Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 34.djvu/243

 Unveiling of the Statue to Governor William Smith. 235

neighboring rivulets as a tributary or receive them as their sover- eign ? Is it to be a nameless brook and will its tiny waters among millions of other brooks and rills increase the current of some world- famed river? Or is it to be itself a Rhine, a Danube, an Amazon, whose goings forth are to the utmost land, its floods an everlasting- boundary on the globe itself, the bulwark and highway of whole kingdoms and continents?"

As to what a man's life shall be, whether a tiny stream giving the current of its life to others, or a magnificent river, receiving the waters of thousands of smaller rivulets, depends largely upon one's talents and opportunities, but more than all else upon one's efiorts, will and ambition. Governor Smith, possessed of high qualities of mind and splendid talents, aspiring and ambitious, chose to make and did make the stream of his life as it ran with its pure waters to the great eternal ocean, a large and majestic river, known far and wide, fertilizing broad fields, enriching States and carrying on its bosom rich treasure for his country and mankind. It is by the lives and sacrifices of such men that States and nations are made strong and great.

A poet has well expressed it :

"What builds a nation's pillars high And makes it great and strong ? What makes it mighty to defy The foes that round it throng.

"Not gold, but only men can make

A nation great and strong; Men who for truth and honor's sake Hold still and suffer long.

"Brave men, who work while others sleep,

Who dare when others sigh; They build a nation's pillars deep, And lift it to the sky."

At the close of the Governor's words a heavy salute was fired by the military escort, and with a crash of music the ceremonies were brought to a close, and the military, veterans, escort, etc., reformed in column and proceeded to Hollywood to attend the memorial exercises there.