Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-25


! Nr. Spsaksr ard 0csflsasea Of ne Ssaats:
The hin under consideration is one that should
! elsiu The osrncst attention, warm sympsthy ana
+ boartv ,upport Of every Senator on the heor. The
caIms on tbe Tennessee soldier have never been re-
corpiged by HE nasve State. No monument hsh
aver beer erected BY bis State ia honor OF our brave
dead No hand has hardly opened on the psge OF
oar public Rcts an approval Of their heroic deeds,
and il consequence our living and dead haTa alike
f,iled TO receive their merted homage. viii ven
ture srs the assertion that while We as legisla-
i've body and our predecessors who assembled st
tho close Of the war, have shamefuely neglected TO
honor the soldiers Of Tennessee never IN the annals
Of history have men proved their fidelity and pur-
y Of purpose IN the defence Of liberty and the gev
eminent as have the citizen-soldiers Of Tennessee
Some rushed az wars first call and enrolled their
names In defence Of the government Of their fathers.
Others remained around the hallowed precincts OF
home kindred family and those powerful interests
that bind the human heart TO its dearest earthly
ties. But whom treason aud Southern tyranny be-
came too gTievous 20 be borne, they, too left and
fed across mountains often covered with snow and
ice through the cold of winter the burning suns
u summer and enlisted soldiers to bear aoft that
old FAC Of their nationality once moro % victory
Srt they lof their homes and their Inducements 30
a merciess enemy, and bid, as many Of them did,
last and Anal farewell to the associations and en-
dearments of childhood and the old homestead, and,
with a heroism unexampled ia history, fought and
give them home and government, or grave.
And, sirE, when clothed in the uniform Of their
country they Disseminated against by the Of
lcsrf Of the United States army and while other
states and the soldiers Of other States had 50 bsi-
aEed reporters along With the army 20 herald their
dosds Of valor over Shc country, who sometimes ap-
propratsd the laurcs that should rightly have been
given 10 Tennessee soldiers, allowing them TO aink
70 hs sarth in the front Of the onfes Of battle uE
hOnored and unsung. Sir, the times in which We
live demand that We should DO something Of real
character for our soldiers and, believing that the
oyal people cf this State would endorse such action
on the part Of the General Assembly, I had the
honor 10 introduce this BILL and hevo 20 the best
gl my ability, advocated its passage.
Tho bill 81 II now Appears and as II wGs origi-
nally introduced, pFopos0d 20 give the citEene Of
Tunascsso VINO enrolled In 8 Tennessee regiment In
the naii9aal army bsaaly irou1 The State for ssch
sefVic0 10 proportion 10 The time they served The
tfft section proposos 70 RiVA 70 the soldier who
ssTved more thaa two years bounty OF Sl0o, pro-
yIded he wss honorsbly discharged the service.-
Tho second lection gives TO al such soldiers as we're
houorhbly discharged after more than one years
service tho sum Of S66662. These are IN BRIEF the
important features Of the BILL the other section being
onlY directory as 20 the manner OF settling the
claims for tho bounties provided for by this act.
The iustness, tho equity Of the bin, apprehend
L 4 unnecessary 70 argue at length The govern
meat OF the United States has greutedi from Tune
% time bountes % It's soldiers from the beginning
Of the rebellion. In hardly any OF these esses have
our soldiers shared. The Tennessee soldier has not
received his fun need Of honor and reward for bis
gallant services rendered in the war The soldiers
of every State in the North have been rewarded by
the States 10 whose credit they placed or the
citizens Of those States have contributed liberal
bouuties-both, in some instances. Have our brave
kld gallant soldiers been rewarded at home FOR
thoir services and suffering in this great war No,
Mr. Speaker, not one dollar has been voted them
bv the State Thsir wounds have not been bound
NM Ahpir fht.rnod houDoa have oA hapn restored;
and the cherries fields thrown out by wars desols-
ting track is all that they have left them. And
shAl this continue &c be sol Shall we be so IN
grateful as 70 say 10 the patriots Of our State who
defended our liberties, that the State OF Tennessee
is too poor and her Senators and Representatives
in this General Assembly are so indifferent to their
claims that an act so Just this cannot be passed
such, cir, viii be the feeling Of soldiers II ibis
bill falls aud such viii prove the ingrRtitude Of
state well o. individual treachery % the soldier.
Mr Speaker, let as remove al doubts from the
minds Of those who are deserving this bounty, and
place our soldiers on the same footing with the not
more gallant and brave Of Other States. Let Us Say
70 them that the State Of Tennessee viii not allow
herself 20 be behind any other State in the Ameri-
can Union, however rich and proud, In her graft.
tude 10 her soldiers, in the compensation for then
services IN her behalf integral part of our glo
ricus Union. From the hearths snd homes, where
the angels Of peace and plenty stood guard from
day 10 day. the soldiers Of Ohio New York and
Michigan, and the whole GALAXY Of Northern States
vent forth 10 battle in the great Of Freedom
The demon Of want with those at home never haunt
"a their minds They looked not back as they wen
forth from their homes, 70 SEQ the smoke OF burn
ing houses OF 10 hear the death shriek q mother
wife, sister or child Peace rigned supreme wher'
they left their dear ones and the sound Of battle
With its incidents and horrors never reached thei
homes and thoy knew that when peace returned
tspaTod in the battle they could return 10 thei
dear one,i and live more happily With duty nobl,
done
Not So Vitb lhe soldier who went forth from Ten
uesseo % DO equally gallant service in the cause
. common country. A kiss upon each dear lip, an,
a prayer in his heart ascending to the God Of hi
country Tor protection and blessings for the moth
cr wife and babies left 10 the midst Of war intsr
necne and bloody in It's nature, and enrolled thei
names upon the rolls Of a regiment forming In
distant State 70 defend tho nadons life. How al
iorsnt then we're the surroundings Of Tennessee
sodier1 and those Of the Ncrth and West Whs
lew did return after weary months OF long year
N many instances looked upon the oharred ruin
q their enoe happy homes, or dropped the tear {
grief over the grave Of a wife child or mothe
driven nom theiE homes 70 seek the charity Of me-
ciless foes that surrounded them, ard who pershe
tcr tho lack Of hat protection thkt was then pc
hAps sealing anew with their blood the hbertit
that We to-day enjoy.
Sir, Tennessee through her representatives hs
noble work % perform. And this provides fc
The solder hi6 sacrifice, hi devotion 20 bis couI
try, his gallAntry IN action, and The historian,
hat have fallen upon the widows aad the orphar
of soldiers Of this State who fell IN battle OF die
IN The camp. Principles are involved in this bil
tiz, which should be held sacred by every lover
freedom. We will show, By It's passage the Sta
has not forgotten her living sons, nor those vi
we're swept OF By the storm Of battle, IN bearing
victory the Gag under which Washington and
jackson ioaght and OF showing to those who cor
after us that in our day, loyalty 70 The Amerie
government was respected and rewarded.
Gentlemen Of the Senate the bill Is before y
upon is dnsl passage II has been before you
sufficient length Of time 70 give Il due considerable
l only hsk Justce-nOthing more for tie soldier.
And / hope and believe il viii receive the unAl
nous support Of this body. To Tie soldier We o
our very existence Sc q State and The proud reco
Tor loyalty that Tennessee bas.
Then gentlemen in conclusion le. me invoke y
70 come up nobly 70 your duiy snd pass this bill.
hno~ that as State, We are poor; but let as
justice though the heavens fall