern man will agree with me that the change of procession has been to the very great advantage of our section.  The columns of the ante-bellum newspaper were too often the opportunity for the indulgence of excited passions, political and social, and I doubt if our people could not have better spared the newspaper altogether than to have permitted the license of accusation, political incitement, and personal rancor which characterized so largely the journals of thirty years ago. [Applause.] But they were virile hands which held editorial pens in those days and the faults were doubtless faults of the period rather than of the men themselves.  It was a splendid galaxy—­that company which included George D. Prentiss, Rhett, Forsythe, Hughes, Henry D. Wise, John Mitchell, and Thomas Ritchie.