The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-07-16
BILL ARlP,s LETTER.
He Has Something to Say About the Clio.
rious Fourth.
Atlanta Consultation.


The Fourth of July-everybody is
dead who made it-most all their chill
dren are dead. I don't believe know
living son of Revolutionary sire. We
used to think good deal of the national
birthday. We always had celebration.
Sometimes we had barbecue and some
big speeches, but if we didn't do anything.
more we had q gathering at the court
house and had one man toread. the dec.
laration of Independence, and another
to be the orator of the day and make 9
patriotic speech and say Washington 200
times and Jefferson 100 times and this
"glorious Union" so times and the great
bird of liberty "ad libitum" and wind-up
with tribute to woman. l read the
declaration once and George Lester made
the speech, and he made good one.
He always could do that, especially when
the ladies were about. he dwelt on the
heroines of the revolution and proved
conclusively that if it hadn't been for
! woman our boys couldn't have fought
| much. and the British would have licked
US. crooked in the cradle of liberty -
said he several times, for his mind seem
ed to run on cradles.
Well, am glad that the notable day
has at last come back to us, and our
people begin to feel like it was theirs.
The fact is, that it is our day more than
anybody's day. We are the rebels. The
only difference between US and our revo.
lutionary sires is that we got whipped
and they dtdent. The principles we're
all the same. They seeded and said
st'let us Alone" and that is all ne done.
But it is all working out very well now,
End so think We can afford to celebrate
the day, for the dsy means rebellion
against tyranny and taxes. The South
has been down for 20 years, the bottom
in the fight, but she has at last turned
and got on top, and she will be apt to
keep there reckon. Ijust wantto brag
q little to keep Murat Halstead mad and
few more like him. Ilove to see them !.
squirm and hear them growl. We will
divide the 4th of, July with them, and
the bell of Independence, and will shake
hands and be friends if they want to, but
if they don't want to we don't care.
/ I see you Atlanta folks have got up
big battle monument association, and got
Joe Johnston and Sherman all mixedlup
in the concern. I dident know that
Sherman had ever repented yet. He
hadent when last heard from. What is
that monument TO commemorate 2 Isit
to be great national Union monument
to commemorate the valor and patriotism
of dead soldiers of both armies !? If SO,
then that is all right, provided everything
is on an equality. Everything I say.
If their manned soldiers and soldiers
widows are pensioned, then ours must.be
too. We want no plunkeying around.
If our eripples and widows have got to
sleep out in the cold we don't want any
monument about it. We are tired of all
honor and no pay. If our soldiers de-
serve a monument they deserve apension;
they deserve equality before the nation.
Better try and see how much money can
be raised for confederate widows fund.
DR.. FELTON, is on that line now-the line
of pensions for manned and invalid SOL
diers, and he writes most feelipgly and
eloquently about what is due them from
the State. How much will General
Sherman and company give to that?
Will they vote for national pension?
For twenty years the South has been
taxed to pay pensions to the Northern
soldiers and we never said word. Now
what will they do for ours? IF nothing
then we want no Union monument. We
have built some simple marble columns
in our cemeteries and they will do for
history and glory. Pensions first and
monuments afterwards, is my motto.
We won't demand pay for the negroes,
for they belonged to rich folks, but the
MANNED soldiers and the widows are poor
If it isn't but ten dollars a piece every
year it will be recognition of patriotic
valor and be more gratefully received
than forty monuments, with the taint of
treason on the Southern side of them.
The blue and the gray can't mix that
way-one with pocket full Of public
money and the other with nothing-notl Z
only with nothing but has to help fill the
others pocket. Oh, pshaw Let's quit
all this foolishness. We can trade and
traffic and mingle and mix and get along
without it. We can pass and repass, as.
the feller said about his bull but don't
manufacture sentiment at the expense of
truth and self.respect. There is that
Bartholdi business that is straining the
nation now. Nobody cares anything
about it. If the pictures speak the
truth, it is the ugliest thing / ever saw.
There is nothing grand or emblematical
bout it. It is a big curiosity like the
sphinx or the pyramids and about as
senseless. Let us run baseball awhile
longer before we take up another hobby.
Baseball is good recreation but Q very
poor business. Tread Of a boy who was
killed with bat at Mineola and the
club built monument over him and
inscribed on it, "He excelled in the
Diamond and was the best pitcher in
Miueola." Hurrah for him-died
young; died in glory; peace to his ashes.
My boy went to baseball last Saturday
and his nose looks like mushroom now
He wont set in the front piazza. But
they have to take these things like taking
the measles, or the bangs or crazy quilts,
or any other disease. 8
But we can afford to take the 4th of
July, for it involves a principal, and lasts
only one day in year. The principal
lasts about that long TOO I reckon: 1t
used to last longer, but not now. 1T is
now money that we are after. Money
beats principle. Money will buy princi-
Piles, and so let everybody get money. 4
BILL ARP.
What He Thought Of it.