Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1883-12-13
THE SOLDIERS ROLL.
Presentation Of a Watch to Mr.. Brown
low by the Battle-scarred Heroes
on his Retirement from Office.

SPEECH OF CAPT. RYAN AND REPLY
OF Mr.. BRoWNL oW.
Hon. W. p. Brown,ow's term as
Doorkeeper of the House Of Repre-
sentatives at Washington expirei
last week on the election of his
successor, Mr.. Wintersmith Of Tex
as. .sob es-
At parting, to attest their res
spect for HIM as their immediate
friend, and a true friend Of the old
soldiers regardless Of politics the
fourteen disabled soldiers in his de-
partment composing the Soldiers
Roll, presented him with a beauti-
full gold watch and chain, appro-
priately engraved.
Capt. Ryan, for the Roll, said, in
presenting the watch:
Col. BRowNLow:-We, the dis
abled soldiers borne on the
soldiers roll,' House of Represen-
tatiy es, feel that we would be in
sensible to gratitude and wanting
in self,respect were we to permit
you to separate from us on this
occasion without giving express
ion to our feelings. There are
times and occasions when words
fail to convey the inward emotions
of the heart, and we feel that this
ia one of those occasions, because
YOU have endeared yourself to us
by acts-not words. When you
assumed the important respon-
sibilies of the Office of DOorkeeper
of the House of Representatives,
we were comparatively strangers
many of US meeting you for the
first time, and hence a feeling OF
uncertainty in regard to retaining
our position on the soldiers roll
at once entered into our minds
by reason of this fact. But we
were not long in doubt; our minds
were speedily disabused of these
thoughts, and hope soon took the
place of fear by reallzatlan OF
the fact that III you we had a true
and warm friend, and, as time ad-
vanced, this friendship rlpened
into love that cannot be i'm.
paired or effected by our sepera-
tion on this occasion, but more
firmly cemented down deep in the
inmost recesses of our hearts.
You have proven yourself to be
a firm and consistent friend of the
union soldier-especially the dis
abled soldiers, regardless OF pol>
itics. You, sir, were prompt in
the justice and hu-
of placing upon an equality
those who had fought side by side
for the same cause and the same
flag -and suffered the privatiens
of the march, the battlefield, the
table, the hospital
and prison pen, standing by one
another like brothers of one fans
permitting politics to
disturb their patriotism, nor to
disturb their companiOnship.
There was no hesitation on your
part as to the proper course to
pursue. You at once announced
that politics should not, nor would
not, as long as you were permitted
to officiate as Doorkeeper OF the
House, operate as an instrument
to deprive any man of the means
whereby he was enabled to sup
port his family after being de-
prived of his usefulness for life IN
the defense of his country, and
thereby subject to hardship and
by reason of his in
ability to compete with ables
bodied men in the struggle for a
living.
We, know sir, that it was one of
your first acts upon entering the
Doorkeeper's Office to enquire into
the status of the soldiers roll, with
o view to the re-establishment Of
the same as the law contemplated,
namely, a disabled union soldiers
roll, This you accomplished by
retaining those borne on the roll
minus leg or an arm or both,
and by removing every able
bodied man borne on said roll,
and appointing honorably dis>
charged union soldiers, minus a
leg or an arm in their place until
the roll was complete and in accor-
dance with law, to-wit, fourteen
disabled union soldiers. This, sir,
you did regardless Of politics, the
only qualification required by you
being that he was an hOnorably
discharged and disabled union
soldier. We know that you took
a great pride in your soldiers
roll, and endeavored to place it
upon a firm and permanent basis,
and in this respect you have es-
tablished q precedent which we
confidently hope will be strictly
adhered to by future Doorkeepers
and congresses, regardless OF their
political status.
We desire to say, In conclusion,
that you have always treated us
with marked kindness, courtesy,
and consideration, democrat and
republican alike; you honored us
on account of our records instead
of our politics, remembering our
sacrifices and forgetful of our pos
Iitical sentiments or opinions. To
disappointed partizans you turned
a deaf ear and those who were de-
sirous to make an invldl0us dlss
tinction between those whom the
misfortune of war deprived of.
their usefulness for life, battling
for the same cause, received no
encouragement from you. You,
sir.I .iwere our friend. You not
only placed the soldiers roll ,on1a
firm 5asis. but you established a
bond of friendship and loyal feel.
ings between the membership OF
the soldiers roll and yourself that
will be ever cherished by them
individually as we'll as collectively,
through all the walks of life, and
which will not be cancelled or ef-
feeted by our separation on this
occasion. That bond is registered
in the beautiful book OF mem-
ory-every leaf of which bears
record of cherished incidents OF
the past, which. can never be OBJ
liberated by the hand of time.