Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-02-05
The Centennial Bill.
Speech of Hon. William 3. Robbins.
of North Carolina.

Southern soldiers heap Goals Of fire on the
heads of such as Morton, Blaine, and others
of the bloody shirt" brigade who were in
visible in war and invincible in peace
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: In North Carolina there
lives an old man who in lS6 / had six sons just
grown up to manhood. AT the first tap OF
the drum the six sons went TO the front 10
6yht for the cause of the South They did not
stop to reason much about it. North Carolina
call d for them and they went. Most OF them
were over here at the first battle of Bull Run,
and from there to Appomattox they followed
that bloody and fiery track Of war all the way
by Chickahominy, fredericksburg, Antietam,
Charlottesville, Chickamauga, Gettysburg,
Wilderness, and Petersburg. There were not
six when they got to AppomattOX-there were
but two. Four were sleeping in their bloody
blankets one at Antietam, another at Chan
celorsville. another on the Chickahominy, and
another in kentucky. Two were at Apo
mattox, battle-scarred, to see the flag 90 down
forever which they had followed with such IN
lalteriug devotion. One Of those two surv-
vors stands here and speaks to you now, and
he says that he has seen enough OF war, and
wants peace lie wants reconciliation he
wants good feeling he wants fraternity every
where in this country. Aud that is the rca-
son, Mr. Chairman, why propose to vote for
this bill. because | think lis tendency is to
produce that peace which we need.
Why have we not bad it? At Appomat-
tox. Nj ChAirlnln. when we were Wal ting to
see whether old " Uuclc II her, was going
to tell Us to Charge or to surrcaler and didnpt
know which | went into little church which
stood cl,se by lul there lay large Bible on
the staaI, aal opcaed it. The words which
ELL Grst on my eyes were these, and they seem-
ell prophetic L., the winter is past the
-,iu is over AMI gone; the flowers appear npnn
The earth The timc Of the singing OF birds Is
come, and the voice Of the turtle is heard in
or land :" thought Mr.. Chairnm, it was
prophet ! welcomed it as tie harhinger of
Yrace Why is it not peace? Why have We
not had peace? The sulders tonight the great
question out with bayoDets AID mu,ketS aud
clnno0 but they have quit fighting. 1t Is
because few restless political agiiators still
want to keep up the fight, and their only wea-
pons are ilw-bones [Great Laughter.] |
have no capacity, Mr. Chairman, 10 participate
in that kind of battle. and am opposed to it
as an unworthy afterpiece to grand drama.
| want peace.
1t is urged, Mr.. Chairman, that we neel 10
save this mouey-ths million and half dol
lars. We DO need economy, but we need also
concord contilenc good understanding in
this country. o. if we had faith enough in
one another, if there was faith IN this county,
in its different sections, aud among all its pc
ple, the money would come forth from the coi
fers where it is now boarded, the hard times
would pass away, and general prosperity
would return. The people who seat me here,
il is true sent me to help economic, but they
sent me here also or else have misunderstood
them, TO promote peace and help bring about
reconciliation and good un Outstanding.
vote for this bill also, Mr.. Chairman, as
North Carouian. North Carolina has large
interest in these glories which arc to be cee-
bratcd on the 4th of July. Let it not be forgot
ten that she first spoke the word of indepen-
dcnce at MecklenJurg Let it not be forgotten
that she she'd the first blood for liberty at Ala
nance Let it not be forgotten that her sons,
the mountain men, with the aid of a few gal
LIANT sons of Virginia and Sluth Carolina, turn
cd the tide of the Revolution toward final VIC
tory at Kings Mountain. And we are COM
ing to the Centennial Mr.. Chairman, though
we are poor; and some Of US will come in
tears, remembering the past. Yet we are
coming. the sons OF the Men OF Kings Noun
tain, aud of Glllrjrl, AMI Of Ahntn'e, b
shake hands with the men of Brandywine,
aud Bunker Hill, aud Monmouth, aud restore
peace in this country.
II has been said, Mr. Chairman. that the sol
dicrs could settle this thing if allowed to do
Well. that will be good time for them to set
tie it. want 10 gothere and shake by the hand
brave men used to meet on the field. | admire
them, | love them, respect. and honor them,
o. sir. with what reverence stand always by
the soldiers grave, whether he wore the gray"
or the " blue because there sleeps man
who dared to die for his principles. LGreat
Applause
think Of these things, Mr.. Chairman.
without bitterness, because You cannot tell m"
that any man died in vain IN that war This
American people Of ours is maucy-lovinc
money getting people, too foud Of merely ma
terial Interests, too sordil antl il needed the
great lesson Of self-sacrhce that 1t is worth
while to die for sentiment and for principle
Our dead heroes have taught us that lesson
Yes. Mr.. Chairman. we are coming from The
Cape Fear aud the Abemarle, from the low
liUN dlA ttlN hlbsltsAliiSs va III N"' AtiN
pipes Of our ScotcLmcn and the Lu- les Of our
mouutaipccrs swelling the blast Of the national
jubilee We want to shake hands with the
gallant soldiers of the North. We hope to see
such greeting Of TIC soldiers aud patriots Of
the North aud the South as will show the
whole Union that the hjOd-tide Of sectional
hatred has eLbcd forever. aud that it remains
no longer to fjat any ireightase Of unholy
and unpatriotic ambition. Aud we want 10
show to the multitude Of visitors from other
nations how iuvinciblc we are when the heroes
Of the blue and the gray stand together in one
common phalanx of aniily and concord
There, my countrymea, let us renew uur vows
OF fervent devotion 10 that common country
which the righteous Arbi;cr Of all things has
decroel shall be forever one aaI undivided ;
aud, turning orr backs upon all bitter memo
ries Of the past, and leaving our gallant fallen
comrldes on both sides torepose 10 trembling
hope on the bosom of their father aud
their God" let us 90 forward with courageous
hearts aod patriotic aspirations in that path !
which duty and destiny have marked out for
us. Much Applause