The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-11-29
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
He Has just Returned fron Trip to
Kentucky and Ohio.
Atlanta Gor,stitution.

in the character of her population.
There are more high-toned, cultured
people in proportion to population
than any other city, more colleges
literary and religious, more notable
ministers, lawyers and editors ane
more intense independent Southern
feeling. I was called there to deliver
an address in behalf Of the ex-Confed
crate soldiers, not to revive any sec
tional feeling or any Of the bitterness
of the war, but to raise money for TIT
dependent Confederate soldiers, tt
keep them from want while they live
and to bury them decently when they
die. This humane and patriotic pur
pose commends itself to all people il
louisville, and I had before me many
Northern people and Federal soldier!
who gave willingly to the cause.
was surprised at the number OF Con
federate Veterans who still live, fol
Ammo Domini is working on then
everywhere, thinning their ranks
Unpensioned soldiers do not liyt
forever ncr do they increase in mum
bers as the years-roll on.
Time cuts down all
Both great and small,
Except the peusioned soldier.
And this reminds me Of hurried
visit to Ohio the other day where
Mckinley had almost walk-over in
the late election. In the town where
I stopped for day 1 learned that most
of the Democrats voted for Mckinley
because Hoke Smith was believed tc
be opposed to Federal pensions, or al
least was exhibiting very inquirine
mind about them. This pension bust
ness is the vital question up North.
It is their salvation; and you might
just as well make war upon man
religion as upon the soldiers right tc
a pension. More pensions and bigger
pensions is the demand, for if the sol
dier or his widow or his children gel
it the outsiders get a whack at it, and
it soon becomes distributed in the
community. 1t averages over $780,:
OOo to each county in Ohio and is paid
out twice year. Just think of that
sum coming into Georgia county
every year world without end and
coming for nothing. What glorious
patrimony it would be ! Then would
we sing, "Hard Times Come Ag'in Nc
More. How it would help out Q
short wheat crop or half a cotton crc-
How it would help us to pay the
preacher and save the heathen and
buy the girls some clothes Nc
wonder those Aolks up North hug
to the pension laws, whether they are
right OF not right. Now, every just
man knows, of course, that our sol,
diers have as much right to pensions
as theirs, and it will be so set down in
history, but the tide is against US, fol
whom the Lord, loveth He chasteneth
And so we have to do the best we can
These good people in Louisville have
got an association that makes provision
for them, and while they can't pension
them, they get them something to do
Captain Leathers is the leading spirit
of this good work and he has such
men as General Basil Duke and Gen
eral Taylor and Major Davis and Cap
tain Easton and DR.. Broadus and DR.
Hemphill to help him. All the best
people encourage them.
One day dilapidated man OF
crutches called on Captain Lethers
and said:
'sCapen, I heard that you were look
ing after the old vets of the Confed
eracy, and I thought I would call ant
tell you that I am one of them ano
would like to have good square mea
once more. It's about dinner tim'
and I haven't had anything to ca
to-day" He had good, honest, suf
fering face, but the captain dident
believe him.
"Where were you wounded p sait
he.
cat the battle of the Wilderness
on the 10th of May, 1854" said the
man.
"What is your name p said tn
captain.
s'William W. Beazley," said he.
The captain was very busy, and a
he handed the old vet dollar, said
"Now go and get something to eat
then go to barber's and get cleaned
up and come back here at 3 clock
I wish to talk to you"
Precisely at 3 o'clock Beazley hob
bled in, leaned his crutches agains
the wall and sat down. He was mucl
improved: ;,
tain, 'I want to cross-examine you
for We have no money to waste OF
imposters. Where do you live ant
what have you been doing and wha
regiment did you serve in Z! Tell me al
about yourself"
Beazley smiled and said, THAT i
all right, captain. I'm not afraid no
ashamed to give you my history.
was a private in Company B., Fourth
Alabama. lived in Selma. am
printer by trade and have been tramp
ing around hunting work and though
I might get work on the Coarier-Jour
nal, but they said I was back mum
her. which is a fact, and now | an
ahoat without a dollar or a friend
My wound has never got well and II
show it to you if you wish to see it. ;
"No, no." said the captain, "wh'
was your colonel p
"We had seven or eight" sait
Beasley, "but the last one was Colone
Scruggs. He is living down here il
Huntsville. He knows me. You cal
write to him and he'll tell you that
am no impostor.
Captain Leathers did not wait fo
credentials, for the man s face wa
credential enough. He bought hin
some decent clothes and set him up il
a little stand by the bank with few
dollars worth of cigars and newspa
pers and little tricks and told him tt
sell them. "Trade with that man,
said he to his acquaintances who cam'
into the bank where the captain il
cashier. "Trade with that old veteran
he was wounded at the Wilderness.