The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-07-11

and all in Favor of Establishing the
Misunderstanding and Eloquent
speeches, &c, &c.
According to previous announcement
,he old soldiers of Vance county met
il, Henderson last Thursday. July 4th,
for the purpose Of organizing County
Dx-Confcderate Veterans Association
T,nkinn toward the establishment of q
soldiers Home for our disabled and
Indecent heroes. The meeting was
held in Burwell Hall. and there was a
LARGE crowd present, between l75 and
300 old soldiers. besides many others
helm. i'll the audience. The meet
me- was called to order by Mr.. \
B. PerrSe temporary chairman. and
the exercises opened with prayer by
Rev. J. ID. Arnold. who sent up to the
Throne Of Grace a most fervent appeal
for Divine favor and help. He prayed
that the blessing of God might rest
upon the meeting and upon the old sol
diers. upon their widows and orphans,
and upon all His people. The prayer
was spontaneous from the heart, and
was the utterance of one who was HIM
>rlf Il brave and gallant soldier. and
whose tender sympathy goes out to the
suffering and needy Of all classes. The
empty sleeve that hangs by the side of
this devOut man Of God attests the
bravery upon the field OF battle OF that
same heart that is so easily touched by
pity at others sorrow.
Chairman Perrse i'll appropriate and
well chosen words explained the object
of the meeting and declared it ready
for business. The first thin" III order
being the selection ola permanent chair
man. Col. VIM. II. :. Burgwyn Eomi-
mated Col VIM. III. Cheek, paying Il
HIGH tribute to that gallant gentleman
4, the highest ranking officer i'll the
county. &c. The nomination was
seconded by DIR. J. III. Tucker who
moved that it be made unanimous.
which was done. Col. Burgwyn and
DR.. Tucker were appointed to conduct
Col. Cheek to the chair. His appear
ancc on the stage was the signal for
hearty applause. On assuming his
duties aS chairman. Col. Check thanked
the meeting for the honor that had been
conferred by choosing him to preside
over such an intelligent body that had
met for such Il worthy cause, and de-
Iivcrrd an admirable address which we
publish below.
ADDRESS OF COL. w. II. CHEEK.
Upon taking the chair Col. Cheek
said:
Fstto,c soldiers, thank you for his honor.
Friends-We have assembled to-day to aid
the development Of a humane enterprise.
Nearly thirty years ago at the call OF our
State her people were summoned to pre-
pare for war. Nobly did they respond.
In the history of the world 10 people ever
did 50 more promptly, more unanimously.
All classes heard the call, and all Obeyed
the summons. Alike the STRIPPING youth
the young man in the vigor OF manhood
and the gray-haired man buckled ON his
armor, fell into line, touching elbow to
elbow And our wOmen-GOd bless them
who can ever forget how heartily they
responded to that call who can forget
their zeal, their devotion, their sacrIhceS.
In the breast of all the people from i'll
fancy to old age the fires OF patriotism
blazed as if touched by Il spark OF cleo
tricity.
The war came. and for four long years it
lasted. Il bloody war, with hard fought
battles and fearful carnage. On many
fields the opposing armies met, and few or
these there be that was not crimsoncd with
the blood of North Cardinals sons.
That war has passed | will not speak of
its causes or its effects. We meet to-day
for another purpose. Before telling you
what that purpose is, allow me to say that
in this war, these soldiers of ours won an
imperishable fame for themselveS-and
for their State, a name and reputation
that is not excelled by the States of Sparta
or LacedaemOn. SO long as impartial his
tory shall record the gallant deeds OF
gallant men, so long will North Carolina
be known as the prolific mother of great
warriors, and that reputation will stand as
prominent as the pyramids of Egypt and as
lasting as the rocks of Gibralta
In winning this proud name for their
mother State many brave sons lost their
lives and their bones now lie scattered
along the highways Of the great armies.
Some of her soldierS-as gallant and as
brave as any of those who fell-survived
Of the war returned to their ruined homes:
diseased wounded, mutilated-broken
down in body and estate. Many OF these
there are who though crippled for life,
and living in the novels of the poor, with
scant allowance of daily bread, clad ii
mems of the true soldier as ever marched in
Roman legion or Grecian phalanx. Some
of these are with us here to-day. l never
look upon one of those battle Scared vet
Grams that my heart does not beat will
emotions of pride and of pity. l honor
them for their gallantry, l pity them il
their poverty. They are Heroes; such a:
the world has seldom seen.
Our State has not done for these men
those of them that are now living, or thu
families of those that are dead, all tina
She should have done. When she called
them to war, they heard the cry and Obeyet
her call With unfiinching courage the.
faced death at the lannon's mouth, and OF
many hard fought fields OF battle, the.
freely offered up their lives to sustain thu
honor and the sovereignty of North Car
DINA
In return, what may ask, has the Stat
done for them? The small annual allow
ance of thirty thousand dollars that ha
significant to deserve the name OF pension
What though the cause of the Confed
eraey failed? These men fought, not a
the call OF the Confederate States, but a
the call of their sovereign-the State O
North Carolina. Whether the effort of til
nIted COnfederacy was success or fail
ure, it is the duty of North Carolina t
provide for those who in obedience to he
call have brought afflictiOn and povert
upon themselves and their families. L
North Carolina they owed allegiance, t
Them, North Carolina should give protet
ton.
But some will say, she is too poor
provide for them.' Poverty is poor pie
enter for failure to discharge SO great a
obligation TO such worthy sons. However
her acise legislators have heretofore pleade
it. and the result is, that we are to-day COZ
fronted with condition OF affairs that al
peals to tie sympathy of every true patriot
What is it? Look around and behold
with your swn eyes. What do you see