The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-03-06
Tie Soutl. aad tie Unio ?.

Pending the consideration of the Mil
itary Academy appropriation bill, in the
National House Of Representatives, ON
the 18th of February, Hon. j. r. Chal-
mers, of Mississippi, said
Mr. Chalmers. Mr.. Chairman, | did not
desire 10 take any part in this discussion,
but ] cannot sit by, sir, and listen without
raising my voice in denial OF the charges
which have been made, that the men o: the
Souih are opposed TO the army and 70 this
institution at West Point. For one, sir,
shall cast my vote TO encourage as far as
possible the education of our young men at
that Institution; but l regret that gentle
ID IN viii nor permit H. even 70 make com
neuts npon the eNtrava gance of the army.
or the extravaganza at that West Point in
stItutj0u, unless are 10 be denounced
because we come from the Southern Sta,es.
| bad hoped. sir, the war was over. / be-
lieved his was day of reconciliation. |
AN gia.i To believe that with some at least
it Is, aud that this Government now can at
TODD 10 do Justice 10 IFS sons on both sides,
with the proud consciousness OF it, cStab-
Iished supremacy. and in the firm conviction
that the fierce heats OF battle and the heavy
blows OF c9nrendiug armies have welded
more closely together the golden LINKS aEd
the iron bands which bind Us To each other
We OF the Confederate side came back Ia
this Union bearing in ouT hearts 10 malice
!
toward the gallant gentlemen who met us
in manly conflict. l see mere, sir, by my
side, | see before me, behind me. all round
me upon this floor gallant men who faced
death Tor the cause they believed to be
right, aud who in defense OF the Union, in
the periious front OF battle, won that i'm
Derishable honor which ever fingers in the
hearts OF grateful p .ople around the name
o: the soldier who did his duty in tha hour
at danger. With them We have no quarrel.
We IN Them here gentleman and
friends We acknowledge their courage
and endurance. for they conquered US. We
acknowledge the justice OF That rule which
crowns the victor with the laurel-leaf of
fame. We are not jealous that they are
called the saviours of the Union while we
are clasSed unsuccessful rebels. We do
not complain ither, gentlemen, that yoGr
Federal dead sleep IN national cemeteries,
OrHamented and beautitied by all that art can
give and wealth bestDw; thai their graves
are marked with ''SGoried brass and mOnu-
mental marble" while our bretheren sleep
on the lonely hillside and in the distant
valleys where they l,with naught to mark
their resting place, or else have been gath
cred together in poverty sire ken burial
grounds, whose plank 1euce>and rude head
boards stan in miserable contrast beside
the magnificent mausoleums of your Fed
eTal dead.
(iIere the hammer fsll)
Mr.. Durh I'm Obtained the floor.
MIR. b nuiug. | suggest that the gentle
man from Kentucky yield his time to the
gentleman from Mississippi.
NJ. Calkins. L ask unanimous consent
that the time of the gentleman from Missis-
sippi be extended Indefinitely.
Mr.. Durham. l yield my time to the
gentleman from Mississippi.
Mr. Chalmers. [ say then, Mr. Chair
man, that We have no such feelings as have
been ascribed to Us on this floor. We have
adopted in good faith the amendments TO
the Constitution. We have submitted to
the painful eXperim ent of reconstruction,
more painful imam the experiment of the
unskilltul surg on who sets and then breaks
that he may set again some fractured limb
Wehave bowed 10 everything this Govern
ment has put upon us and we are willing to
forgive and forget, We IN forget the DE-
struction of our Institutions. We can for
get the deSulating march of armies which
left blightng TRACK through our ever
beautifuland marked by monumental chin
neys whose blackened sides alone remain TO
point the Confederate ,Idier spot
where once his mansion stood.
We come here oW asking for peace and
to be treated as part of this Government
and | for one. as | have said before, shall
vote most cheerfulIy and cordially for your
West Point blll.
| stand here as a Mississippian, a a South
ern man. as one who tried his best to meet
you on the battlefield. | never turned my
back on yoI then and l 10 not propose now
TO turn my back upon You in debate. And
l say you are doing injustice to our South
people when you charge us Tith enter
tanning such malicious feelings here to-day.
The gentleman from Michigan talked
about the thirty-sixth section Of the school
lands given by This Government for educa-
tional purposes. l ask him whence came
that land? 1t came from the good old
m other of States and Statesman. Virginia
gave an empire in lands to this Government,
and this magnificent domain on which the
gentleman himself lives forms a portion OF
this gift; and because they have given back
one section out of thirty-six they stand
here to denounce US of the South and hurl
that i'm our faces as if we were Tecreant to
all sense OF honor in reference to this Gov
eminent. | say SO far as the amendment
before the House X concerned it seems to
me to be a wise one. | shall vote for that
amendment, but at the same time desire
to repel the insinuatiOns that have been
hurled at my section of the country. ZAP
plause)